Singapore Airlines apologises after Muslim passenger served pork on flight to New York, says crew ‘didn't know' what prosciutto is

Malay Mail

a day ago

SINGAPORE, Aug 6 — Singapore Airlines (SIA) has apologised after a Muslim business-class passenger was served a dish containing pork on an 18-hour flight from Singapore to New York, reported Mothership.
The passenger, a Singapore permanent resident who identified himself as Jey, said the incident happened when he was served a dish labelled 'Grilled Mediterranean Salad with Prosciutto' during one of the meal services on SQ24.
Unsure what 'prosciutto' was, he asked cabin crew if it was bacon. According to Jey, they told him it was not and assured him it was safe to eat. But after tasting the 'unfamiliar' dish, he decided to look it up — only to learn that prosciutto is pork.
'I was in complete shock,' Jey told the Singapore-based digital news outlet, adding that he has been a practising Muslim for over three decades.
When confronted, the crew allegedly suggested they might have misheard him. They later told him that the staff member who served him was a junior who 'did not know prosciutto was pork'.
Jey lodged a complaint with the airline. He was initially offered a S$150 (RM490) KrisShop voucher, followed by 15,000 KrisFlyer miles and later 30,000 miles — all of which he rejected.
Calling the offers 'saddening and insulting', he told Mothership: 'No person of faith — Muslim, Jew, Hindu, or otherwise — would ever willingly break a sacred dietary law in exchange for 30,000 miles.'
He also pointed out that his ticket had cost about S$10,000 and urged SIA to 'commitment to improve the menu and understand the gravity of this'.
Jey has since filed another complaint with the US Department of Transportation.
Before the flight, Jey had booked a Muslim meal for the refreshment service. For lunch, he chose the airline's 'Book the Cook' option instead.
He said there was no pork label on the dish, and according to Mothership, SIA's website shows dishes containing pork generally do not carry such labels.
In an email seen by Mothership, an SIA customer service officer admitted that 'the cabin crew was initially uncertain whether the prosciutto was pork' and had served it 'without confirmation'. The crew apologised and offered him alternatives, which he declined.
Mothership said it understand that passengers with religious or dietary restrictions must pre-book special meals for all meal services on flights with multiple meal rounds, such as SQ24, which has three.
In response to Mothership, an SIA spokesman confirmed the error and apologised for 'the distress caused'.
'When our cabin crew members became aware that the customer does not consume pork, they immediately apologised, removed the dish, and offered an alternative,' the spokesman said.
SIA added that it has 'strengthened cabin crew training and service procedures' and remains in contact with Jey. It also advised passengers with dietary requirements 'to pre-book their special meals for all meal services before their flights'.