British Airways pairs in-flight meals with classical music

15 October 2014, 11:59 | Updated: 16 October 2014, 16:24

British Airways have revealed a new strategy to make in-flight food taste better - pairing specific music with their meals.

The new initiative, which they've called 'Sonic Seasoning', features some examples of classical music paired with specific dishes and drinks in an effort to make them taste better.

Debussy's Clair De Lune is listed as the perfect accompaniment to a roast dinner: "Piano notes can also enhance the sensation of sweet and bitter tastes." A Placido Domingo recording of 'Nessun Dorma', on the other hand, is suited to after-dinner coffee, thanks to the low tones of the tenor working well with bitter tastes. 

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Shostakovich's Romance from The Gadfly, however, was simply paired with white wine, because "Classical music can enhance the overall experience and perceptions of quality when paired with wine."

The entire playlist consists of 13 tracks and can be heard on BA's long haul flights from November.

According to BA chef Mark Tazzioli, "Your ability to taste is reduced by 30 per cent in the air, so we do everything we can to counteract this. As the ‘fifth taste’ we use umami rich ingredients in our meals, and choose wines that work well with these dishes."

Other pairings across different genres include Paolo Nutini for a Scottish salmon starter, Johnny Marr with a full English breakfast and James Blunt for dessert.