Starbucks In Flight

Starbucks in flight

John Kelly, president and chief executive officer of Horizon Air, can relate to the story of the couple who loved good coffee so much they would not board a plane without a portable espresso maker.

Kelly told Lori Idler, the airline's food and beverage buyer, to try to replace Horizon's standard institutional brew.

The result: Horizon Air began serving Starbucks coffee in boarding areas and in flight Feb. 1. Jennifer Ames, a Starbucks account executive, said the coffee is brewed on the ground and carried aboard in thermoses. When the planes land to refuel, airlines employees brew a new supply.