Air India serves street-style ‘Cutting Chai’ on overseas flights.
With Cutting Chai-Masala Flavour, which is offered to First and Business Class travellers on its international flights, Air India is taking a well-known Indian tea custom to the skies.
Inspired by the street-style cutting chai that is popular throughout India, the masala chai was created especially for Air India in partnership with Tata Consumer Products Ltd. (TCPL).
The drink is a component of the airline’s attempts to make the onboard experience uniquely Indian. The tea is provided in a small, single-serve amount that is freshly made on board and is modelled after the classic cutting chai format.
The airline is marketing the service around familiarity and nostalgia for Indian passengers, while it introduces foreign tourists to a common feature of Indian cuisine and social culture.
APEX Award Winner: Cutting Chai
Air India’s Cutting Chai won the Best Onboard Beverage (Hot) award from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), demonstrating the onboard offering’s industry recognition.
The acknowledgement coincides with Air India’s ongoing efforts to improve a number of aspects of the traveller experience, such as food and beverage options, cabin décor, and service design.
The airline hopes to blend its premium international service offering with a stronger feeling of Indian identity by launching goods influenced by Indian customs and tastes.
Air India’s premium cabin service now includes a locally inspired beverage choice called Cutting Chai, which is offered in First and Business Class on international flights.
