Airline meal

An airline meal is a meal served to passengers on a commercial airliner. These meals are prepared specifically for this purpose by special airline catering services.

Related Topics:
Meal - Airliner

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The average airline dinner typically includes a meat product (most commonly chicken or beef), a salad or vegetable, a small roll, and a dessert. Caterers usually produce alternative meals, e.g. kosher and vegetarian. These must usually be ordered in advance, sometimes when buying the ticket. Some airlines are missing a specific meal for ovo-lacto vegetarians, instead they are given a vegan meal.

Related Topics:
Dinner - Meat - Chicken - Beef - Salad - Vegetable - Roll - Dessert - Kosher - Vegetarian - Ovo-lacto vegetarians - Vegan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During morning flights, a smaller, breakfast-style meal may be served instead. This may include a miniature box of breakfast cereal, a muffin or pastry, or a bagel.

Related Topics:
Breakfast - Breakfast cereal - Muffin - Pastry - Bagel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Though often disparaged for their poor taste, the quality of airline meals actually varies considerably from one airline to another, ranging in price from nothing (many airlines, especially those in Asia and all airlines on long haul flights) to as much as ten dollars (Midwest Airlines). Quality may also fluctuate due to shifts in the economics of the airline industry. On the longest flights in First Class and Business Class, most Asian and European airlines serve multicourse gourmet meals, while airlines based in the US tend to serve large, hearty, high quality meals including a large salad, steak or chicken, potatoes, and ice cream. Meals have generally declined in quality since the 1980s, with many seasoned travellers commenting that today's first class meals are reminiscent of coach class meals of the 1980s. During that time, first class sometimes involved ice sculptures and seatside carvings and flambeaus. Increased security put an end to that.

Related Topics:
Midwest Airlines - First Class - Business Class

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The blandness of airline food is largely a consequence of the limited space available on aircraft, and the pressure on airlines to keep costs low. Meals must generally be frozen and heated on the ground before takeoff, rather than prepared fresh. It has also been suggested that the taste buds are less sensitive at higher altitudes, making everything taste bland.

Related Topics:
Frozen - Taste bud - Altitude

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Before the September 11th attacks, first-class passengers were often provided with full sets of metal cutlery. Afterwards, they were restricted to plastic flatware, like the passengers in coach. However, starting in 2004 as people have once again become more relaxed, metal forks and spoons have returned, although the knives still elude passengers. Obviously, taking a plastic knife to a steak or other quality entree often causes problems for these privileged passengers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~