Beef hamburger, priced at 13,450 yen ($112), is served at the Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo May 1, 2007.
Beef hamburger, priced at 13,450 yen ($112), is served at the Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo May 1, 2007. Reuters/Kiyoshi Ota
A "wagyu" beef hamburger, priced at 13,450 yen ($112), is served at the Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo May 1, 2007. The burger is more than twice as expensive as the hotel's main burger and over 40 times as pricey as a McDonald's staple set. Picture taken May 1, 2007. REUTERS/Kiyoshi Ota (JAPAN)

There are a number of anecdotes as well as jokes on airline meals. Australian flag carrier Qantas hopes to dispel some of those with its offer of Wagyu beef and 50 percent bigger portions on economy seats.

The new food options, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said on Wednesday, aims to provide flyers better customer service experience and boost at the same time the air carrier's finances.

While the availability of Wagyu beef and bigger meals would cost the airline 40 percent more to produce, the Flying Roo hopes it would attract more passengers to fly Qantas's domestic and international routes. In the past few years, the flag carrier's flyers had dwindled due to stiffer competition from budget carriers as well as Middle Eastern airlines that are subsidised by their oil-rich governments.

In 2013/2014, Qantas logged losses of $2.8 billion, incurred mostly by its international operations.

With the wider meal offer, Qantas passengers have three meal options to select from, while those who order online in advance their meals would have a fourth options.

Qantas gave a preview of its new economy class meals on Wednesday to media in a press briefing.

In a review of the fare, Sydney Morning Herald writer Daisy Dumas described the food - Barramundi poached in spiced coconut sauce with noodles - as "indiscernible but fancy nonetheless."

Here's her feedback on the new meals.

YouTube/Paslcamse Saczers

Besides better food, Qantas would also provide feast for the eyes of travelers as it makes available more hit films and TV shows on it inflight entertainment. Joyce pointed out that air passengers love to TV binge while flying, admitting that he viewed the entire season of House of Cards II during his last trip.

Joyce added that inflight entertainment also allows those with preference for more serious viewing fare to catch up on political happenings that they could have missed due to their busy daily lives.