Have in-flight meals improved?
By Darren Cronian on Saturday, July 14th, 2007

Interesting discussion the other day, regarding in-flight meals. One friend mentioned that he didn’t pay for in-flight meals, but still received one, and then a few others mentioned that the same happened to them on their recent holiday.

Have in flight meals improved?

This will only apply on package holiday flights, because all low cost airlines now charge for food and drink but it made me wonder if any readers received a meal in-flight even though they didn’t pay for one when booking the holiday?

Whilst we are on the discussion of in-flight food, what’s your opinion of the quality of food in-flight, because companies like Thomson are now working with famous chefs like Aldo Zilli to create food menus, and traditionally the in-flight meal has a reputation of not being very pleasant.


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5 responses to “Have in-flight meals improved?”

Chas | 25 July, 2007 at 1:11 am

Since this topic is really only applicable to charter flight meals, I thought I’d toss in my two-penn’orth.

Charter flights out of and returning to Manchester (MAN) are most likely to be supplied by Applebys and regardless of which kitchen wunderkind has “designed the menu”, I can guarantee that the stuff in that plastic tray will be grade one garbage. In particular, Applebys sausages (which are the mainstay of their menus) are the most appalling greasy semi-cooked stodge imaginable but suitable for vegetarians, as they contain nothing but sawdust!

However, if you are one of those poor travellers who suffer from the immediate onset of “gippy-tum”, the moment you set foot on foreign soil, the sausage may be your saviour – they caused me two or three days of colonic congestion each time I made the mistake of indulging (I have long since given up).

These days, if I can’t deselect in-flight meals, I may pick at the odd bit of cotton-wool bread or plastic cheese but I rely on a pack of sarnies bought from the airside Boots branch and a 1.5 litre bottle of water, thank you.

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Darren Cronian | 25 July, 2007 at 2:54 am

Chas,

Yes, I rarely book inflight food, and like you buy a sandwich and water from the likes of Boots. Last year though I receive a flight meal with My Travel, and was quite surprised in the quality of the food.

This doesn’t just apply to charter flights though – its also schedule flights that offer in flight meals.

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Cloe Parker | 15 October, 2007 at 3:01 pm

I was expecting to receive a vegetarian meal that I had booked and paid for on my flights to and from Eqypt this year. I was not provided with one, and was offered an ordinary meal, and was told to just not eat the meat. I was dumfounded as 3/4 of the meal contained meat type products. I made a complaint to the travel company who answer was that they can not guarantee that you will get a vegetarian meal if you order one they are subject to availability and they do say in there small print that a vegetarian meal is a request. and if not available they are allowed to substitute. This statement must have been written by a meat eater, and they are discrimating against vegetarians.

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Darren Cronian | 15 October, 2007 at 3:26 pm

That’s not goot Cloe.

How can they tell you not to eat the meat, that’s definatly the reply of a meat eater.

What company did you fly with?

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Steve Marsh | 18 October, 2007 at 3:19 pm

My wife and I have just returned from a holiday in Cyprus with Monarch AIrways and I fully aree with Chas’s description of the “sausages” – we just cannot touch them. We were given a glob of sausage meat with I think it was egg for breakfast on the way out and two anemic sausages, with equally discusting accomaniments for lunch on the return trip. I remember not more than 4 or five years ago when we were served real chicken breast with roast potatoes on a charter flight, so my firm belief, as in so many walks of life, is that the endless cost-cutting has gone beyong a joke with these in-flight meals, and I will be heading for Boots as well, and boycotting those carriers with such a food policy.

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