Your Ultimate Guide to In-Flight Dining: What to Expect When You Dine in the Sky

Is a meal guaranteed on the flight?

If you are flying long-haul like on international flights, usually the meals will be complimentary. If your flight lasts under an hour you will usually get served only some snacks. So, the longer your flight takes the greater will be your chances of feeling hungry, hence why and why not you will be served something to eat. Every airline will tell you at the time of booking what you will be offered and if this is not clear you can always call or email them. Every major airline has a section devoted to meals and beverages on their website, where you can get all the information you may need. Also, while the major airlines will serve you the meals complimentary, the budget airlines will expect you to pay for these!

Should I get my own food and drink?

If you don’t expect to be served what you need on a short-haul flight, you will have the option of taking a bite before you get to the departure gates. Most major airports will have various eateries including those of international fast food chains. If you prefer to have something else you can consume it at the airport or on the flight. All you will need to do is make sure that the items you are bringing with you will be allowed onboard the aircraft. Often you will be allowed to bring alcoholic beverages with you, but the quantity of it you can take in the carry-on bag will vary from one airline to another. If you are traveling with an infant most airlines will allow you to carry baby food with you or even allow you to prepare it onboard.

So, what will you be served above the clouds?

It will often depend on the cabin you are flying in. While in the economy class cabin, you will be able to choose between standard meals, usually vegan or non-vegetarian, you will have a menu to choose from in the first class cabin. Yes, different items are served in different cabins and the main reason for this is the difference in the amount you are spending on your air ticket. You will often even find lounges in the first class cabin where a bartender will serve you drinks and snacks when you need them. Also, while all passengers in economy and business class seats will be served meals together, the time for meals will be your choice in the first-class cabin. The major airlines are offering menus with items chosen and prepared by celebrity chefs in this most expensive cabin. What you get served will also depend on the time of the day when you are on the flight.

Choices for meals at 30,000 feet

When you fly you expect to meet people of different nationalities and hence different cultures or religions. Some religions don’t allow some kinds of meat while others don’t allow any meat. In some cultures some preparation methods are mandatory. Keeping this in mind, most airlines have a list of special meals and they expect you to inform them about this at least 24 hours before the flight departure time. Often you will be expected to pay for these, though these can be complimentary in the higher costing cabins. Some airlines will offer you options according to your age, for instance, the younger ones will be craving something sweet while the elders will be hoping for something to keep up with their age. You will often get to select items that you are not allergic to.

Serving you in style in a fast-paced environment

As a lot of people will be flying together, the food is usually packaged so it can be served easily. While some airlines still use plastic cups, plates, and cutlery, the more environmentally conscious airlines are considering paper items to serve your meals. Some are offering serving plates that can be washed and reused later. In the first-class cabin though you can expect to be served the way you will be in a high-end restaurant. As for the drinks you will either get cans of soft drinks or beer or you will have small wine bottles. Drinks with high alcoholic content will usually be served by the steward or the air hostess themselves. On most airlines, you will have the option of purchasing snacks and drinks, including alcohol when you need them.

Where is the chef?

Flights don’t come cheap so you will be expecting A-Grade treatment abroad. The airlines know this and they offer contracts to prepare the meals to well-known eateries or caterers. Often what you get served depends on where you are taking off from or where the destination is. The airlines are known to update their menu every few months or weeks, as they will use seasonal items to prepare the meals. For general information, even if the items are listed by the airlines, if you get them will depend on their availability onboard. Some airlines carry toasters and other electronic cooking gadgets with them, so some items can be prepared fresh for you. Again, in the first-class cabin, though you will have a chef's menu, there won’t be a chef preparing fresh meals for you, though you will have more than a few choices for starters, main course, desserts, and drinks.

Final words

It is widely believed that food leads the way to the heart of most people. What this means is what you serve and the way you serve should always please the diner to make a good impression of you. The airlines are aware of this fact and they want good reviews from the passengers who chose to fly with them. There are even some awards that the airlines will get for the best meals served and they try everything to outdo each other, to get these. So, plan what you will have onboard as you would plan any other details of your trip, as this will allow you to have an enjoyable flight.