Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Airline Food: The good, the bad and the ugly


Recommended Posts

Guess Cathay Pacific has spoken up about the ketchup with egg question...B625DF6E-DBC6-456A-80F2-083BC98FACEA.jpeg

 

Edited by suzilightning (log)
  • Like 1
  • Haha 5

Nothing is better than frying in lard.

Nothing.  Do not quote me on this.

 

Linda Ellerbee

Take Big Bites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, suzilightning said:

Guess Cathay Pacific has spoken up about the ketchup with egg question...B625DF6E-DBC6-456A-80F2-083BC98FACEA.jpeg

 

 

Too bad it's Heinz, not Hunt's.  Love the mini bottle though.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, ElsieD said:

Too bad it's Heinz, not Hunt's.  Love the mini bottle though.

We could have an entire thread on which brand's miniature bottles and jars we save from airline trays.     Mustard.   Jam.   Heck, I've even suitcased home Brittany butter!   Then there are the mid-flight chocolates...

  • Like 1

eGullet member #80.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Understood.    I think Duvel catapulted the thread into premium classes and, dare I say, carriers.    Many American carriers have given up on food service while touting it on their sites.    I was floored at dinner service in first class (bumped up) one transcontinental flight.   The sloppily attired attendant sloshed DH's main course sauce all over the plate and tray.    Her only comment was "Eats the same."      Doubtless this has become a family retort for anytime there is a serving mishap at home.
  

 

 

That HAD to be on United. Worst US airline by far. I could tell you stories...

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/9/2019 at 3:44 AM, suzilightning said:

Guess Cathay Pacific has spoken up about the ketchup with egg question...B625DF6E-DBC6-456A-80F2-083BC98FACEA.jpeg

 

 

I took it that the ketchup was for the sausage ... it never touched my scrambled eggs !

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Return flight Frankfurt to Hong Kong, this time in “regular” business class. The menu comes in a kind of newspaper style ...

 

7A447D3A-70A6-4C91-9D8F-8EC9F5AF693A.thumb.jpeg.6ad7e276549d4a5725f174c52d91e43b.jpeg7160D996-5312-4768-9B02-936CE81E9A28.thumb.jpeg.2a4d8c14f5e21cf4ea2ba557754645ba.jpeg429636C4-C4BB-4396-947A-DC76E5A2A3AF.thumb.jpeg.4f837bba6715dc78adfa647db4336f2c.jpegEF480221-5EC9-4E60-B57C-9B35DAFB03BD.thumb.jpeg.f64f4888b7fe634e4bea3a3dda54aa30.jpeg

 

Antipasti for starters were nice. 

 

FE5EFC7D-5C3E-4FAD-B8B2-18B17AB41338.thumb.jpeg.e38c1b58e72f4c3fd8d0c0ae275efd58.jpeg

 

As heavily advertised, I had to take the burger. It was fine. Fries could have been crisper.

 

033FF153-F232-4D0E-9623-C423227EB9A2.thumb.jpeg.476b9dd72615934f5eb951b6669275e9.jpeg

 

Cheese plate was missing a blue cheese. The stewardess kept apologising, even when I left the plane ...

 

594B8A5E-3AC0-42DF-BDF2-E3D3002A3135.thumb.jpeg.8921788a73d03a33cc9834971ead195c.jpeg

 

All enjoyed with G&T and a great view !

 

E92BE717-94E4-4C05-B9A4-246D4CF5CCEE.thumb.jpeg.14db803b80f56d097d000fdd95b7d2fc.jpeg

  • Like 11
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

London - Dubai, July 16-17th 2019. Late night flight, so strange lighting.

 

london-dubai.thumb.jpg.0ebbef813317fbc3ee2b6687dbe3dc0b.jpg

 

20190717_004617.thumb.jpg.0794f782b276e59f7233bf00e45cda7e.jpg

Dinner

 

20190717_011014.thumb.jpg.6b0adab3e0deeb4b93dd5f3f766d2f54.jpg

Couscous Salad

 

20190717_004551.thumb.jpg.6c98dfe2b61a65c728cbaa6a039df1ab.jpg

Chicken Korma served with cumin rice. Not bad.

 

20190717_010959.thumb.jpg.232bce819e116dd87ccad4968848dfce.jpg

Beverage

 

Dessert was OK, too. Acceptable meal.

Edited by liuzhou (log)
  • Like 8
  • Thanks 1

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dubai - Hong Kong, 18th July 2019 - Emirates

 

dubai-hk.thumb.jpg.2abdb7bd6a736820f4fddb9229d725d4.jpg

 

20190717_124657.thumb.jpg.e27ae4ba822f26e9b7e60fb906f36f23.jpg

Lunch

 

20190717_131137.thumb.jpg.a9d8676f60b4884015a71bd9f0cc0ab5.jpg

Sweet Potato and Bean Salad

 

20190717_124933.thumb.jpg.bab2d8ccd16a67302b86b75462579c26.jpg

Garlic Ginger Prawns - despite the appearance, this was quite good,with nicely cooked prawns. The bak choi was a bad idea.

 

20190717_130233.thumb.jpg.1506b5c54f20489de1d5e9b6d198ff90.jpg

Cheese n Crackers.

 

Forgot to photograph dessert again! Another acceptable meal.

 

  • Like 14

...your dancing child with his Chinese suit.

 

"No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot"
Mark Twain
 

The Kitchen Scale Manifesto

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Flying Washington DC to Munich I was about to fall asleep after the first movie (Green book, excellent movie).  The next thing I know, there is a call for a Doctor on board.  It’s not my first time, there seems to be a lot of people getting sick when they are flying.  Praying for a drunk youngster, I went to the back of the plane.  It was an older sick gentleman.  A quick assessment led to the need to make him horizontal.  An Internal Medicine Doc joined me (a semi useless Neurologist) in a few minutes.  We enlisted a strong fellow flyer to bring a sick passenger to a little space by the business class bathroom.  There was a dreaded “Should we land the plane?” question.   Fortunately, we did not need to land.  But the guy could not seat up.  So I volunteered my business class seat (#upgrades) for him to land in semi reclining state.  For that, DH and I got an access to First class lounge.  Oh my!  It was empty and endless.  It had cigar lounge and beer garden.  The whole ham!  Pretzels on deer antlers.  Many teas to choose from.  Showers.  Rooms with real beds to sleep in.  People constantly asking if I want anything else.  DH got Nrnberger sausages and Cola weizen.  I of course ate as much hamon as I could.  

BE131311-EEE2-4A6F-8B2A-C61D1A106508.thumb.jpeg.1ffea72ec3fc3de796d52b44cfba6a68.jpeg

 

6AD7B6AD-E09D-4902-9446-8D0C9A6011D0.thumb.jpeg.25259bd7c35d2d32017f29a0e15164bd.jpeg

BD8F8E75-4AE1-4BF3-9D33-E7DC43E55416.thumb.jpeg.42fa1db36bb81c04871e1774c8784f30.jpeg

51ED85BA-CBC6-4569-8343-F8476E9A97DF.thumb.jpeg.a674c1dc50c8afe659e0c81106531020.jpeg

155E7CE8-CEB6-4E54-A4DE-1F59442E445D.thumb.jpeg.eb369ae726d033b093a2676683dcedb9.jpeg

D2DCE701-E811-4F70-9096-F7549274B962.thumb.jpeg.e07791a04a6ea3fae05155ee9e449e7f.jpeg

51556A96-49C5-48F1-9593-76853A41F12F.jpeg.59a5ad1c63c6de697a9b9b8d54f9679a.jpeg

 

200C7686-A8EA-46B2-A2E6-1E0A57BC7A0A.thumb.jpeg.ed95745a73de2003aa040baab007d568.jpeg

69FC888C-DBE4-44D1-B5C2-2DCCE24487B7.thumb.jpeg.91b4a5d7b29f101552e46a6c730cecd0.jpeg

DF5BC855-C098-4F58-ABDD-65CFE74FE3F5.thumb.jpeg.aec831dc77cdbb1ab2db1fe51a5e2835.jpeg

437E1913-2650-4A05-9BEA-6FB6C2448CC3.jpeg.40a6208455e75f517d38158bf8acd9ed.jpeg

  • Like 19
  • Thanks 2
  • Delicious 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@chefmd Thank you so much.  A friend of mine was recently flying home and a passenger had a seizure.  Luckily he told me there was a physician on the plane so they were able to stabilize the patient then were able to finish on to their destination while the patient was under medical supervision.  Got the patient off with no problems....

 

  • Like 3

Nothing is better than frying in lard.

Nothing.  Do not quote me on this.

 

Linda Ellerbee

Take Big Bites

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, suzilightning said:

@chefmd Thank you so much.  A friend of mine was recently flying home and a passenger had a seizure.  Luckily he told me there was a physician on the plane so they were able to stabilize the patient then were able to finish on to their destination while the patient was under medical supervision.  Got the patient off with no problems....

 

I am a somewhat nervous flyer.  Working with someone who needs my help makes me forget about imaginary dangers of a slight turbulence ;)

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

My daughter shared this on FB earlier. I thought of this thread.

image.thumb.png.fb873016f708272eedaecd6d83aaa5a9.png

  • Haha 8
  • Confused 1
  • Sad 2

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/27/2019 at 8:22 PM, chromedome said:

My daughter shared this on FB earlier. I thought of this thread.

image.thumb.png.fb873016f708272eedaecd6d83aaa5a9.png

You know what's funny,  I had posted that on my Facebook page so maybe she shared it.  I follow a couple of vintage airlines Facebook pages and this is where it popped-up.  How great a comparison.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This comes from the site fashbak.com.  This is a photo of first-class service on the DC-8 on SAS Airlines.  Can you imagine hand-carved Jamon Iberico at your seat?  Not only that, but properly displayed in the tool specifically crafted to hold this precious ham.  Amazing really and you won't see this on an airplane today.

c.-1965-First-class-meal-service-aboard-a-DC-8..jpg

 

 

https://flashbak.com/all-a-smogasbord-vintage-photos-of-scandinavian-airlines-meals-362543/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, David Ross said:

This is a photo of first-class service on the DC-8 on SAS Airlines

I was about to make some smart ass comment about it was perhaps considered much more likely to be your last meal in those early days of flight. But then I looked up the year and it was 1965. Oh how times have changed. 

  • Like 2

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, rotuts said:

No Worries :  you paid for it , after all !

So true.  I remember back then we couldn't afford to fly because as Mother said, "it's only for rich people."  Our summer vacations were by car, train or bus. 

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember in 1980, I believe, flying economy to Athens on Pan Am, and as a member of their frequent flyer club, being able to pre-order special plates at no extra charge.    Lamb chops, Fillets, pork chops or salmon, well cooked and served on real plates.    .   

 

They went out of business within in a year or so.    But it was lovely while it lasted...

eGullet member #80.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During my college days

 

I flew stand-by   SFO - BOS 6 times a year.  always got a seat , mostly one I picked.

 

meal was Filet Mignon , and delicious.   Sometimes they gave me a second one  if they

 

had extras.   after giving military in uniform first dibs.  economy class.  No officers.

 

maybe my ratty old Navy Peacoat ( standard college uniform of the day ) had something to do

 

with it.

 

no wine , I wasn't 21.

 

United during its Prime Years.

 

 

Edited by rotuts (log)
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, rotuts said:

@David Ross

 

I looked a little closer at the B&W pic :

 

hand carved smoked salmon to boot !

Yes and even sausages hanging from the display.  Imagine charcuterie on a plane.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

I remember in 1980, I believe, flying economy to Athens on Pan Am, and as a member of their frequent flyer club, being able to pre-order special plates at no extra charge.    Lamb chops, Fillets, pork chops or salmon, well cooked and served on real plates.    .   

 

They went out of business within in a year or so.    But it was lovely while it lasted...

Pan Am lasted 64 years. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...