Airline Food: The Topic

[Susan G]

Oh, but I am! I *am* there for the food!

At least, I can anticipate very few comforts: There will probably be a screaming, teething baby near me, a toddler kicking my seat, the movies will be written for persons 100 points below my IQ, and the lines for the bathroom will be long.

Please, oh please, give me something to soothe my very long, cramped body in the middle of this flight-from-hell.

[Schneier]

Please, oh please, give me something to soothe my very long, cramped body in the middle of this flight-from-hell.

Focus on the destination.

[oneidaone]

I remember at some point on the web there was a site devoted to pictures

of meals on flights with some very witty commentary at times about the

food from those who took the pictures. I should look and see if it still exits.

I was first class on American to and from HI and believe it or not, the food

was really quite nice. a hui ho........

[enrevanche]

I remember at some point on the web there was a site devoted to pictures of meals on flights with some very witty commentary at times about the food from those who took the pictures. I should look and see if it still exits.

It's still there. In fact, it's linked in the very first message in this thread.

AirlineMeals.net

[Gifted Gourmet]

I remember at some point on the web there was a site devoted to pictures of meals on flights with some very witty commentary at times about the food from those who took the pictures. I should look and see if it still exits.

It's still there. In fact, it's linked in the very first message in this thread.

AirlineMeals.net

Thanks, enrevanche, for reiterating the reiteratable for me!!

I would like to think everyone read every thread closely from beginning to end but that doesn't always happen .. for everything else, there is you, Barry!!

[Marlene]

I must admit to only flying business class when I fly. British Airways has the best food and service of any airline I've been on. Air Canada, on overseas routes does a much better job with food than they do with their domestic and US flight.

British Airways provided a full tea, with wonderful scones and clotted cream, and produced a dinner menu and wine list for us to choose from. They also made a mean martini during the flight for me as well. Bliss, I tell you. Sheer bliss.

On a recent trip to the Bahamas though, I was impressed with Air Canada's food selection. It was I believe beef tenderloin in a wine sauce with whipped potatoes (actually real ones).

Now if only they would get rid of the plastic knives.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Now if only they would get rid of the plastic knives.

Not too likely in this day of heightened security ...

[Marlene]

Now if only they would get rid of the plastic knives.

Not too likely in this day of heightened security ...

yeah, but they have metal forks.

[Jason Perlow]

Traditionally Royal Dutch Airlines KLM has some of the best food and beverage service, bar-none. while they no longer serve unlimited beer and wine on economy flights, their meals are still supposed to be very good.

[Mark Sommelier]

I flew last week from Washington DC to Jackson Hole, Wyoming via Dallas/Ft. Worth. The flight left at 7AM. Nothing but beverages were served on both flights, arriving well after lunch time in WY. Ditto the return trip, leaving at noon and arriving home at 10PM. The carrier was American Airlines.

[Jason Perlow]

I flew last week from Washington DC to Jackson Hole, Wyoming via Dallas/Ft. Worth. The flight left at 7AM. Nothing but beverages were served on both flights, arriving well after lunch time in WY. Ditto the return trip, leaving at noon and arriving home at 10PM. The carrier was American Airlines.

Wow, they must really be cutting back. I hope you packed a sandwich.

[Mark Sommelier]

Wow, they must really be cutting back. I hope you packed a sandwich.

Krispy Kreme in Dallas going out, 3 day old stuffed croissants at Au Bon Pain in Dallas coming back. Lesson learned.

[Schneier]

Now if only they would get rid of the plastic knives.

Not too likely in this day of heightened security ...

I've seen metal butter knives post 9/11.

It doesn't really matter. In Beyond Fear I explain how you can make a knife on an airplane, using liquid metal and a mold.

Stupid security....

Bruce

[Schneier]

I flew last week from Washington DC to Jackson Hole, Wyoming via Dallas/Ft. Worth. The flight left at 7AM. Nothing but beverages were served on both flights, arriving well after lunch time in WY. Ditto the return trip, leaving at noon and arriving home at 10PM. The carrier was American Airlines.

All domestic airlines have cut back considerably on meals. Northwest goes so far as to sell meals onboard. They're from the Hard Rock Cafe, and they taste about what you'd expect.

Bruce

[mrbigjas]

Hm, I just checked out this thread as I'm watching that show Airline on A&E, which is awesome. And yes, I know it's a remake of the British show, but unlike many remakes, it's not worse, just different.

Anyway, the last several times I've flown, I've brought food of my own. The one exception was Air France, where they bumped us up to business class because they had canceled our flight. That pretty much ruled, as people here have pointed out.

Other than that, I say down with airline food!

The industry in the US is in major trouble. If I take a bus or train, I don't expect them to provide me a free meal. If it allows airlines to operate more efficiently and more profitably, get rid of the damn galley and stop providing meals at all. Which would you rather have: a refrigerated sandwich of one slice of bad lunchmeat and a piece of processed cheese on gummy bread, maybe something nasty reheated in a steam oven; or something you either made at home or bought somewhere good, and take with you?

Make a statement: no more crappy food--no more food at all. Request no meal on flights. Bring stuff from home.

[Pan]

Yeah, I'd rather have no food than food that sucks, but I need liquids, so getting rid of the galley is too much.

[NulloModo]

I'd be fine with no food on airlines if that did result in a lowering of ticket prices. As bad as it is, if they take it away, and don't lower, or even worse - raise, the prices, I will be very unhappy.

I already drive most places that I can, even if I spend twice as much in gas as I would on a plane ticket, and even if it takes twice as long, simply because I can't deal with how the airlines treat their customers. The ridiculous security protocols, being cramped in like sardines, no thank you. However, taking away my damn peanuts and not having the courtesy to charge me less would be a straw breaking the camel's back for me for good.

[fifi]

Traditionally Royal Dutch Airlines KLM has some of the best food and beverage service, bar-none. while they no longer serve unlimited beer and wine on economy flights, their meals are still supposed to be very good.

I fly KLM or Continental to Europe, "business first" class, fairly regularly. I have to say that while KLM is pretty good, it doesn't even come close to Continental. I have even been impressed enough with some of the wines on Continental that I make a note to buy. (I don't know a lot about wine. I just drink it, so I need all the help I can get.)

Both do very well in the service department... friendly, efficient, and very professional.

But KLM does give you those cute Delft pottery "houses" filled with that vile Dutch liquor before you land.

I don't care what airline it is, I always avoid the fish.

[fifi]

Now if only they would get rid of the plastic knives.

Actually, the last time I flew internationally was in late April and the big news on board was that real metal knives were back.

Some years ago, there was a budget airline, now bought out or defunct, that had the right idea. In coach, they handed out a "Nosh Bag" that contained a small but decent sandwhich on a roll, an apple (Big Apple, get it?) a piece of candy or a cookie, maybe some pretty good cheese and crackers. The idea was, keep it really simple but good. I think the concept worked.

[snowangel]

On my last trip back from Berkeley, I stopped at Monterrey Market, Cheeseboard and Acme. Everyone around me was salivating as they received their "sandwich" from the Northwest attendent.

My favorite was about 15 years ago. We were on our way to Portland, OR. NW served us something. All of us debated as to whether it was intended to be enchiladas or cannelloni. Sad.

Sadder even that they don't even remotely serve anything approximating warm.

[bloviatrix]

I have even been impressed enough with some of the wines on Continental that I make a note to buy. (I don't know a lot about wine. I just drink it, so I need all the help I can get.)

A bit off-topic, but for those of you who access to The Wall Street Journal....last week ago in the wine column (friday) they wrote about trying wines on continental flights. I don't remember the final result, but it was pretty interesting.

[Busboy]

Years ago I read that the real purpose of in-flight meals wasn't so much to feed the passengers as it was to give them something to do for an hour or so on a long flight -- break up the boredom, keep people from drinking too much, minimize whining etc. Don't know if it's true or not, but it makes a certain amount of intuitive sense -- and explains the quality of the food.

[Stigand]

One of the problems with in-flight catering (both in coach and up front) is that airlines seem to be overambitious given the constraints they're 'cooking' under.

On a plane, you have to microwave/reheat pretty much any hot food you serve. So trying to serve food that doesn't do well in a microwave isn't sensible, no matter how grand it may seem (airline fillet of beef = ).

Good in-flight food, as far as I'm concerned, falls into two categories. Stuff like stews, casseroles or curries that respond well to reheating, and stuff that doesn't need to be heated at all. The first category includes the fantastic vegetable curry I had in economy on an Indian Airlines (the internal one, not Air India) flight 8 years ago, and (along the same lines) a pretty good chicken biryani on British Airways more recently. The second category includes some of the cold cut selections you get on SAS in economy, and - best of all - the DIY option: picking up Pret a Manger sandwiches at Heathrow Terminal 4 and eating those on the plane.

[mrbigjas]

Don't forget the salty greasy "stromboli" that American used to serve a few years ago. That was some good airline food right there.

[Brad Ballinger]

Traditionally Royal Dutch Airlines KLM has some of the best food and beverage service, bar-none. while they no longer serve unlimited beer and wine on economy flights, their meals are still supposed to be very good.

I fly KLM or Continental to Europe, "business first" class, fairly regularly. I have to say that while KLM is pretty good, it doesn't even come close to Continental. I have even been impressed enough with some of the wines on Continental that I make a note to buy. (I don't know a lot about wine. I just drink it, so I need all the help I can get.)

Both do very well in the service department... friendly, efficient, and very professional.

But KLM does give you those cute Delft pottery "houses" filled with that vile Dutch liquor before you land.

I don't care what airline it is, I always avoid the fish.

Having only flown coach on KLM (and a fair number of times at that), let me tell you it's a different story behind the curtain.