Austrian Airlines Business Class Food: What the DO&CO Partnership Delivers
Austrian Airlines business class dining has gotten complicated with all the “how does it compare to Lufthansa and Swiss” debates, the DO&CO catering quality discussions, and “is Austrian worth booking for a European long-haul specifically for the food” questions flying around. As someone who has spent years following airline catering and the specific partnerships and menu philosophies that differentiate carriers at the front of the cabin, I learned everything there is to know about what Austrian Airlines serves in business class. Today, I will share it all with you.
But what is Austrian Airlines business class food, really? In essence, it’s a catering program built around the DO&CO partnership — an Austrian catering company with a genuine culinary identity rather than the anonymous airline catering aesthetic that dominates most carriers — combined with deliberate use of Austrian regional cuisine as a differentiator. But it’s much more than menu content. For business travelers who’ve eaten their way through enough airline galleys to have opinions, the Austrian approach stands out because DO&CO actually cares about the food in a way that shows up on the tray.
The DO&CO Partnership
Austrian Airlines’ catering relationship with DO&CO is the foundation of the business class dining experience. DO&CO is a Vienna-based hospitality company that manages in-flight catering for several premium carriers including Turkish Airlines, British Airways, and Austrian itself. They bring a restaurant-quality preparation philosophy to airline catering — not always achievable in practice at altitude, but the intent is visible in sourcing decisions and menu construction. Don’t make my mistake of assuming airline catering partnerships are all equivalent — at least if you’re evaluating business class carriers in Europe, because the difference between a carrier with genuine culinary identity in its catering contract and one running standard airline food service is meaningful and detectable on the tray.
Pre-Flight Lounge Dining
Business class passengers at Vienna International Airport access the Austrian Airlines Senator Lounge and Business Lounge before departure. The lounge food at VIE is among the better offerings in the European short-haul network — hot dishes, quality cold selection, Austrian pastry, and proper coffee service rather than the packaged food that dominates smaller European lounges. Passengers on long-haul routes particularly benefit from eating well in the lounge before a transatlantic or Asian departure.
In-Flight Menu Structure
The in-flight menu changes seasonally and varies by route. Long-haul business class menus follow a multi-course structure: welcome drink (champagne or non-alcoholic), appetizer, main course with side selection, dessert, and cheese service on longer routes. The airline deliberately includes Austrian specialties alongside international options — Wiener Schnitzel and Sachertorte appear regularly alongside more globally familiar choices, and the execution is generally better than token regional gesture it can be on carriers that treat local cuisine as a checkbox.
Sample Appetizers
- Smoked Salmon Tartare with capers and dill crème
- Air-dried Ham with Melon and arugula
- Seasonal Salads with quality dressings
Sample Main Courses
- Beef Filet with Rosemary Potatoes and seasonal vegetables
- Chicken Schnitzel with Potato Salad in the Austrian tradition
- Vegetarian options including gnocchi and pasta preparations
Beverage Program
Austrian Airlines’ wine program is one of the more interesting in European business class precisely because it showcases Austrian wines rather than defaulting to French and Italian selections. Grüner Veltliner from the Wachau, Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt from Burgenland — these are genuinely good wines that most passengers haven’t encountered, which makes the tasting aspect of the service an actual discovery rather than a familiar routine. That’s what makes Austrian business class endearing to passengers who pay attention to wine — the Austrian vineyard showcase is not an afterthought.
Coffee service is positioned as a “Viennese coffee house in the sky” — espresso-based preparations with proper presentation rather than drip coffee in paper cups. For early morning departures, the coffee service quality matters more than it gets credit for.
Special Dietary Options
Special meals must be requested at least 24 hours before departure. The range covers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, kosher, and several medical diet options. First, you should request special meals at booking rather than waiting until 24 hours out — at least if your dietary requirement is strict, because the 24-hour minimum is the policy floor and earlier requests give catering more preparation time, which shows up in execution quality for complex dietary preparations.
Breakfast and Mid-Flight Service
Overnight flights from Vienna include breakfast service that covers both Continental and hot options. Freshly baked bread and Austrian pastry, cheese and cold cuts, yogurt, and hot breakfast preparations including omelets are standard offerings. Mid-flight snack menus on longer routes maintain service continuity with cheese platters, salads, and pastry selections that reflect the same DO&CO quality standard as the main service.
