Some time ago, Austrian Airlines introduced chargeable catering on short and medium-haul routes. The sales catalogue, which was extremely extensive at the beginning, has meanwhile been significantly slimmed down. The free water is only pointed out in small letters in a footer. The AUA explains, among other things, that the "Melangerie" is a model for success.

The menu of the fee-based economy class catering on Austrian Airlines' short and medium-haul routes has meanwhile become much smaller. Only two warm meals are currently offered, although the Schnitzel, which is said to be popular with Austrians, is currently not included.

The number of sandwiches and rolls was also significantly reduced compared to the introduction of paid catering. It is also striking that the prices for the salads are no longer printed. Austrian Airlines explains this, among other things, by saying that it would be a kind of advertisement by Do&Co.

However, the reduction in selection is not an isolated case at the Vienna location. For example, Level Europe, which no longer exists, started with one of the most extensive sales catalogs of all. Step by step, the menu became significantly smaller and was ultimately just an ultra-thin folder. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the airline or the catering partner, in whose name and on whose account the sale is made, simply finds it too expensive to provide a large selection for which there is hardly any demand.

A spokeswoman for Austrian Airlines told Aviation.Direct on request: “The salads mentioned without a price are the illustrations for the presentation of our catering partner Henry. In this menu cycle (the melangerie offer is renewed every three months), we have optimized the number and selection according to guest feedback and are focusing on product directions that are particularly well received. In the most recent survey, the price-performance ratio of the Melangerie was rated very positively by our guests!”.

One particularly interesting fact is that the free water that passengers can still get “on demand” is now advertised on a microscopic level. In the footer on page 12 the current menu there is a very small hint that might easily be overlooked. Also, during the in-flight announcements, the cabin crew does not point out that travelers can get a free cup of water. In the previous edition of the menu, the free water was still clearly visible with a photo. An AUA spokeswoman: "Of course, the free water is still available at the request of our guests, the offer is also mentioned on menu page 12."

In the course of introducing paid catering, Aviation.Direct presented this in detail. In the past, the AUA took care of that Leberkäse rolls for six euros each for attention. Apparently these were not a bestseller, because they were already when the menus were next revised these were abolished.