Latest news with #airlinefood
Fox News
17-07-2025
- Fox News
Airline passenger sparks heated debate about bringing 'fragrant food' on planes
A flight passenger is asking fellow flyers for thoughts about a hot issue among travelers: Should people be "bringing fragrant food on the plane" while they're sitting in economy seating? Posting in the "r/unitedairlines" forum, the user said that he or she (the writer didn't specify) was "curious about people's thoughts on bringing food heavy on the aromatics on the plane to eat in the back of the bus." The individual went on, "I think it is somewhat inconsiderate given how mushed in we all are (everyone gets to smell Bob's lunch!)." The user added, "I'm mostly just wondering if I'm alone in finding it rude. Probably doesn't help that [the] dude who prompted the question is shoveling it in, so slurps accompany the smells." The post stirred the pot online. Redditors took to the comments section to share thoughts on the common issue. "I wouldn't bring food that is very fragrant on any class of service, or on a bus or train, or even on a shared car trip," said one user. "I think, just as you say, it's the right thing to be thoughtful of those around you." Another person wrote, "No, no, no, no, no and NO! [This] would be the same ignoramus [who would] microwave fish in an office." Joked another user, "I typically bring onboard a tuna fish hoagie with sliced onions and sauerkraut that I first warm up a bit by placing in my armpit for five minutes." One Redditor shared, "I will happily sit behind anyone peeling an orange; they smell amazing." Yet another user wrote, "I travel for work and have to eat when/where I can. It's usually on the go, sometimes with tight connections. So, if I'm hungry on the plane, I'm going to eat. People who haven't walked in my shoes don't get to judge me." "People with food allergies bring their own food," commented another Redditor. "People who haven't walked in my shoes don't get to judge me." "There aren't many airlines that handle requests for safe foods well. Trying to get a nut-free meal is incredibly difficult, but it's easy to get a gluten-free meal." Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital that passengers should be mindful of others. "Don't bring stinky foods on the plane," he said. Leff said that with airflow and filtration, smells, sprays or perfumes can be spread throughout the cabin. "Some airports sell barbecue, but saucy ribs aren't a great idea… Neither is Chinese food to go," said Leff.
News.com.au
13-07-2025
- News.com.au
What really happens on an inaugural flight at Scoot
Laying on the floor of Singapore's Changi Airport at 2am, I am waiting to be one of the first people to board Scoot's Inaugural Flight from Singapore to Vienna. It's set to be one of the longer flight's I've personally been on during my adulthood — usually I have at least two stopovers on an international flight. And, adding to this, flying on an airline I've not had any experience with before. Flying is always a nerve-racking experience for me, particularly when the flight is longer than eight hours. But, at the same time, I am always looking to fly on a budget. So, why not? What the flight was like? Before boarding the flight, I took my lovely colleague's advice to load up on snacks because, like most budget airlines, meals aren't a given on a Scoot Flight. You have to order the meal when you book your ticket. There is also a menu on board, where you can pick from a variety of items such as hot cup of noodles or a BBQ chicken baguette. You're not really supposed to take your own snacks on board, but it's almost an unwritten rule that everyone does, right? I am one of those weird freaks who loved plane food — until I was diagnosed with coeliac disease. It often means that on planes I am thoroughly limited as to what I can eat. On one long-haul flight to the UK, I was once served the same meal on all three flights. But, Scoot was able to cater to my dietary needs. I was served a Ragout of Chicken and Potato, and a Dahl Curry on another and could pick from having a water or soft drink, and a slice of cake. When I pointed out the cake was not gluten free, airline staff were very quick to change it for me. The food was lovely and warm — literally no complaints. I appreciated the effort that staff went to in order to cater for me and my auto-immune disease. Scoot, like most budget airlines, doesn't have a first or business class. But, it has Scoot Plus — akin to premium economy in my mind — Scoot in Silence and Economy. Scoot in Silence was where my seat was assigned on the inaugural flight from Singapore to Vienna. It's separated from most of the aircraft and is considered to be like the quiet carriage on the train. It is the exact same seat size as the rest of the aircraft, but if you're an anxious flyer, or have things you need to get done, it is literally the perfect place to be sat. As someone who never sleeps on a plane — and I mean have flown close to 30 hours, and then jumped on a train for an additional six and was lucky to have slept three hours in that whole time — I slept for basically the entire flight. I woke up for food, listened to some beautiful music, and went back to sleep. I genuinely attribute this to how quiet and peaceful this section was. On the way home, I was lucky enough to sit in Scoot Plus. It's very much similar to Scoot In Silence, there is just a bit more room and the seats are more comfortable. It does cost more than its counterpart but if you want levels of comfort on your trip. Again, I was asleep for most of the flight. It was a life-changing experience when it came to preparing for jet lag. Scoot also doesn't have a television on board — but you can get WIFI. I do recommend booking WIFI before your trip as it is cheaper. So, the message is to stack up on streaming downloads, books, podcasts and music before you walk down the jet bridge and onto the plane. What's so special about an inaugural flight? So, what is it like to be on an inaugural flight for a low-cost airline? Before the flight, everyone was given an opportunity to snap pictures on a media wall to memorialise the occasion and given a goodie bag. It was filled with goodies such as chocolate — which Austria is renowned for — and paper hand fans promoting Vienna's rich heritage as a music city. It was fun and created quite a bit of fanfare for an overnight long-haul flight, which was nice. In my naivety, I expected there not to be too many people waiting for 'the first flight' and yet, I was wrong. So many people were stoked to have a gateway into Eastern Europe, which made sense with Austria bordering countries such as Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary Germany, Italy and Slovenia. It's probably one of the best ways for Australians to fly into Europe, see as many places as possible for the European Summer, before making the long-haul flight home. One of the biggest draws to Austria in general is the fact that it is known for its music, with Eurovision stars such as Concita Wurst for more current times and the great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. As a nod to the country we were flying into, Scoot organised for Singaporean musicians, the T'ang Quartet, to serenade passengers with an in-flight performance. I'll have to say that was a first for me. But again, it was all about adding an element of fun and excitement to the fanfare of this flight launch. It was genuinely a beautiful experience and probably one I will never get to again. Another fun thing was when the plane landed, it was greeted with a water salute, and we were able to stand on the tarmac and take snaps with the plane. So, why fly Scoot? I think the airline's chief operating officer Ng Chee Keong, put it best when he told 'I think we want to distinguish ourselves from other low-cost carriers.' He said one of the biggest differences is that most low-cost carriers offer only one aircraft type, as it's easier when it comes to things such as servicing the aircraft. But, Scoot flies Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A320, as well as Embraer E190-E2. Each aircraft caters to different needs, such as Boeing typically flying long-haul. 'It's not your normal low-cost airline, ' he said, saying the entire business is built on the belief that people want to travel but that each person has their own individual need to be met and that every flight should be customisable for that person. Mr Keong said it's all about providing the opportunities, saying that the Vienna flight from Singapore provides a gateway into Eastern Europe. 'We have seen how interest can grow, how places that were once forgotten come together and flourish,' he said. 'Now there is a flight, there is commerce possibility and tourism.' He said that the business sees every customer as an individual, and that is true in my experience. Every part of the trip is customisable — where you sit, whether or not you eat, what you eat, how you spend your time and how much money you spend. It's definitely an option I — as someone who usually flies alone — would consider in the future. The flight between Vienna and Singapore will operate three times a week using its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Flight attendant reveals the food rule every passenger should follow on board
A flight attendant has issued a strict warning to passengers travelling on holiday this summer. Celina Bedding, an experienced cabin crew member, has urged travellers to steer clear of plane food altogether. As alarming as that might sound, the flight attendant explains that this is because airline food tends to have high salt and sugar content. She says: 'Because of the cabin pressure we lose around 30 per cent of our taste buds. 'So the companies that prepare food for the airlines add much more salt to it in order to have a nice flavour at 40,000 feet.' And if you have to eat on the plane, there's one option that should be top of your list. reports that Celina's top recommendation on the plane is a salad or fruit salad. She adds: 'Make sure you drink plenty of water before, during and after a flight to hydrate yourself.' But the flight attendant urges passengers to avoid tap water from the plane bathroom as she considers not suitable for drinking. And if you've got an upcoming long haul flight on the horizon, a doctor has recently shared a warning about bloating in the air. 'On long-haul flights, it's important to be aware of "aeroplane bloat", categorised as a build-up of gas in the intestines and stomach, caused by a combination of factors,' explains Dr Donald Grant, senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy. 'At 30,000 feet, plane pressure drops dramatically, causing the gas in our guts to expand. In turn, this causes bloating and discomfort, which can lead to aeroplane bloat. 'It's kind of like how crisp packets expand while in the air - the same effect is happening to our guts!' Dr Grant has urged people to drink plenty of water and avoid gassy foods to escape plane bloating this summer.
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Travel + Leisure
02-06-2025
- Business
- Travel + Leisure
These Are the Meals Travelers Really Want to Eat Inflight—and Why
American travelers eat beef on the flight home. 'Beef is the top-selected choice through our pre-select program,' Stephanie Laster, Delta's managing director of onboard services, tells Travel + Leisure, referencing customer data for flights returning to the U.S. Delta made headlines in December 2024 when it started serving Shake Shack's iconic cheeseburger at cruising altitude. The burger in question is currently available on flights of more than 900 miles departing from Boston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Seattle, and New-York LaGuardia. This weekend, the Shake Shack burger continued its national expansion, launching in Orlando, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, New York-JFK, Miami, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. This means the Shake Shack burger will now be available when flying out of all the primary U.S. Delta hubs. 'A burger has always been something we've rotated, especially on Delta One as you're coming back into the United States,' Laster says. Beef short rib is another favorite, she adds, along with the Jon & Vinny meatballs, which were previously only offered to those flying out of L.A., but are now available on other domestic flights because the braised beef meatballs in marinara garnered so many loyal fans. 'It shouldn't surprise us that food that transports well for us by delivery services and takeout would work really well in the sky,' says Paul Tumpowsky, an aviation expert and T+L A-List advisor. Tumpowsky and Laster both suggest that it's not the elaborate dégustation that hits in the sky, but the well-executed comfort foods. 'Some airlines put such huge effort into getting a Michelin star at 35,000 feet, and they are never going to get it,' Tumpowsky says. The most memorable meal he's had on a flight? 'It was a burger on Cathay Pacific. It photographed well, it looked good, and it tasted great at 35,000 feet.' It's the lower-lift preparation paired with the highly detailed presentation that seems to have the biggest impact on travelers. The Shake Shack burger is heated with cheese in Delta's first-class ovens and the buns are warmed; the guest then adds the pre-packaged lettuce, onion, tomato, pickle, and Shake Shack-branded sauce. T+L aviation reporter Chris Dong, who tried Delta's Shake Shack burger on two flights, says it was 'surprisingly tasty and pretty close to what you'd get on the ground,' in a recent video. He notes that it's a more 'DIY burger' while the Cathay Pacific offering comes fully assembled—and with fries. The burger on Delta comes with a Shake Shack brownie, Caesar salad, and Miss Vickie's chips. Delta and Cathay aren't the only airlines bringing takeout staples to the friendly skies. EVA Air has been serving Din Tai Fung's soup dumplings to business-class passengers for years, first debuting xiao long bao on flights between Taipei and Tokyo's Haneda airport in 2002. It has more recently expanded the offering to business-class cabins on routes departing Taipei to five North American destinations, including Vancouver and Los Angeles. It's the presentation that makes the experience; 'We specially designed the in-flight presentation of xiao long bao using traditional bamboo steamers to recreate the authentic dining experience of the restaurant,' an EVA Air spokesperson tells T+L. Dim sum from Din Tai Fung on board an EVA Air flight. EVA Air As Delta continues to look at inflight behavior and cravings, the Onboard Services team always comes back to indulgence. 'We know customers generally want to enjoy that beef, the ice cream sundae, and the glass of red wine on board. I always say it seems like calories don't count in the sky,' Laster says. Of course, there are complaints and slip-ups: one of Dong's inflight Shake Shack burgers was slightly overcooked, and among the excellent customer feedback Delta receives about the new burger, a common refrain is, but where are the fries? 'Shake Shack has well-established processes in their stores and to then adapt it for the air, there was a lot of planning that went in, and a lot of research and development and testing, both on the ground and in the air, before we ever even launched," Laster says. "Setting our caterers up for success as well as our flight attendants, is critical. We want to make sure we can deliver products consistently." Though the flight attendants only heat the burgers with the cheese and the bun, serving it at 35,000 feet takes a lot more preparation than the average Friday night delivery meal. And to Tumpowsky's point, it's the simpler meals that are more easily replicated in the sky that most excite travelers. More than a third of customers who are pre-selecting the Shake Shack burger then order it again on their next flight, per Laster. The branded comfort foods that foodies favor when ordering takeout have staying power at 35,000 feet—see also: United's pre-packed Magnolia Bakery banana pudding. It's only a matter of time before Carbone's spicy rigatoni or Dave's hot chicken make it to a first-class cabin departing from a city near you. Just don't expect anyone to ask if you'd like fries with that.
