Lufthansa axes free in-flight meals

Lufthansa has become the latest airline to scrap complimentary in-flight meals for short-haul flights as it moves to cut costs amid the aviation industry's deepening crisis. The carrier, one of the last in Europe to offer free food and drink to economy class passengers, said it will launch a new paid-for menu from next spring for both short and medium-haul routes. Christina Foerster, head of customer services at the airline, said: “Our current snack offer in economy class does not always meet the expectations of our guests. The new offer was developed on the basis of feedback from our customers.” It comes after rivals axed in-flight meals in recent years to reduce costs as the golden age of air travel came to a halt. Lufthansa’s buy-on-board service will be launched on the group’s regional carriers, Austrian Airlines and SWISS, before being introduced on the carrier’s flights next year. <br/>