Do you expect a ‘free’ in-flight meal?

Please don’t describe the meals as “free“. You have to pay for the flight in order to receive the meal, so it’s not free. If an airline describes its meals as free, it would be an unfair commercial practice under Schedule 1 Paragraph 20 of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Recently British Airways tried to tell me that its meals were free in an effort to get out of compensating me for poor service in business class. “Included” is not the same as “free”.

As we seem to expect cheaper and cheaper flights we must surely see the “frills” diminish. I see no reason not to then charge for in-flight food, just as you would if travelling by train. A choice at different prices seems reasonable, although on longer flights I would hope for more than just sandwiches. At least BA seem to be offering food from a decent quality supplier. Their ready meals are good and presumably could be cooked on board. I imagine recipes would be modified as I believe taste diminishes in flight and seasoning, herbs, spices for example are increased to balance this.

My experience of airline food was that it filled a hole but is not what you would relish on an evening out.

If so required, it’s hardly rocket science to eat at an airport while doing all that waiting for departure and then to also carry your own food on board.

You get what you pay for. I don’t fly economy class.

There have been times on “long haul” (US East Coast) to London, where having a meal is an inconvenience. Better eating at airport and then spending the flight asleep. Otherwise, if meals not included, it should be made easier to bring own food on board to provide real choice. Perhaps the airline could also provide microwaves so passengers could heat their leftovers from the previous night’s supper?!

Welcome to the convos @dsamways. Well done for coming back and contributing further to your convo.

Eating helps while away the time especially on long flights.

As has been pointed out, airline food is not free, the cost of it has been included in your ticket, so being presented with something you don’t like or can’t eat means you are not getting what you have paid for. My husband is allergic to dairy and a diet controlled diabetic so usually gets given vegan that is very often unpalatable and could be too high in sugars.

I have never understood why you cannot choose what you want to eat in advance of a flight so this would seem a good move by BA.

So I looked at their website and here are links for economy long haul and short haul meals:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/food-and-drink/long-haul-economy-dining
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/food-and-drink/short-haul-economy-food-menu

The only 3 items on all the meal selections that are milk-free are likely to be high in sugars so nothing for my husband there. It is possible to cook good food without putting milk products in everything and full nutritional info would be helpful to those with dietary problems.

I try and avoid anything that might give me food poisoning, wind or make me choke as in prawns, salad, bread, chicken and fish bones, so 4 out of 6 meals not a good choice for me either.

So that leaves the vegetarian or breakfast, hmmm. ☹

Food seems to be over-thought these days. What is mousseline, maki, nigiri, en papillote and crespelle? A well made cottage pie, roast, moussaka or beef stew would keep most meat eaters happy, so why can’t we choose one of these in advance? Basic food done well can be far preferable to the prissy offerings chefs think we want these days and there would be far less chance of upset tums.

And, why can’t we choose starter, main and desert separately? If BA are going to charge quite high prices for ordering in advance, we want to enjoy the whole meal not just a couple of the items.

I think there is a easonableness expectation to be considered. A four hour flight is not dangerous to your health in terms of food. A longer flight certainly I think is going to be an unacceptable extension of the practice.

Effectively you are hostage to what they would provide and the price. Altenatively if you think sitting next to a group of people indulging in peanuts, lichees, and various other smelly of potential dangerous “snacks” is a good idea I think you are daft. Imagine haveing a search as you go onboard for forbidden fruits etc or suspicious looking sweets.

If necessary there should be mandated drinks and food stuffs which all airlines have to provide cost free – that is it is already included in the price. Whether this be cheese and crackers or nutrious bars is immaterial. Paying for more luxurious food would I suspect be encouraged.

For me it’s less about the food and more about the drinks. While some countries like Greece have introduced price regulation on water and a few food items (capping it at certain airports at designated shops) I honestly feel that water is something I want more of in flights due to the dry recycled air. On long haul flights a family could have to buy an awful lot of water and when there are delays particularly when stuck in a plane airlines still charge for drinks.