Most of us will never be able to travel on Business Class, but Qatar Airways’ newly revamped Economy Class menu could help you feel like you’re travelling in the premium cabin, with a little stretch of the imagination.

Qatar Airways, a five-time recipient of Skytrax’s Airline of the Year award, has elevated its Economy Class menu in a few ways. For starters, meals now come in more generous portions — appetisers are 20 per cent larger; mains, 25 per cent; and desserts are a whopping 50 per cent bigger.

Besides an array of international dishes, new local dishes such as chicken rice, nasi lemak, briyani, roti prata and curry have also been introduced on its Singapore-Doha flights, which happen thrice daily.

At a recent tasting, we were served a meal of barley and pomegranate salad, focaccia bread, chicken rice and vanilla panna cotta with butter crumble — just like how it'd be served onboard a Qatar Airways flight, we’re told. So, is the chicken rice legit or not? We’re happy to report that yes, it’s comparable to what you’d get at a fairly decent chicken rice stall in Singapore. The chicken was juicy and tender, and the chilli was as fiery as you’d get at any coffeeshop. That said, our tasting was conducted terra firma at the SATS Catering Centre where the plane meals are prepared, though we’re reassured that it’ll be as tasty when served mid-air.

Now, who says you have to book a cook on Singapore Airlines’ Business Class to savour a taste of home 30,000 feet in the air? Okay, so the grub isn’t served on porcelain tableware like they are on SQ Business Class, but this isn’t a far cry from what SQ Premium Economy passengers get.

Economy passengers on Qatar Airways can also enjoy premium perks that other airlines typically reserve for its Business or Premium Economy passengers. On flights that are five hours and longer, pre-dinner drinks of sparkling wine and cocktail snacks will be served. Godiva chocolate will be offered with the hot beverage service, while individual bottled water will made available to Economy Class passengers on the flight. The range of mid-flight movie snacks has been expanded to include popcorn and cheese with crackers. Plying passengers with premium snacks may not help with legroom, but it sure makes for happier travellers.

In a bid to reduce single-use plastics on its flights, the airline says that it has also ramped up use of recyclable and biodegradable products used onboard by 80 per cent, while 80 per cent of tray items comply with the ban on single-use plastics.

This is the kids’ snack box that the lil tykes get, and it's packed with snacks and drinks, some of which were selected after the airline’s unconventional survey: the catering team roped in 50 kids of 15 nationalities to pick out their fave grub. Okay, so when do the adults get their turn?

Photos: Qatar Airways, Jasmine Teo