Comments on: Comments on 17241

Post number 17241

Su — Mon, 20 May 2002 01:15:38 -0800

Ever wonder if the airplane food sucks everywhere? Find out at Airplane Meals, or add to this vastly underrepresented body of knowledge by sending him a pic of your next mile-high snack.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Mon, 20 May 2002 03:38:10 -0800

I'm not a big eater of the stuff -- I never travel if I can help it -- but the airline food I recall was no worse than the fast food people happily eat every day. So why do people happily pay to gobble down junk and then complain about airline food? Or do passengers expect fancy meals on these flying buses? What they could do: let you order food on the ground at a check-in terminal (or online when you buy your ticket). If you did it in time, the exact food and drink you wanted would be prepared and loaded and delivered to your seat. If you were late, you would get a generic meal. All of the airlines in the airport could combine on this, so anyone flying anywhere would have the same good choice (at least five or ten different meals) even with a fairly late arrival. And you'd pay extra for it, of course, or pay nothing for food if you chose the no-meal option. I know they already offer "special-needs" meals if you call 12 or 24 hours ahead of time or whatever, but that's more of an exception. Custom meals should be a standard part of the service, something you always do when you take a flight. It would give people a feeling of control and reduce the griping.

By: Summer

Summer — Mon, 20 May 2002 03:45:42 -0800

Considering the restrictions surrounding preparing food on a plane, I don't think airline food is that bad. No worse than a frozen ready meal anyway. After seeing those pictures I'm desperate to fly Japan Air, first class.

By: bifter

bifter — Mon, 20 May 2002 03:57:42 -0800

The thing that always gets me is that 95% of the people on the plane will always eat the meal, irrespective of the fact that people that claiming to enjoy airline food are few and far between and that more often than not it isn't served at a mealtime (at least during the short Western European flights which I often find myself on). What is *that* all about? Primal urge to ingest it because its there and its free? Relief from travel boredom through mastication? I never touch the stuff... yuk.

By: corpse

corpse — Mon, 20 May 2002 05:02:36 -0800

I always get the vegetarian meals, even though I am not a vegetarian. I'll take a wrap or some hummus over a poor tasting steak or turkey sandwich anyday.

By: sperare

sperare — Mon, 20 May 2002 05:15:21 -0800

Fly first class - I had lobster with butter sauce last time I did. You get what you pay for.

By: Su

Su — Mon, 20 May 2002 05:36:24 -0800

Last time I flew, the ticket form gave a surprising number of options for food, including "bland." I just had to know. Unfortunately, I got the same dumb snack everybody else did. I guess the food choice bit of the form isn't actually for every flight/airline and they didn't bother having it customize itself. Bah.

By: jfuller

jfuller — Mon, 20 May 2002 05:41:28 -0800

Since you can't actually cook stuff on a plane, (considered harmful,) it has to be pre-cooked on the ground and warmed over later. There is food that is robust enough to stand treatment like this but the airlines typically consider it too prole (macaroni+cheese) or too exotic (curry.)

By: Voyageman

Voyageman — Mon, 20 May 2002 06:56:03 -0800

Ask for the children's meal . Always more inviting, and it might even come with some toys, drawing books ,and a plane pin.

By: bradlauster

bradlauster — Mon, 20 May 2002 08:50:38 -0800

Ahh! You've discovered my secret...the kid's meal IS always better.

By: groundhog

groundhog — Mon, 20 May 2002 08:54:47 -0800

I don't think anyone expects a wonderful dining experience, but come on - there's no reason for a sandwich to be stale or half-frozen. At least fast food tastes like it was prepared within the last week or so. The safest bet is to bring your own. Voyageman, they don't do pins anymore. My kid got a little sticker shaped like pilot's wings.

By: Poagao

Poagao — Mon, 20 May 2002 19:41:34 -0800

I'm always just so amazed that there's food on planes at all, it usually tastes fine to me. And since I always try to get a window seat, the view is usually good enough to distract me anyway. But then again, I'm easily amused.

By: owillis

owillis — Mon, 20 May 2002 20:35:21 -0800

If you ever get a chance, fly Air Jamaica. Nice, cooked meal - and even on the short flight from Florida-Jamaica. You even get champagne. Beats the hell out of domestic flights...