Best Airline Meal
They fed us a seven course meal - started with caviar (never had it before and quickly decided I wasn't missing anything ), came around with a salad bar on a trolley where you got to pick what you wanted. One of the main course options was prime rib - they brought the meat out on a trolley - you pointed to the cut you wanted and they sliced it and served it to you. Finished up with a made to order ice cream sundae.
There's an old thread about BOAC food here.
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...enu-1960s.html
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Cloud 9
Posts: 2,948
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Best:
Like Cantonese, evening departure LHR/HKG with CX, on the cheapest of economy tickets something like a 4 course dinner followed by a 3 course breakfast.
The Worst:
Because of my accumulated Flying Blue points I found myself upgraded to business class AMS/BHX on KLM S*ittyhopper, they served me some sort of smoked salmon cr@p, I asked if I could have the sandwich they were enjoying back in economy.
Like Cantonese, evening departure LHR/HKG with CX, on the cheapest of economy tickets something like a 4 course dinner followed by a 3 course breakfast.
The Worst:
Because of my accumulated Flying Blue points I found myself upgraded to business class AMS/BHX on KLM S*ittyhopper, they served me some sort of smoked salmon cr@p, I asked if I could have the sandwich they were enjoying back in economy.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: South Africa
Age: 87
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In the 80's, Varig business class, Joburg to Rio and on to LA or Miami, depending upon my destination.
DC10 in a 2 Class configuration, no 1st, so buss class was their best.
Great food, even better wines and a free stop over in Rio
A pity they went out of business.
Best 'cattle class', Air Austral from Joburg to Reunion, when they 1st started in 1992. The only time I've had free champagne in cattle class.
DC10 in a 2 Class configuration, no 1st, so buss class was their best.
Great food, even better wines and a free stop over in Rio
A pity they went out of business.
Best 'cattle class', Air Austral from Joburg to Reunion, when they 1st started in 1992. The only time I've had free champagne in cattle class.
You haven't lived until you've experienced the RAF 'S1 box'.....
Especially if it contained the infamously stale Robirch pork pie with a concrete-hard crust and if you shook it, you could hear the ball of bright pink congealed ex-piggy rattling around inside like a dice in a cup!
Especially if it contained the infamously stale Robirch pork pie with a concrete-hard crust and if you shook it, you could hear the ball of bright pink congealed ex-piggy rattling around inside like a dice in a cup!
Seasonally, I've just remembered this photograph of the choice of lunch bags we got, that I took operating a research aircraft out of Kiruna in Swedish Lapland a couple of years ago.
G
G
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: South of France
Posts: 1,035
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not quite on the aeroplane but 2002, flying from Moscow, Vnukovo to Yakutsk, we were diverted because of bad weather. To this day I can't remember the airport but as First (there was no business class) class passengers, along with our ten travelling companions, we were taken to a private lounge straight out of the 60's. There we were fed Caviar, Lobster and other seafood delights with various Vodka's and wines until we were poured back on the aircraft to continue our flight. That was pretty special.
Paxing All Over The World
I enjoyed the meal on Concorde but then, I expected to, and the food was not the only reason for enjoying it ...
The one that sticks in the mind is very simple and the food was a small part of it: In the early days of VS, on their 747 (-100 I think?) from LGW to EWR, August 1987.
I was in Upper (as others say, it was good but nothing like today) but it was a late afternoon and, being on the Port side, the sun was streaming in. We'd had a lovely meal and then they put up the movie (yes, still a screen!) and it began with about 20 minutes of cartoons. They then served mini tubs of Losely ice-cream, like you get in the movies and theatre. I thought, "I'm being paid to suffer this?" It was a truly wonderful sector.
The one that sticks in the mind is very simple and the food was a small part of it: In the early days of VS, on their 747 (-100 I think?) from LGW to EWR, August 1987.
I was in Upper (as others say, it was good but nothing like today) but it was a late afternoon and, being on the Port side, the sun was streaming in. We'd had a lovely meal and then they put up the movie (yes, still a screen!) and it began with about 20 minutes of cartoons. They then served mini tubs of Losely ice-cream, like you get in the movies and theatre. I thought, "I'm being paid to suffer this?" It was a truly wonderful sector.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London
Posts: 611
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I remember similar experiences with VS LGW-EWR in Upper Class about the same time PAXboy. Their first aircraft was a -200 series (RG) as was the second (IN) and both had a lounge area at the rear of the upper-deck with a sort of semi-circular settee. I do remember the food was very good and I recall the ice cream as well!
During the '90's VS did operate a 747-100 (IA) named latterly 'Spirit of Sir Freddie' which had previously been with Highland Express (G-HIHO), a company which of course played a part in the creation of VS.
During the '90's VS did operate a 747-100 (IA) named latterly 'Spirit of Sir Freddie' which had previously been with Highland Express (G-HIHO), a company which of course played a part in the creation of VS.
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Beyond the Blue Horizon
Age: 63
Posts: 1,257
Received 152 Likes
on
95 Posts
PaxBoy
Got to agree with you being paid to travel is a perk, and more so if you are lucky enough to be able to do it by turning left on entrance. Memorable meals would be BA / BMI in the 80,s , BOAC / BEA flights in the 60,s with parents, and the long BCAL flights back to London from Santiago to and from school. That was like a Well's Fargo Stage coach stopping everywhere, although I remember the food being quite good (after school food anyway), and a naughty stewardess called Rachel who introduced me to the delights of wine and Chivas Regal - I was only 13 ! More recently it has been EK/SQ/LUFTY long haul for me, and all have at times produced very good meals, some even quite memorable (EK Roast Duck into HK a couple of years ago was better than the Peninsular Hotels offering later in the same trip !). Lufty Beef out of Tokyo last spring was also very good. I have noticed however that standards are dropping even with these 3 in small ways, EK what happened to the pre dinner canapés in Business ? However overall for me, a G&T and good seat, and a view of a fantastic sunset or sunrise beats the meal anytime !
Compliments of the Season to the cabin
Cheers
Mr Mac
Got to agree with you being paid to travel is a perk, and more so if you are lucky enough to be able to do it by turning left on entrance. Memorable meals would be BA / BMI in the 80,s , BOAC / BEA flights in the 60,s with parents, and the long BCAL flights back to London from Santiago to and from school. That was like a Well's Fargo Stage coach stopping everywhere, although I remember the food being quite good (after school food anyway), and a naughty stewardess called Rachel who introduced me to the delights of wine and Chivas Regal - I was only 13 ! More recently it has been EK/SQ/LUFTY long haul for me, and all have at times produced very good meals, some even quite memorable (EK Roast Duck into HK a couple of years ago was better than the Peninsular Hotels offering later in the same trip !). Lufty Beef out of Tokyo last spring was also very good. I have noticed however that standards are dropping even with these 3 in small ways, EK what happened to the pre dinner canapés in Business ? However overall for me, a G&T and good seat, and a view of a fantastic sunset or sunrise beats the meal anytime !
Compliments of the Season to the cabin
Cheers
Mr Mac
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: South Africa
Age: 87
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ice Cream
Dunno what make it was, but a tub of ice cream was the total extent of the in-flight catering on the Sabena Caravelle's between Heathrow and Brussels in 1967.
Mind you, there wasn't time to serve much else.
Mind you, there wasn't time to serve much else.
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: UK/Philippines/Italy
Age: 73
Posts: 557
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dan Air
Dan Air BAC 1-11 from Inverness to LHR. Fresh salmon and freshly cooked veggies. Was told is was prepared by one of the local hotels. Excellent meal.
Must give a mention to the caterers at Lyneham who did an excellent breakfast for the C130 crews.
Must give a mention to the caterers at Lyneham who did an excellent breakfast for the C130 crews.
During the '90's VS did operate a 747-100 (IA) named latterly 'Spirit of Sir Freddie' which had previously been with Highland Express (G-HIHO), a company which of course played a part in the creation of VS.
Sadly Highland was a complete fiasco, with delays in delivery of a refurbished, knackered 747 in the form of G-HIHO, and the first couple of months services from BHX being operated by Flights Coaches to Gatwick, Stansted or wherever else Highland could buy seats for the passengers that were booked. I was one of them, bumped on to a Tower Air 747 from STN on the outward, and (rather better) a Virgin 747 on the return to LGW. Would Highland have fared better had they aircraft been delivered on time for the start of operations? Who knows, but my gut feeling is, no not much.
Coming back on thread - sometimes it's the small things - and for me the wonderful smell of warm croissants that greeted you when you boarded the CTA MD87 (operating for Swissair) at BHX headed for Zürich on the morning flight. The croissants themselves weren't bad either.
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Hampshire
Age: 78
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Back in the early 2000s,we used to do a Red Eye to Istanbul via Vienna.Upon landing,we parked the Aircraft up for the weekend,and jumped aboard a Turkish Airlines 757 I think it was,back to UK.Anyway they put us in 1st Class,and treated us to the most sumptious meal with Champagne,proper cooked Steaks and proper cutlery,then insisted we took a doggy bag of their best Red Wines,just on the basis we plugged Turkish Airlines when we got home!!!!I used to look forward to those trips!!
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: London
Posts: 611
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ATNotts - quite right, it was Randolph Fields who, with the help of Richard Branson's money had an idea for an airline called British Atlantic Airways that gave birth to Virgin Atlantic.
Not an airline meal as such and not exactly a culinary masterpiece either, but certainly my most memorable in-flight meal was the Haggis, Neaps and Tatties served to me in a Nimrod whilst I was conducting the instrumented flight trials of a defensive aids pod. The meal arrived just before we carried out the maximum rate descent from 25000 ft and my job was to log the rate of descent by looking at the chronometer and the Altimeter on the Nav's station and writing the numbers down on my notepad every time another 1000 ft was ticked off whilst occasionally snatching a forkful of the meal.
The Altimeter was spinning so fast that I'll admit to missing the odd test point whilst at the same time the movement of the aircraft was such that the meal was moving around the desktop and occasionally had to be saved from falling on the floor. Drinking tea during max rate turns at low level was another not to be missed experience.
The Altimeter was spinning so fast that I'll admit to missing the odd test point whilst at the same time the movement of the aircraft was such that the meal was moving around the desktop and occasionally had to be saved from falling on the floor. Drinking tea during max rate turns at low level was another not to be missed experience.
Also not an airline meal, but mention of Ryanair reminds me that the best in-flight meal I ever had was on Ryanair - we brought our own sandwiches and they were made with real bread and fillings we liked in conditions we approved of.
Faced with a BA breakfast a few months later, I actually said to the crewperson that the meals on Ryanair were better!!
Faced with a BA breakfast a few months later, I actually said to the crewperson that the meals on Ryanair were better!!
Best Lunch Box
I was with 99 Sqn (Britannias) until 1963 and standard method of feeding PAX was with lunch boxes. The best lunch box I remember was that supplied from Embakasi in Kenya in Sept 1961.
With some sort of trouble brewing in the Gulf it was decided the Army brigade based in East Africa would be transferred to Bahrain, a long Britannia flog with many hours - Embakasi - Khormaksar - Bahrain and then back again to do the same trip several times over to get the brigade to Bahrain.
Anyway on the first trip we left Embakasi, dished out the lunch boxes to the squaddies in the back and then heard mutterings of complaint. When asked what was wrong, the general consensus was that the 'jam' tasted salty. It turned out each lunch box contained a small pot of something to be spread on the rolls or biscuits or whatever and the contents were very salty.
Investigation quickly showed the pots were in fact pots of Caviar, real Caviar and not Lumpfish roe. This was not immediately obvious to the troops so we collected any unopened and unwanted pots and put them aside for later crew use.
Their loss was our gain!
I was with 99 Sqn (Britannias) until 1963 and standard method of feeding PAX was with lunch boxes. The best lunch box I remember was that supplied from Embakasi in Kenya in Sept 1961.
With some sort of trouble brewing in the Gulf it was decided the Army brigade based in East Africa would be transferred to Bahrain, a long Britannia flog with many hours - Embakasi - Khormaksar - Bahrain and then back again to do the same trip several times over to get the brigade to Bahrain.
Anyway on the first trip we left Embakasi, dished out the lunch boxes to the squaddies in the back and then heard mutterings of complaint. When asked what was wrong, the general consensus was that the 'jam' tasted salty. It turned out each lunch box contained a small pot of something to be spread on the rolls or biscuits or whatever and the contents were very salty.
Investigation quickly showed the pots were in fact pots of Caviar, real Caviar and not Lumpfish roe. This was not immediately obvious to the troops so we collected any unopened and unwanted pots and put them aside for later crew use.
Their loss was our gain!
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Gloucestershire
Age: 66
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Worked on the ramp at LGW for GH. The Dan Air breakfasts and the meals of the southbound ABZ where rather good. From ABZ it was either Smoked Salmon or Venison.
Then the best catered flight. On a delivery flight from Boeing Seattle to Stanstead in a new 737-300. The flight was also a proving flight for the CAA so we had two crews including Cabin crew and 30 crew who had just done training. and two ops guys. We had asked Boeing to cater but thought we had better get some booze in for a bit of a party. So we went out and bought wine spirits beers etc. Then Boeing turned up First class hot mains, first class hot breakfast. Huge trays of club sandwiches fresh fruit hot dogs and burgers. Then on came the drink...... Two cases of Champagne, two cases of Red two cases of white plus spirits etc etc
Then the best catered flight. On a delivery flight from Boeing Seattle to Stanstead in a new 737-300. The flight was also a proving flight for the CAA so we had two crews including Cabin crew and 30 crew who had just done training. and two ops guys. We had asked Boeing to cater but thought we had better get some booze in for a bit of a party. So we went out and bought wine spirits beers etc. Then Boeing turned up First class hot mains, first class hot breakfast. Huge trays of club sandwiches fresh fruit hot dogs and burgers. Then on came the drink...... Two cases of Champagne, two cases of Red two cases of white plus spirits etc etc
Would be about 1980. Turned up at Amsterdam to catch the afternoon BA 1-11 flight to Manchester. Opposite their check-in desk was Suckling Airways.
They accepted the BA ticket so flew on their Dornier to MAN. Can't remember what the food was - 3 course meal - but thoroughly enjoyed the G&T before the meal, bottle of wine with the main course and a brandy to finish afterwards. Nothing wrong withnthe food as far as I recall. My wife wasn't to impressed when I handed the car keys back to her when she met me at MAN.
They accepted the BA ticket so flew on their Dornier to MAN. Can't remember what the food was - 3 course meal - but thoroughly enjoyed the G&T before the meal, bottle of wine with the main course and a brandy to finish afterwards. Nothing wrong withnthe food as far as I recall. My wife wasn't to impressed when I handed the car keys back to her when she met me at MAN.