Qatar Airways Partners with gategroup for Elevated Inflight and Lounge Dining

Qatar Airways has inked a deal with airline catering experts gategroup to elevate its menus in the sky and Doha lounges, part of the Gulf carrier’s investment in passenger experience.

Through the partnership, which will be structured as a business management agreement, Qatar Airways will tap the Switzerland-headquartered gategroup’s expertise in menu design, food operations, and culinary excellence.

Photo: Courtesy of Qatar Airways

A Doha-based team will help develop a dedicated culinary studio for Qatar Airways to create efficient, innovative, bespoke menus for the airline. The new meals will have high-quality, healthy ingredients, including produce sourced locally for sustainability and authenticity, as well as to support local businesses.

Dishes developed at the culinary studio will be served aboard Qatar Airways flights and in the lavish lounges at its home base, Doha’s Hamad International Airport (DOH).

Behind every delicious bite will be efficient food production and systematic monitoring of quality, taste, and appearance, put into place by gategroup.

“This partnership with gategroup will amplify the Qatar Airways brand by delivering refined culinary experiences for our guests, inflight and on the ground, in our world-class lounges at Hamad International Airport,” said Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer.

Photo: Qatar Airways Al Mourjan business lounge in Doha. Courtesy of Qatar Airways.

“Gategroup brings an exciting new beginning to an already world-class standard of catering by Qatar Airways. Collectively our innovation and operational excellence will set a new standard for Inflight dining.”

Christoph Schmitz, CEO of gategroup, added: “We are genuinely honored to walk this path alongside Qatar Airways. It is a journey of discovery, growth, and immense potential, and we firmly believe in the transformative power of collaboration, where two companies come together with shared visions and values to craft something truly outstanding.”

Qatar Airways has invested heavily in passenger experience in recent years, including its pioneering business class Qsuites, attentive customer service, and portfolio of sumptuous airport lounges.

Last month, the airline launched the Privilege Club Collection, a platform for members of their loyalty program to bid Avios points for exclusive money-can’t-buy experiences, including VIP concert and sporting tickets.

Photo: QSuite Business Class seat. Courtesy of Qatar Airways.

That investment has elevated Qatar Airways to the top of global airline rankings. Last year, the carrier was voted the World’s Leading Airline in the finals of the World Travel Awards and clinched the World’s Best Business Class at the Business Traveler Awards 2023.