Mumbai: Above 35,000ft, tea at its best

At a gathering last week in a city hotel for its selected frequent fliers and celebrities, United Kingdom’s national carrier British Airways served a specially blended tea brewed exclusively at an altitude of over 35,000 feet. The airline claims that the tea tastes exactly the same up in the air as it does on the ground.

The invention seems significant as scores of research and studies in aviation science in the past have proven that edible food items becomes at least 30 per cent less tasty, in comparison when the same food or beverage is consumed on land.

The airline claimed that tea, which is a blend of Assam, Kenyan and high brown Ceylon tea, gives it a well-rounded combination of strength, flavour and colour. “The tea has been designed in three-pint bags to enable cabin crew to serve the new blend straight from the pot,” said Jamie Cassidy, general manager, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. 

One of the latest study on effect of food during flight was commissioned by Germany-based Lufthansa airline in 2010. The study pointed out that high altitude impacts our taste buds by decreasing the perception about saltiness and sweetness. Even, the low cabin pressure and dry air inside the aircraft affects our sense of smell, which is an important parameter in liking or disliking of a food. Also it is believed, the loud engine sound worsens the matter.

The specially blended tea has been made by tea giant company, which has been a pioneer in introducing tea drinking to British as back as 17th century. The tea has been recently introduced in all its flights including those operating to Mumbai, the airline officials added.

Milan Gupta, head production, Travel Food Services Private Limited, a food chain operating at several airports across the country including Mumbai said, “The change in taste is more drastic in beverage items like tea and wine during the flight.”