This report investigates passenger attitudes towards on-board catering in North East Asia. The study is based upon a stratified sample of 374 respondents interviewed at Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul, Korea and assesses the level of importance of in-flight food products in the context of short haul international flights.

The data collected through these questionnaires showed that factors such as ticket price, destination and various passenger demographics had an effect on the perception of the level and necessity of in-flight catering on short-haul international flights within North East Asia.

Based upon previous research (see Jones, 2004; Gilbert and Wong, 2003; Papadiotis, 2003), respondents were asked to rank by level of importance 11 product features. Ticket pricing and food and beverages were analysed separately as these factors directly relate to the research questions posed by this report.

Respondents were then asked to rate their satisfaction levels and evaluate the necessity of the in-flight food service provided by current FSNC’s on short haul flights of less than three hours. The respondents were generally satisfied with the level of current in-flight food services with those who were highly satisfied also seeing the greatest necessity for in-flight food service. Those respondents who had travelled more often over the course of the previous year were less likely to see the necessity of in-flight food services and both the travel destination and flight duration were important factors in deciding the necessity of in-flight food service.

The survey then asked respondents to rate ticket prices and the analysis showed that negative and unsatisfactory perceptions existed as most respondents felt that current prices were too high. As this area is still dominated by FSNCs, this report believes that the next few years will see prices dropping as LCCs enter the market and so increasing competitiveness.

Overall, the report finds that current food and beverage provision are not well appreciated or recognised by passengers on short-haul flights in North East Asia and that, ticket prices are perceived as being too high. As this market changes, either due to deregulation or liberalisation, so the major FSNCs will have to re-evaluate their market segments in order to remain competitive in this short-haul international market place.