What onboard catering do we really want?

[egnxema]

Just looking for general comments.

Personally, on domestic and european shorthaul I am not looking for a full-tray catering service, but do appreciate good coffee, a snack and a bar service. And I prefer it in a real glass and prefer not having to have a pocket full of £ or € in change to pay for it.

What is your view? Do you prefer Food for Purchase ala easyJet/bmi - or catering ala BA/VLM ?

[Dee747]

Depends on the time of day - any departure before 9.00am is enhanced by an offering of something hot (bacon roll, croissants etc) as it may not have been possible to eat before, or even after, arriving at the airport. Post 9.00am to around 5.00pm - just a drink. After 5.00pm - again a hot snack and/or sarnies. Assumes intra European flight no longer than 2.5-3 hours. Don't mind paying as most of my personal flights are on locos.

[praa]

Good question. Mind you, wanting something edible and flying in economy may be a contradiction in terms.
On shorthaul I'd like to see something more than a biscuit or muesli bar. A sandwich or roll is just fine - I don't need a whole plate of different stuff but it should appear to be more than an alibi for catering.
On some longhaul flights to North America in economy lately, the second meal has often been disgusting: a slice of microwave pizza in a box that tasted of the cardboard it was packed in; or a hotdog in a roll, both of which had the consistency of dog poo. Surely airlines can do better than this?

[apaddyinuk]

I dont mind paying if the airline introduce a paybar claiming they are giving the "choice" to its customer but only if it does radically reduce the airfare. What I dont appreciate is airlines introducing a paybar under the claim that they are giving the customer the choice of what they pay for yet barely reducing fares at all!

[Final 3 Greens]

For business class, flights up to 3 hours

up to 0900 - hot breakfast

after 0900 - gourmet type sandwich (baguette or similar, Pret a Manger standard)

Too often, we are given small portions of something that would be nice if cooked in a restaurant, but fails in the air.

When travelling on business, there may not be time to eat on the ground, so a well made sandwich would fill a hole nicely.

[raffele]

Personally I take the inclusive meal.

Last year I flew a few times on BA from Newcastle to Washington Dulles - the fact I was given lunch on the domestic leg was a big plus for me. And the food wasn't bad at all - a choice of fairly high quality, freshly made sandwiches, a biscuit, and as much tea/coffee/fruit juice as you could chug! Much cheaper than eating at an airport too...

[Load Toad]

Short haul - bacon sandwich, mug of strong tea
Medium haul - bacon sandwich, sausage sandwich, 2 x mugs of strong tea
Long haul - unless I'm up front don't try to serve anything fancy; mugs of soup, fruit, lots of sandwiches n such.
If I'm up front - by all means impress me with some flash nosh.

Oh and after many many flights the only alcohol to drink whilst flying in g n t and wine (though not together).

[Globaliser]

What is your view? Do you prefer Food for Purchase ala easyJet/bmi - or catering ala BA/VLM ?I prefer included catering. Maybe I'm a big softie, but in addition to the hard cold cash to be fished out and handed over (not always easy in an aircraft seat), there's an element of hospitality in being offered something without extra charge.

And whatever the time of day, it's frequently impossible to have eaten anything for quite a period before boarding the aircraft. So the exact time of day shouldn't mean "no food".

[Avman]

I've got used to the pay-on-board concept, but it should be for short flights only (60-90 mins max). I always make sure that I have coins and small denomination banknotes [you can in any case pay with cc on most carriers]. Longer flights should offer complimentary food and drink appropriate to the length of flight.

[PAXboy]

I really don't think about it because I have planned food based on the ticket I have bought, the destination, duration, time of day, before airport and post airport journeys etc. If I have to buy on board - that's OK and I do. I will probably have had something in the lounge, especially if in Biz. But I just buy as and when I need, or wait for the flight. However, to allow for delays I always have a cereal bar in my bag. Sometimes, you get on board and are then delayed for an hour or more and a cereal bar is just the trick. Also, it will not melt if left in your bag for six trips before being eaten - although by that time, it may be reduced to a packet of crumbs!

Problems are all personal and related to certain allergies. If my neighbour is served powerful filter coffee (I remember a BMI breakfast in Biz out of LHR) and it wafts across my nose - it will make my stomach churn. Curry has the same effect so I sometimes have to hold a napkin over my nose until they have finished. But that is just life!

Am I the only one to have thought the All-Day Deli Bag was OK and did the job rather well?
(ducks behind the cart for protection)

[strake]

In the same way the long boozy lunch was left behind (mostly) sometime in the early nineties, I think business travel catering is perhaps becoming a bit fussy in this day and age. To be honest, I only eat it because it's there and served in a hospitable manner..so it would be rude not to. Especially the desserts...
Recently, I've quite enjoyed the coffee/tea and hot baguette served by Ryanair. I also feel I'm doing my bit for the invariably nice cabin crew who, I think, make a bit of money out of onboard sales and if I've only paid a few bob for the ticket, well what's a fiver or so for a meal?
So, if Virgin/BA offered similar food "free" with some fruit and choccy's, I think quite a few regular travellers would be happy enough.

[andi0277]

A coffee and a water, and I am fine on short haul.

Never got a real good snack with (sandwich, baguette etc...) when
traveling lowco or what some airlines claim is lowco, no matter if paid for it or not :)
Am already happy when the sandwich is just edible. And thats no complaint, because
you know what to expect when you take certain airlines.
As long as I get everything with a smile and in a polite manner everythings alright.

For long haul, well I dont do long haul often, but would expect something better than mentioned above, even in economy.

Keep smiling :)

[Curious Pax]

Talking shorthaul economy class, I actually prefer the choice offered by the locosts to the non-choice of the leagacy carriers. This is because to a degree it allows you to get what you want, rather than what a committee of managers back at HQ 6 months previously thought you might want.

It also keeps my 8 year old happy for a while, as we have the usual debate over what he wants (varies, but chocolate is a common theme) against what I think he should have.

Favourite is the cream tea on Flybe - OK the scone may not be fresh out of the oven, but the jam and dollop of clotted cream more than makes up for it.

[el #]

Sometime I like to bring my own food for long hauls. There are so many things that are perfectly yummy to eat even after six-seven hours in a plastic container. A great salade with nuts, a tasty "milanese beef"... what about your own selection of cheese and dessert.

Or even buy some of the good stuff at the airport or even better in a supermarket before, especially when leaving from Europe. Unpack, serve with a good wine, and enjoy 1st class treatment while flying coach.

I think whenever eating homemade or premium food of your taste, there is actually no better choice.

[PAXboy]

el # As you may well know, some carriers do not allow you to bring your own food on drink on board, so check before leaving home.

[timmyneedham]

Paxboy, you would have had fun on the DXB-LHR flight I recently took with BA. Breakfast (0700 local-0400B) was described as 'early lunch' and was chicken curry. This was served with wine and coffee. Pre-landing snack served about midday BST was a bagel somewhere around the temperature of liquid nitrogen. I noticed that quite of lot of pax did not eat this so what was the point of it? On the way out to DXB, they served similar south pole fare shortly before landing at 0600 local. When we asked why they couldn't manage hot croissants we didn't really get much of a reply. I was asked to fill out a questionnaire and I mentioned the breakfast issue, but I shouldn't think much will happen. I have to say that it's usually a similar experience with BA. The facilities aren't much cop (terrible IFE for instance on 777 I was travelling on) but the crew are the best in the world and they are let down by materials they have to work with.

[Wibblemonster]

A nice sarnie on a SH flight is always good. The BA sarnies are usually pretty good, but avoid the early morning "Panini's" they are horrid & soggy. A Nice bagel in the morning would be a better choice. They used to do a proper brekkie on the Shuttle flights, but I guess that was cut back (although the cost of the ticket hasn't been reduced)Flybe do some nice sarnies that are apparently made by James Martin, he must be a busy little lamb what with doing Saturday Kitchen :) I concur with the Roddha's Cream scone comment above.. yum! om nom nom nom

[jettesen]

I wouldn't go to the extreme of saying BA crews are the best in the world, cause in my oppinion, they have a long way to go to come anywhere near the standards of singapore airlines crew. Now they are the crem da la creme!!! BA crews are moody and only there for the money, not for the love of the job. sorry if this offends, but they are not renound for world class excellence

[TightSlot]

only there for the money, not for the love of the job

Off-hand, I'm unable to think of any crew member, anywhere in the world that works for the love of the job rather than the money, no matter what they may be renowned for?

[Rush2112]

^^^ Offhand, I am pushed to think of anyone who does any job for any reason other than the money(!)

I don't fly on European LoCos that often, maybe once or twice a year, and I never have an issue with what's being offered for sale. The hot bacon sandwich I had once on an Easy Jet flight was perfectly acceptable and reasonably cheap as I recall.

Flights within Asia on SQ, SIN - CGK (1.5 hours) I can live without the meal, long haul in Business Class, well, I really want freshly panfried foie gras on a bed a caramalised apples in a port sauce, followed by steak flambe, followed by crepes Suzette, prefereably flambed in Cointreau, personally flambed at the seat by the cabin crew. Accompanied by a few glasses of vintage Dom, and a 1977 Petrus. :ok:

Or I could surf on over to the SQ website and "book the cook", which means I can choose my main meal ahead of the flight. Eliminates that agonising "chicken or beef, sir?" decision.

[James 1077]

It depends on where I'm sitting and the length of the flight.

Under 4 hours I don't want anything except maybe a few glasses of water.

Over 4 hours and sitting up the front then a good cooked meal with wine and bread selection is required.

Over 4 hours and down the back and I only want water and an edible sandwich.

When BA's catering people went on strike their service improved considerable - you were given a voucher so that you can eat a meal in comfort at the terminal and thus were not pinned into your seat for an hour after eating because no one was collecting the trays and on board you had a sandwich which was placed into the seat pocket should you be asleep so that you didn't miss out.

[Load Toad]

Pies.


Steak Pies

Meat and Tater pies

Beef Rendang Pies

Steak and onion pies

Basically - pies.

[Put1992]

Pies.


Steak Pies

Meat and Tater pies

Beef Rendang Pies

Steak and onion pies

Basically - pies.

Amen to that

[wendyg]

I like dried fruit as a snack to keep in my bag - it holds up well in almost all conditions. I fly a lot on US and the food now, even on the international flights, is pretty poor - especially the snack before arrival. For domestic flights w/i the US I do try to pick up a salad or something in the terminal (and fill my traveling mug with tea), but it isn't always possible, and for people who don't fly very often it can be really tricky to find something they can eat if they're having to take several flights.

On a typical LGW-PHL flight these days I take a bag of dried fruit and a couple of homemade cheese scones because otherwise I spend most of the flight hungry. I really think as a paying passenger I shouldn't have to do this. I could see the argument for buying meals if there really were much of a choice, but when I've been on flights with BOB meals, they've always been largely overpriced junk food. And - and this is a real problem - even these meals have run out before everyone who was hungry was served.

A system that let passengers choose and book meals in advance would be worth paying for, though. Perhaps the more knowledgeable folks here can say whether that would be feasible.

wg

[larssnowpharter]

Back in another life, I used to fly about twice a month on Dan Dare from Inverness to Heathrow. Terrific food which included salmon steaks etc all served hot. Rumoured to have been provided by local hotel.

RIP

[viktor inox]

I fly long-haul to South Asia frequently (twice a month). What truly puzzles me and is really beginning to brown me off is why European carriers based in countries with a commendable level of local cuisine increasingly try to fob pax off with Indian food. I shudder at the mention of "veg or non-veg" instead of "would you prefer the beef or the chicken". Last time I checked, veg food was available to anyone as a special meal request.

Ok, we all know that going out for a curry is one of the cheapest culinary experiences, but forcing cost-cutting down my throat so blatantly is embarrassing.

I would much prefer a tasty low-cost Western meal. For example, I don't understand why LH on a recent flight from FRA to BOM offered chicken teriyaki instead of keeping with the ongoing Oktoberfest theme and dishing up ox meat or sausages with mash.

[Tight Accountant]

Some of the replies posted are making me raise a wry smile. Out to New York on BA117 earlier this year. First flight out, crack of dawn. Expecting to be served a hot breakfast at 9.30am but no. Choice of Fish Pie and something which we were advised not to have! Good customer service in a roundabout fashion but what happened to breakfast? Surely the meal service should be in sync with normal dietary habits?

Another example. BA to Tokyo, lunch then breakfast after a 'night' flight. I know the airlines push the meal service to local time, but a light sandwich (all day Deli) would have been more appropriate.

Shouldn't grumble too much. FlyBe tomorrow; bugger all unless one pays!

[Dairyground]

If someone else is paying, its always easier to have the price of on-board food included in the price of the ticket - one less thing to bother about in the expenses claim. Also, whether or not paying myself, it is much easier not to have to dig out cash or a CC when in a cramped seat and with seatbelt fastened.

35 years or so ago when I flew fairly frequently between GLA or EDI and LHR, the cooked breakfast was always enjoyable and filled the time in nicely. Unfortunately, when Tridents replaced Vanguards the shorter flight time meant that there was not enough eating time, so the quality of meals reduced.

Today, I like something warm, like the panini that BA used to produce (and may still do so) on early morning departures, rather better than the cold sandwiches and that appear later in the day.

I rarely get to ride anywhere near the front on longhaul these days, but find the food acceptable most of the time. I do have a preference, though, for multiple small bottles of wine, rather than single glasses at a time from the big bottle on the cart.

[WHBM]

I'm from the old school and prefer "proper" inflight meals and catering. Surprisingly, when there's a fine choice between carriers (because time of departure/return is king to me) I find I always tend to the carrier with the better catering.

An 08.00 departure means often getting up at 04.30, and not a moment for anything to eat (especially at airports where half the early security shift have not turned up for work), whereas you are guaranteed an hour or so in the aircraft to have something pleasant. Same with hot food and a drink coming home in the evening, which I'll reach long after Mrs WHBM :) has eaten (ever notice that on routes with two end-of-day departures it's the civil servants who are coming home nicely on time, on the 16.15 and us poor commercial world lot who fill the 19.30 ?).

I too get annoyed with BA serving all Indian food on London-Chennai. After a week of the stuff over there and being cheered, as ever, by the sight of the BA tailfin colours at the gate, it's a real downer to be offered "Chicken curry" or "Vegetable curry". It's bad enough getting the same on the outbound.

I regularly take Rossiya, a smaller Russian carrier, between London and St Petersburg. From the 737 galley they manage to come up wth full meals, starters, hot main courses, little desserts, cold beer, wines (alas not Georgian any longer !), coffee with chocolates, etc. All for half the Y-class fare BA charge, but what I really like about them is their service. Oh, always on time as well.