Airline food - love it or hate it?.

[Butch]

Something all of us have encountered at one time or another. There's 2 types IMO, the stuff you get as part of your ticket on a long haul, and the stuff people buy while in the air on the short haul flights.

Now, I have no idea why some people buy food on a 2 or 3 hour flight, it's not as if they're going to starve to death in the time they are in the air, but it's revenue I guess and keeps prices down. On the occasions I've purchased a short haul flight, mostly in the PI the ticket has occasionally included a free meal, usually a cup noodle, heated up cheese and onion slice, or some kind of high calorie low nutrition snack. Normally on a short haul i'll take my own water bottle and that'll be it.

Long haul, I've found the food on Malaysian to be good, Singapore Airlines also. When I say "good" I mean edible. EVA offers OK food, omlette and sausage for breakfast and usually a chicken , beef or maybe fish dish for mains with a yoghurt / Ice cream and small selection of fruit , crackers with cheese and very good coffee!. Most SEA Airlines seem to offer a noodle dish, THAI seem to like this as well.

However, options aside, I will only eat if I'm really hungry, otherwise I just stick to the plain crackers and butter, or bread roll with a bit of cheese in it. I just don't trust airline food for some reason, and I'll always grab a mars bar and pack of crisps or flapjack to take on board.

[Freee!!]

In general I don't have a real problem with airline food and normally I just everything they offer. On long haul flights in the night I usually get up a couple of times to check the pantry if I can scrounge some snacks.

[Nightcrawler]

Generally,I hate it. The only decent meals I have ever had was in Biz class served on a proper plate with a choice of wines and cheeses etc.

I find food in Economy ( which I normally use) to be almost inedible apart from the yoghurt pot, fruit and cheese and biscuits

 I can honestly say that I have never finished one of those two choice reheated meals on an airplane 

I normally eat at the airport before boarding. I am more interested in the drinks section of the trolley. 

That said  I never expect anything different in economy on my 2 Airlines of choice when flying long haul. 

I suspect prison food is slightly better🙂

[Nightcrawler]

I may start taking my own food with me 

 

[Derek Dangleberries]

Last trip was EVA Economy. I pre-ordered seafood on both legs  and it was bloody perfect. The best economy food I have tasted.

The best business class food was with Ethiopian Air although the lamb on Namibian air was bloody perfect. It was so good I ate the pilots lamb too (I think he was left with fish) !!!!

Best economy wine was the individual bottles on AF.

Generally I love airline food .... except internal flights in China ...

EDIT = The best short haul was Bangkok Air from Yangon to BKK ...

Edited March 3, 2024 by Derek Dangleberries

[Scottie]

The food on Finnair was faitly good.

[Nightcrawler]

3 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

Last trip was EVA Economy. I pre-ordered seafood on both legs   ...

You should have used the tray attached to the back of the seat in front 😁😁

[KWA]

It's a bit of a mix for me. I'll usually eat what's on offer and it ranges from good to only just edible.  I'm a plain eater by preference and too many airlines are trying to get too fancy IMO.  Just yesterday I was given parsnip and hazelnut puree to accompany my chicken but would have preferred just mash and gravy.

[Derek Dangleberries]

49 minutes ago, Scottie said:

The food on Finnair was faitly good.

Yep! Fantastic reindeer steak in economy when I flew with them in my Nokia days ..

[galenkia]

I have fairly simple tastes food wise. Can’t say I have ever had any issues with airline food.

Same with hospital food, gets criticised but the three meals a day I was given in January were fine.

[Stillearly]

I don't think I've ever had an airline meal where I thought "that was terrible"  ... most meals I've been happy with  ...

my only gripe with the Airlines is they aren't as generous with the alcohol any more ... they used to be up and down the aisle constantly, but these days the trolley only seems to appear once ....you have to push the service button and ask for a drink if you want another one 

[Phantom51red]

11 minutes ago, Stillearly said:

I don't think I've ever had an airline meal where I thought "that was terrible"  ... most meals I've been happy with  ...

my only gripe with the Airlines is they aren't as generous with the alcohol any more ... they used to be up and down the aisle constantly, but these days the trolley only seems to appear once ....you have to push the service button and ask for a drink if you want another one 

I've definitely noticed this on both klm and Emirates compared to pre covid no problem gettin a drink pronto,China Airlines flight from ams to shanghai was more generous than these 2.

For the food I'll eat most of it,sometimes leave the bread roll,and sometimes skip breaky which is usually around 2 hours before landing on the long hauls.

Can't remember a meal I'd never eat tho,now the train in Thailand where you get the free meal with the express train,that is fuckin horrid,rancid,wouldn't give it to a soi dog,think I ate the yogurt once.

[Butch]

With the booze, I think that it's again, the bottom line that dictates how much the Aircraft carries versus how much leaving a case or two behind on the tarmac would save in fuel over the active lifetime of the Aircraft - along with the other cost saving of not actually buying so much of it in the first place.

That might also apply to food portions I guess.

I love watching the YT videos of how they make airline food, with more umami flavours as our palates change at the altitude the A/C is set to while airborne. Can't say I've ever noticed though. There's a lot of thought that goes into it, across all classes of travel.

 

 

[Jambo]

I think the only airline food I have ever looked forward to was the "cream tea" of scones, clotted cream and jam one used to get on the evening BA Shuttle back from Heathrow to Edinburgh.

Two curries on Thai Airways flight turned my lips blue with an allergic reaction. Unfortunately, I only found that out at one of the "clap clinics" on second road I visited on day 2 thinking I had contracted some kind of social disease during my first night. 😆

[Butch]

58 minutes ago, Jambo said:

I think the only airline food I have ever looked forward to was the "cream tea" of scones, clotted cream and jam one used to get on the evening BA Shuttle back from Heathrow to Edinburgh.

Two curries on Thai Airways flight turned my lips blue with an allergic reaction. Unfortunately, I only found that out at one of the "clap clinics" on second road I visited on day 2 thinking I had contracted some kind of social disease during my first night. 😆

To be honest mate, it's always better to rule out the most likely scenarios first...🤣

[Horizondave]

Never had a problem with the food on all the flights I have ever taken. I am sure some weren't as filling as others but I don't remember any poor offerings.

I have traveled all classes and many different airlines across nearly all continents. Ironically the only times I have had a nervous stomach after eating was on a few business class flights, I think the quality of the food isn't something I am used to and maybe I ate too much cheese and biscuits or had too many glasses of port. 

I actually prefer my fine food on the ground and economy food in the air.

I won't buy food on a short flight, I will sneak a sandwich onboard if I need sustenance.

Edited March 3, 2024 by Horizondave

[boydeste]

I usually eat at the airport before flying and very seldom eat the main meal on a plane.

On EVA I always order the fruit platter which is very good.

[thegrogmonster]

My mum used to work in airline caterng if I was flying on an airlne they did the food for I would order a special dietry meal. The order would go to her area and I would end up with something very good.

That said I don't have issues with many airline's food.

[Nightcrawler]

The one thing airlines can never get right is a good English breakfast as we know it. An omelette and a sausage is normally the nearest as its prepared and packed pre flight  Never had cornflakes with milk either. That's why I just have croissant, some huice and a couple of cups of coffee. 

[Krapow]

Couldn't really care less TBH.

I just want to get from A to B a quick as possible, with as little hassle as possible.

Nicest thing I've had in ages was the free blueberry juice on FinnAir 😄

[Derek Dangleberries]

2 hours ago, Krapow said:

I just want to get from A to B a quick as possible, with as little hassle as possible

"It's not the journey, it's the destination" ... Krapow Philosophy 2024 !

[Butch]

31 minutes ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

"It's not the journey, it's the destination" ... Krapow Philosophy 2024 !

Given the quality of some airline food these days, most probably the best one!.

having said that, I've mentioned before that Airlines want to take us as far away from the magnificent experience of flying as is possible. Blinds, films, food, distractions but the fact remains we're doing something totally unnatural purely by wonders of modern technology .

[maipenrai]

The only short flight I eat on is that of my favourite home regional airline, Air North, which flies me to Vancouver - they have great sandwiches and big, hot cookies as well with no charge. As for the overseas flights, I've never had any problems with the food on EVA or Cathay Pacific in PE and all I ever have to drink is a couple of glasses of wine with my meal. 

[Butch]

16 hours ago, Nightcrawler said:

The one thing airlines can never get right is a good English breakfast as we know it. An omelette and a sausage is normally the nearest as its prepared and packed pre flight  Never had cornflakes with milk either. That's why I just have croissant, some huice and a couple of cups of coffee. 

Best idea. I think the breakfast attempts are actually not bad. if I recall my EVA was as you describe along with a large mushroom and possibly some potato chunks and a tomato, but the omelette making the bulk of the dish. Considering that the food has been sat for the thick end of 10+ hours by the time they serve it,  i'm slightly reluctant to eat the breakfast. Can't really go wrong with a croissant or bread roll.

EVA coffee is damn good though. I often treat myself to 2 cups when they come around, I'd like to know the type they use because although its probably some mass produced catering effort, it at least has some good flavour, unless if course it's my palate at that altitude telling me it's better than it actually is.

Edited March 4, 2024 by Butch

[Krapow]

13 hours ago, Derek Dangleberries said:

"It's not the journey, it's the destination" ... Krapow Philosophy 2024 !

A couple of sleepers, get woken up for breakfast while flying over Myanmar is the Krapow preferred way to travel!