fireflybob
4.30 is Medium Haul. However, I would not blame the airline since any single inflight service (meals, movies, earphones, duty free) is agreed with the Tour Operator with a contract.
I really cannot understand why 48h were not enough for ordering a meal. Where I work we need 48h only for some kind of Special Meals, and only in outstations. A Special Meal request is 24h and since we are a schedule airline you can get a meal until the last minute. So maybe we should ask someone who's in the UK charter biz now (because in the charter companies where I have worked in the past we also had a last minute policy).
Even more incomprehensible is their refusal to book you a meal for the return flight.
I would definitely write a letter to the Tour Operator.