I don't know if this topic has ever been brought up. I'd like to know what experience everyone's had with airline coffee. For some of us, coffee is almost the juice of life; for others, it's nothing important. I, for one, love coffee and appreciate it strong and full-bodied.
The best coffee I've had was on CSA - Czecho-Slovak Airlines back in 1991, on JFK-PRH-JFK (A310-300), PRH-LED (TU134A-3) and SVO-PRH (TU154M). The coffee had an almost syrupy quality to it, and was excellent. I had two cups on the JFK-PRH and PRH-JFK legs, and just one on the much shorter PRH-LED and SVO-PRH legs. That was the coffee that got me addicted!
The worst was on United Airlines, ORD-SAN on a 727-200 after a grueling 14 hours traveling in 1996. I was well aware that US domestic carriers grind one bean and use it for 12 gallons of coffee, producing brown water that tastes of nothing. But I was in desperate need of a caffeine fix, and figured that since UAL was using Starbucks beans, which they advertised heavily, I would give it a shot. I got the coffee, took one sip and couldn't touch it again. It was like boiled water with coffee flavouring. BLECH!
Anyone care to contribute?
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- flybulldog
- Posts: 351
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RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
I have yet to have a good cup of coffee on any airline.
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
United Airlines serves starbucks was it served on your flight? My mother has had it and she said that they "watered it down" or so. My dad had frappichinoes on UA when he flew first and said it was good. I don't go for coffie, I get soft drinks and orange juice!
U N I T E D Rising
SQA340
U N I T E D Rising
SQA340
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Okay, I'm not a Seattle native, but I've lived here long enough to become something of a coffee "snob".
Without a doubt, Southwest has to have the worst coffe I have ever tasted on any airline. I wrote a letter to Herb Kellerher about it and suggested that Southwest switch to Starbuck's or another well know brand name coffee like their competitor's here in the NW did (UAL & Alaska/Horizon). I got a very polite letter back saying that Southwest was not likely to go in for a name brand coffee in their ongoing efforts to keep their fares as low as possible. Not enough of their customers cared about the coffee to warrant changing what they were already using. I like the low fares so I get myself a good venti before I get on board.
The best coffee I have ever had was on Horizon air between GEG and SEA. I think they ground the beans (Seattle's Best) right on board our DHC-8-200! Almost made the trip on the Dash 8 worth it.
Click for large version
Photo © John W. A. Merer
EyeSky
Without a doubt, Southwest has to have the worst coffe I have ever tasted on any airline. I wrote a letter to Herb Kellerher about it and suggested that Southwest switch to Starbuck's or another well know brand name coffee like their competitor's here in the NW did (UAL & Alaska/Horizon). I got a very polite letter back saying that Southwest was not likely to go in for a name brand coffee in their ongoing efforts to keep their fares as low as possible. Not enough of their customers cared about the coffee to warrant changing what they were already using. I like the low fares so I get myself a good venti before I get on board.
The best coffee I have ever had was on Horizon air between GEG and SEA. I think they ground the beans (Seattle's Best) right on board our DHC-8-200! Almost made the trip on the Dash 8 worth it.
Photo © John W. A. Merer
EyeSky
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- Guest
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
National Airlines uses Rio Java Select coffee from the Rio All-Suite Casino Resort in Las Vegas. I don't drink coffee except for Starbucks frappuccinos but I am told it is quite good.
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Best airline coffee I have had in a while is on Air Canada. I believe it's a Canadian company called Second Cup. It was strong, and actually tasted very good, unlike the glorified hot water that passes for coffee on most other airlines.
Charles
Charles
The customer isn't a moron, she is your wife -David Ogilvy
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- VirginA340
- Posts: 2556
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RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
I've had good coffee on Alaska, UAL and AC. Virgin was great but I don't recall the brand of the english coffee brand they use. I think BA uses another brand. Thier coffe is pretty decent.
"FUIMUS"
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Best coffee is on mainline DL, the caribou coffee... the stuff on ASA really sucks....
*camille*
*camille*
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Continental serves Timothy's International Coffees, which I find to be pretty good, as I drink 3-5 cups on morning flight, 1-3 cups on afternoon flights, and 2-4 on nighttime flights. Those numbers may be inflated a bit, but I do drink a lot of coffee, and find what we get on CO to be pretty good. Now, what they serve to the pax, well, that's a different story. 
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- Guest
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Being a black coffee (no cream or sugar) drinker, I can't handle the strong stuff like Starbuck which is roasted European style. United and Alaska served the strong kind and therefore I dislike coffee from them. However, I can see one likes the strong stuff with cream and sugar. I just like drinking coffee black, though.
Best Regards,
MD11Nut
Best Regards,
MD11Nut
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
I get several compliments on DL's mainline coffe (Carabou Brand) from our customers. The DL Shuttle offers a different coffee (Green Mountain) which I thpought was too strong. In my own personal taste, Iit helps to use half and half as opposed to the "Coffee Delight" creamers that are offered on most flights. DL was experimenting witha cappucino machine on one of their MD-11's and I haven't heard much about it since (that was about 1 year ago when they started .)
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- Guest
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Man creamers drive me nuts. That's definately one of the perks of F class is you're certain to have real cream. Anyway nothing like UA starbucks, in china, with real cream, when it's fresh. I agree though that no airline has perfected the art of making it good all the time (like so many elements of their services).
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
I think Seattle's Best Coffee is a little lighter than Starbucks, although Starbucks has introduced lighter roasts. Anyways, I think SBC is the best coffee out there, and Alaska serves it.
The Rio Java Select on National is good too (based on only two cups, however).
The Rio Java Select on National is good too (based on only two cups, however).
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- UAL Bagsmasher
- Posts: 1839
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Message For Ctbarnes
The best cup of coffee I've had is in the Fellowship room in ORD... 
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
airline coffee is bad, even worse is airline tea 
.....up there with the best!
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
I enjoy coffee as much as Jet-A! That being said...LOL..Horizon/Alaska with Seatlles Best is about as consistent as it gets for airline coffee..Hmmm, Airline..coffee/airline..Food..now there are some real oxymorons!
The inconsistant supply of good water makes making a good pot of coffee at 33,000 ft about as likely as hitting the big one in vegas. God only knows how many different sources of water are in the tanks for coffee on a plane.
The inconsistant supply of good water makes making a good pot of coffee at 33,000 ft about as likely as hitting the big one in vegas. God only knows how many different sources of water are in the tanks for coffee on a plane.
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- Ilyushin96M
- Posts: 2506
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Airline Tea
Airmale, I've also had really good tea on flights - with Aeroflot. They brew tea quite strong, and serve it from its own pot, diluting it with boiled water according to passenger preference. Tea-drinking is very much a part of the Russian culture, and it's nice that this extends to their national airline.
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- Guest
RE: Airline Tea
Coffee on all US airlines I've used sucked big time...The culture shock I suppose...
Also on BA...
Very good on Iberia.
Tea very good on BA
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E.
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- Guest
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Best: UNITED. Don't they have Starbucks Coffee on board? I luv Starbucks.
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
The coffee on Delta (Caribou) is quite good and they tend to brew it strong in International flights - at least the ones I've been on. On the KFLL-KATL run a couple of times in the morning, (the one time you need it when you take off at 7am...) it's been revolting. The ASA coffee as N4KHGirl said, is truly revolting all the time. (and that flight's at 5am, when you REALLY need it!)
As to tea, Delta's tea is quite possibly the worst in the world - in Coach. In BizElite they offer all teas from all around Europe & America - including proper English tea - from India. (explain that one....) so that's ok. But on the whole, Delta tea is GROSE. Their coffee is good. The best tea I had on an airplane was also on BA EGLL-EGJJ. (funny that!)
FLY DELTA JETS and sail UNITED STATES LINES
N 8 6 3 D A
As to tea, Delta's tea is quite possibly the worst in the world - in Coach. In BizElite they offer all teas from all around Europe & America - including proper English tea - from India. (explain that one....) so that's ok. But on the whole, Delta tea is GROSE. Their coffee is good. The best tea I had on an airplane was also on BA EGLL-EGJJ. (funny that!)
FLY DELTA JETS and sail UNITED STATES LINES
N 8 6 3 D A
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- Ilyushin96M
- Posts: 2506
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Delta Coffee
Hey N863DA, I had coffee onboard an MD-11 of DL on FRA-LAX in 1995; it was as bad as any American-style coffee I've ever had, even the German F/A who served it to me told me it wasn't up to European standards of strength. Most Americans can't drink the kind of coffee I like, anyway - you could stand a spoon up in it! 
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Hi friends!
No, no, no!!!! Don't even try to compare american coffee ( Starbucks included!!! ) with a true "Cafe do Brazil" - brazilian cofee, no way, no chance, for me it's the best coffee I ever had in my life, I flew with Varig from LIS to AMS in a nice B. 707-320C reg. PP-VJH and I still almost have the taste in my mouth!!! After the brazilian coffee you'll have ethiopian coffee too, very good, very acid, very wild - if you ever have the chance try the Moka Sidamo, that's a real coffee too, after well we have many but as a portuguese I have to talk about East Timor coffee, that's a real pearl.
To end this, when you try one of these I told you you'll never try Starbucks again, I guarantee you that!!!
regards!
CV990, the Maserati of the skies!
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- Guest
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
On my last flight on UA (flight 901, business) I ordered some tea after lunch (I abandoned coffee around half a year ago, before that I was drinking around two liters a day). Well that stuff was horrible so I came to the conclusion to have some coffee which was a strong one and its taste really remembered me of the stuff you get at Starbuck's. Ilyushin 96M, I think you could have been enjoying it, too. Don't know how the coffee is like in coach.
My experiences with Lufthansa (German domestic flights, both business and coach) hasn't been as good; either it's what you reported of the U.S. carriers (way too thin) or way too strong so it becomes bitter.
My experiences with Lufthansa (German domestic flights, both business and coach) hasn't been as good; either it's what you reported of the U.S. carriers (way too thin) or way too strong so it becomes bitter.
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- JumboClassic
- Posts: 314
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RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Being a big coffee fan I feel obligated to respond to this thread. I have to admit I don't like Starbucks, i.e. UA can't impress my tastes. Although once in Business class (United), coffee was pretty good (guess it wasn't Starbucks).
From my other experiences - don't remember Aeroflot (I was too young), but I remember BA's wasn't bad. I think it all depends on the dinner (and drinks) I've had before the coffee (-:
From my other experiences - don't remember Aeroflot (I was too young), but I remember BA's wasn't bad. I think it all depends on the dinner (and drinks) I've had before the coffee (-:
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
The Delta Shuttle originally offered Starbucks Coffee, which I thought was delicious. Later they changed to Green Mountain, which is also good, but I can't find it in any grocery store. On American, I had cafe de colombia. On one flight it was terrible. Too much water. On another flight it was delicious. But the best airline coffee I ever had was on Eastern. I asked the flight attendant what kind it was, and she said Maxwell House.
Bob Bradley
Richmond, VA
Bob Bradley
Richmond, VA
Fly Eastern's Golden Falcon DC-7B
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- Guest
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
Grupo Taca!!! It's the best coffee I've tried on airplanes... No imported crap, this stuff is home grown. Otherwise, I've enjoyed Juan Valdez coffee on some Europena carriers.
RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
AVIANCA for a blend coffee, and VARIG for a strong one.
L1101
L1101,
Try looking for Green Mountain Coffee in your local Mobil Convenience Store. Just finished an accounting class project covering Green Mountain Coffee and in the annual report they said their coffee is available in all Mobil Convenience Store throughout US.
Try looking for Green Mountain Coffee in your local Mobil Convenience Store. Just finished an accounting class project covering Green Mountain Coffee and in the annual report they said their coffee is available in all Mobil Convenience Store throughout US.
SQ*G BD*S
RE: SIA Fan
Thanks. I'll check out my Mobil Convenience Store and see if they have it.
Bob Bradley
Richmond, VA
Bob Bradley
Richmond, VA
Fly Eastern's Golden Falcon DC-7B
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- scaredflyer21
- Posts: 334
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RE: Airline Coffee - Best & Worst
I find the best to be TWA 
and the worst to be Southwest 
and the worst to be Southwest Who is online
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