In Flight Meals - Do you eat them?

[harvyk]

Anyone else with me? Should airlines stop serving meals and just have a galley full of snacks and sandwiches available anytime.?

No, absolutely not with you, you are very on your own with this one.
I for one love the meals, it is part of the reason I fly full service rather than LCC.

I personally couldn't got for a 14 hour flight without getting at least a dinner and breakfast.

 

[mannej]

i wonder what the legal position is surrounding that.

personally I don't think it is the place of cabin crew to become involved in this unless there is an immediate danger to the passenger.

And what knowledge do you base that on? I am just curious as I can't see why there would be an issue with that legally.

 

[casanovawa]

Nope, getting rid of meals for snacks is a bit of a dumb idea...

Plus it would get very crowded and busy in the galley with 200-300 people continuously coming in for something to eat and drink...

But to me meals on planes are a bit like snacks when going to see a movie in the cinema, they just go together... So yes I will usually eat anything good that is offered to me, and leave stuff that looks like rubbish...

Plus as stated before there are a myriad of different customers who need proper meals.... Plus not everyone is eating in business lounges and flounges before boarding or on arrival...

Like someone who recently suggested stopping alcohol for everyone just because they don't drink and are tired of subsidising others, I'm much more in favour of people who can't handle/don't want these things abstaining themselves rather than getting the airlines to take them off everyone else...

 

[JohnK]

I generally accept most meals I am offered.

I eat the majority of items on tray if the food tastes OK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

And what knowledge do you base that on? I am just curious as I can't see why there would be an issue with that legally.

what training have the crew received? What if the crew get it wrong? What is the crew's liability if they get it wrong? Are the crew compelled by law to report? or is it at their discretion?

 

[mannej]

what training have the crew received? What if the crew get it wrong? What is the crew's liability if they get it wrong? Are the crew compelled by law to report? or is it at their discretion?

I am still failing to see issues regarding liability. What different is it to reporting a "perceived" issue to the cops in real life. If there isn't a case to answer then that's the end of the investigation.

 

[anat0l]

I generally eat all meals, especially in Business or First Class.

I know it sounds ridiculous to some people - possibly the OP included - but more often than not dining in Business and First Classes are an experience for me, not just a means of sustenance. So having the meal on board - even if there is lounge food before and/or after it - is nearly mandatory in that regard (and if it isn't any good, it will make for an interesting story afterwards).

I don't think the smell of food from the galley has ever put me off (and those who have met me, yes I may like food that much but I do have standards, too). Frankly most of the time it tends to smell the same; I guess more precisely, many of the meals themselves are tight foil wrapped so you can't really smell them until they are unwrapped (only mainly applicable in Business and First Classes). Bread / bakery is different because they are put in the oven uncovered, but even then unless they are taken to a fairly toasty level, it can be hard to smell them as well sometimes. So in all the smell from the galley tends to be much the same (or rather not too much different to anyone else's kitchen).

I've maybe only declined meals once or twice, but not because they were inedible (read: literally inedible; most airline meals at least taste good or acceptable if they don't look good). Main reason has been that I've skipped a meal to catch up on sleep. One time I asked a meal to be postponed (i.e. service was usually at the start of the flight, but I asked to sleep first and have it served before landing, request was granted). The meals served can be rather strange with respect to time, but in most cases I'll still eat what is given. The stomach doesn't seem to mind and the mind, well, you are travelling anyway so if it isn't messed up by now then why would your dietary habits do anything different.

Whilst some people may eat before (or after) being on board and not have a morsel on the plane, I usually bank on having something to eat on board in anticipation of not having to eat something either before or (more often) after the flight. For example, if I have rushed into a lounge before a flight to finalise some business (with full on-ground connectivity), I could be lucky to grab a drink or a snack and work at the same time, but eating a full meal without necessarily scoffing it down is awkward. Similarly, having eaten on board before landing, even if there is an arrivals facility or lounge in transit that I could rely on for extra (possibly better) sustenance, if I need to be in a position to "just go", I can do that, too.

Whilst airlines may enjoy the OP's idea from the point of view of saving money, I don't think it would be an overly popular idea at all with the majority, even if the quality of meals to many people is questionable at best.

 

[RooFlyer]

Speaking of smells from the galley. In this thread there's discussion on how US domestic airlines only offer a 'snack' from a basket (ie cellophane wrapped sandwiches, pretzels, cookies etc) even on some F sectors.

I was on one of those recently and put up with the crummy snack instead of the hot dinner I was expecting.

About 30 minutes after the 'snack', the unmistakable aroma of meals being heated in the galley began to waft through. Hello, I thought, I'd misunderstood what was happening, and the proper meal service is about to begin. Mmmmmm, smells good.

I waited ... and waited ... quietly salivating ... and was ultimately disappointed. Nothing emerged.

I concluded that it was the crew who were heating up their dinner. :-|

 

[Rox]

I had the identical experience on a BA flight once. The smell and subsequent anticipation....

 

[hossein_au]

I wonder whether I'm alone in almost totally avoiding in flight meals. Whether in economy or business I tend to avoid eating the meals, even on a 14+ hour flight. I will eat in the lounge or a restaurant before or after the flight, and might get a snack such as a chocolate bar from the galley. But I often find even the smell of the food in the ovens puts me off eating them, and also the timing of the meals is out of kilt with when I normally eat.
I have actually been badgered by staff (particularly in business on long haul) when I decline the meal, and sometimes even try leaving snacks on my table 'just in case'. One QF steward on the A330 actually recognises me and greets me at the door with "will you be eating with us this time Mr YSSY?" on the rare occasions we come across each other.
But I have noticed that a lot of people eat the meal, regardless of the fact it could be a ridiculous time in the morning or the food is something in another situation they wouldn't eat.
I do like airlines who have an anytime dining option such as a steak sandwich (EY) as that can be okay if I get peckish. But honestly, I often just prefer to eat in the lounge/restaurant in a dignified way at a time that suits.

Anyone else with me? Should airlines stop serving meals and just have a galley full of snacks and sandwiches available anytime.?

I ALWAYS eat any meal offered especially on long haul; not because I get hungry or anything, but rather because I use the on board meals as one of few mechanisms to adjust my body clock. If a dinner is offered at 3am, it usually coincides (with some deviation) with a meal time at destination. And I eat the dinner as if it was intended for whatever time it is at the destination.
I cannot remember when the last time was I get jet lag.

 

[boomy]

I ALWAYS eat any meal offered especially on long haul; not because I get hungry or anything, but rather because I use the on board meals as one of few mechanisms to adjust my body clock. If a dinner is offered at 3am, it usually coincides (with some deviation) with a meal time at destination. And I eat the dinner as if it was intended for whatever time it is at the destination.
I cannot remember when the last time was I get jet lag.

Interesting practice. Unfortunately it never worked for me
In fact, I heard that in order to avoid getting jet lagged it's best not to eat and not to drink any alcohol during long haul flights. I never tested that theory myself, instead I just use Melatonin.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In fact, I heard that in order to avoid getting jet lagged it's best not to eat* and not to drink any alcohol## during long haul flights.

*based on feedback by QF customers supposedly? (ie cafe breakfasts)
## sponsored study by the anti-fun police

 

[AVC]

Old army rule:
If you get the opportunity to eat, take it.
If you get the opportunity to sleep, take it.
Because you never know when you might get the next opportunity.
To make an vehicular analogy, you don't wait until you are running on fumes to refuel (well, unless you are my wife!).

Having said that I rarely eat the entire meal, but I will eat anything that I find palatable.

 

[Julesmac]

Not eat on a plane (well not always in Y) is like going to a kid's party and not eating the fairy bread or saveloys....

 

[markis10]

I enjoyed one of the flexi meals on VA, even if it was the veg option.

 

[UP4014]

I'm not worried about the time they are served, when heading overseas you don't always know when the next food will be so I have no trouble in eating.

I do however decline based on quality, I have declined more meals this year than the previous 20 years and all on QF domestic it troubles me to say.

Matt

 

[blackcat20]

I'm not worried about the time they are served, when heading overseas you don't always know when the next food will be so I have no trouble in eating.

And there's nothing worse than being on a long haul, so hungry you feel sick, the next meal is hours away and the FA says they've "run out of snacks" despite not having offered any.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I do however decline based on quality

I had a recent unfortunate experience along these lines (not QF this time): 'cubes of beef in a shallot and red wine sauce'. Sounded delicious... until cube of beef number two which was a bit chewy. I removed said offending item from mouth to see the 'cube' was primarily the junction of five major arteries/veins and looked rather like a very holey swiss cheese... with a tiny bit of flesh filling the gaps.

Needless to say that was the end of the meal for me

Which started me thinking about the 'good old days' when airlines served whole fillets of meat rather than the cubed off-cuts we seem to get now. Guess it is cheaper.

 

[harvyk]

what training have the crew received? What if the crew get it wrong? What is the crew's liability if they get it wrong? Are the crew compelled by law to report? or is it at their discretion?

How would that be any different than a pax whispering quietly to immi / customs that something wasn't right with a certain other pax? It's hardly like the crews word will be taken for gospel and / or the crew is playing judge / jury / executioner, all that is happening is the crew is passing onto customs that something was different about a pax, and customs (who are properly trained in dealing with such matters) take over from there if required.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

How would that be any different than a pax whispering quietly to immi / customs that something wasn't right with a certain other pax? It's hardly like the crews word will be taken for gospel and / or the crew is playing judge / jury / executioner, all that is happening is the crew is passing onto customs that something was different about a pax, and customs (who are properly trained in dealing with such matters) take over from there if required.

I have been told once customs decide to do a complete bag search, the search cannot be stopped. this can add significant inconvenience and time to a passenger who may be completely innocent. the search can be invasive and humiliating,

I guess it depends whether there is a claim in negligence for an incorrect report from a crew member. but as I say, I have no idea what the law is around this particular area... whether reporting is mandated, or whether it is solely at the discretion of the crew.

do the crew employ profiling? have they been trained? etc. all questions I would need to know the answer to if there is a direction for crew to report their suspicions.