In-flight meals are increasingly going luxury as international and domestic airlines try to lure passengers with fare from some of the city's famous restaurants.

In a highly competitive market, airlines are trying to improve service and menus.

Dragonair of Hong Kong, China Eastern Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines and China Southern Airlines have partnered with Shanghai restaurants or drawn up special Shanghai cuisine menus for first class and business class.

Dragonair, one of the two carriers on the Shanghai-Hong Kong route, announced two restaurant partnerships to provide more dinner options starting on May 1.

It is partnering with Palladio, an Italian restaurant at The Portman Ritz-Carlton and the famous Whampoa Club at Three on the Bund.

The Whampoa Club is known for its refined and creative Shanghai cuisine served in exquisite china.

"Dragonair hopes the cooperation with high-end restaurants will give passengers delicate and special food experiences, instead of just serving the same dishes," said Aaron Chan, regional manager of Dragonair's East China operations.

Rival China Eastern Airlines, which operates more than a dozen flights daily on the Shanghai-Hong Kong route, has prepared 80 sets of in-flight meals with typical flavors from the city.

The list includes famous dishes like pork balls with crab sauce, stewed duck and glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf, and braised pork with soybean sauce.

Earlier this year, Lufthansa German Airlines partnered with Pudong Shangri-La Shanghai. It offers meals created by a star chef with the luxury hotel on Sino-German routes.

China Southern Airlines, the country's biggest carrier by fleet size, will hold food festivals from May 1. It will offer delicate and dim sum options with local flavor.

"With new routes opened and more players entering China's aviation market, the service has become top priority to woo customers," said Hu Zhiqun, a China Southern official.

(Shanghai Daily April 28, 2006)