At the moment JAL offer a choice if you are prepare to order 24 hours before your flight and a fee of 3000yen. They are offering a selection Japanese onagi of beef cheeks. I have taken up the offer and both meals are excellent.
It's kind of hard for me to eat while on the plane, or any moving vehicle because I get sick right afterwards. Airline foods in particular have that distinct smell that is hard to describe but I think it is the smell of preservatives because I smell the same thing with conbini bento. It's hard to tell whether the food has gotten better or not since I used to fly Singapore airlines as a child because it was the best affordable option back in the day, and now as an adult, I fly crappy cheap airlines that bring out prison food for economy class. JAL however, has very nice options whenever they collaborate with places like Mos Burger/ KFC/ Yoshinoya.
advance orders are a great improvement in recent yrs, is the tv screen more important? not for me body needs food, going back 20yrs I would have put BA (uwat bread &beans now) + Quantas as edible. Then Emirates as the magical improvement.
Dutch I am a brit?, fact check 21% of the known land area and 22% of the known population in them old days, sure not what we were taught.
the great advantage of pre order is that you get served first round, nice and hot as soon as the chairs go upright. JAL used to have a vegan and veggie options pre order no add-on?
As a person that is loosely involved in that area... the onboard food service in general has being in constant improovement.
In general the prepared meals are healthier that they were 20 years ago and the usage of preservatives and chemicals are non existent (sorry if i am contradicting someone, but that is the reality), even the use of salt in the meals has reduced.
Ofcourse there are exceptions and if you are in economy class, even if the foods is good, the overall experience (lettle room to move, the person next to you bumping, all food in the same small place, visually not very apealing) that will make your food experience bad.
So food quality is above average good (general terms) but the overall "eating on board" is still a minus for economy class.
In general the prepared meals are healthier that they were 20 years ago and the usage of preservatives and chemicals are non existent (sorry if i am contradicting someone, but that is the reality), even the use of salt in the meals has reduced.
Is that true? Well then, I might have to give it a go. I have bad memories of the food from way back and haven't bothered touching them since. Thanks!
Now, i have to tell you that not all onboard services are the same.
Big airlines like United, Luftthansa, JAL, Cathy, Emirates, ANA, British, Air France, etc., have a good to fairly decent cental kitchens in each major airports, if not owned by them they have subsidiearies or contracting good quality "airline cathering services".
But there are few that don't have these types of onsite kitchens neither have contracts with cathering services with airport facilities.
So there are some airlines that use cathering services that made their food elsewhere and thus they may use preservatives and stuff like that.
Sadly American Airlines is one of those, also middle to small airlines usually don't have that kind of facilities available.
If flying Qatar choose the Hindu veg or non veg. option for the leg from Doha. Other than that, you are not there for the food are you? I usually take some snacks to accompany the free beers.
Airplane food is highly dependent on which airline you take. I do think that they've shrunk the size of the meals a tad though, and probably for safety purposes, utensils have mostly gone from metal to plastic or wood. Some airlines have improved meal options for those with allergies and dietary restrictions, so that's a plus.
Incredible, really, that the Brits are on a 3 century long losing streak for world's worst food.
British food being "world's worst food" is an utter stereotype, and if you go to the UK and harp on about how the food is awful, you clearly ate at all the tourist traps. Good grub is found at local neighbourhood pubs and streets, along with the local chippy. It may not be the healthiest of foods, that I grant you, but it's filling, delicious, and comforting.
Ossan a person in JAL economy can have Japanese style Onagi or Beef cheeks on most JAL international fights . You have to per order 24 hours prior to your flight. I assume it the same meal served Business class. I have recently taken up this offer and both meals are excellent.
I might be the only person in the world who feels this way but I absolutely love airplane food!! I don't think I've ever been disappointed with that little tray of sunshine they put in front of me. Stewardesses are always a bit surprised to hear me rave about the meals afterwards.
As long as airfares are affordable, I don't care what the food is like. Having said that, airfares not that affordable. Some of the best food I had was with Cathay Pacific and JAL. I tend to avoid ANY American airlines. It's not just the food, but the service too.
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John-San
At the moment JAL offer a choice if you are prepare to order 24 hours before your flight and a fee of 3000yen. They are offering a selection Japanese onagi of beef cheeks. I have taken up the offer and both meals are excellent.
SDCA
It's kind of hard for me to eat while on the plane, or any moving vehicle because I get sick right afterwards. Airline foods in particular have that distinct smell that is hard to describe but I think it is the smell of preservatives because I smell the same thing with conbini bento. It's hard to tell whether the food has gotten better or not since I used to fly Singapore airlines as a child because it was the best affordable option back in the day, and now as an adult, I fly crappy cheap airlines that bring out prison food for economy class. JAL however, has very nice options whenever they collaborate with places like Mos Burger/ KFC/ Yoshinoya.
bass4funk
Depends. In Business class absolutely fantastic. Economy, depends.
BackpackingNepal
British Airways - muffins and beans for the lunch
So no need to feel down on JAL or ANA.
dobre vam zajebava
normally I use business class.
so can eat at airlines lunge before flight.
inflight menu not bad as can choose/some airlines even in advance/.
dutch
Incredible, really, that the Brits are on a 3 century long losing streak for world's worst food.
They once ruled over 25% of the world, and the best delicacy they could come up with was............beans.
iron man
advance orders are a great improvement in recent yrs, is the tv screen more important? not for me body needs food, going back 20yrs I would have put BA (uwat bread &beans now) + Quantas as edible. Then Emirates as the magical improvement.
Dutch I am a brit?, fact check 21% of the known land area and 22% of the known population in them old days, sure not what we were taught.
iron man
the great advantage of pre order is that you get served first round, nice and hot as soon as the chairs go upright. JAL used to have a vegan and veggie options pre order no add-on?
Daniel Neagari
As a person that is loosely involved in that area... the onboard food service in general has being in constant improovement.
In general the prepared meals are healthier that they were 20 years ago and the usage of preservatives and chemicals are non existent (sorry if i am contradicting someone, but that is the reality), even the use of salt in the meals has reduced.
Ofcourse there are exceptions and if you are in economy class, even if the foods is good, the overall experience (lettle room to move, the person next to you bumping, all food in the same small place, visually not very apealing) that will make your food experience bad.
So food quality is above average good (general terms) but the overall "eating on board" is still a minus for economy class.
SDCA
Is that true? Well then, I might have to give it a go. I have bad memories of the food from way back and haven't bothered touching them since. Thanks!
TaiwanIsNotChina
Considering the purpose is to distract from the hellish traveling conditions, I figure it is a good thing if it is as unhealthy as possible.
Daniel Neagari
@SDCA
Now, i have to tell you that not all onboard services are the same.
Big airlines like United, Luftthansa, JAL, Cathy, Emirates, ANA, British, Air France, etc., have a good to fairly decent cental kitchens in each major airports, if not owned by them they have subsidiearies or contracting good quality "airline cathering services".
But there are few that don't have these types of onsite kitchens neither have contracts with cathering services with airport facilities.
So there are some airlines that use cathering services that made their food elsewhere and thus they may use preservatives and stuff like that.
Sadly American Airlines is one of those, also middle to small airlines usually don't have that kind of facilities available.
Mr Kipling
If flying Qatar choose the Hindu veg or non veg. option for the leg from Doha. Other than that, you are not there for the food are you? I usually take some snacks to accompany the free beers.
David Brent
Very good on Cathay Pacific and Asiana. Terrible on China Eastern.
purple_depressed_bacon
Airplane food is highly dependent on which airline you take. I do think that they've shrunk the size of the meals a tad though, and probably for safety purposes, utensils have mostly gone from metal to plastic or wood. Some airlines have improved meal options for those with allergies and dietary restrictions, so that's a plus.
British food being "world's worst food" is an utter stereotype, and if you go to the UK and harp on about how the food is awful, you clearly ate at all the tourist traps. Good grub is found at local neighbourhood pubs and streets, along with the local chippy. It may not be the healthiest of foods, that I grant you, but it's filling, delicious, and comforting.
grund
In general I think it is alright. As long as your expectations aren't too high.
dobre vam zajebava
two dislikes above?
because of food or because of business class?
:) what a "mystery"...
OssanAmerica
Business Class meals are much much better than those served in Economy.
In the case of JAL at least, Premium Economy is served a better meal than Economy as well.
John-San
Ossan a person in JAL economy can have Japanese style Onagi or Beef cheeks on most JAL international fights . You have to per order 24 hours prior to your flight. I assume it the same meal served Business class. I have recently taken up this offer and both meals are excellent.
Hawk
Since we hired a new chef for the P.J., yes, it's been much better.
Speed
I might be the only person in the world who feels this way but I absolutely love airplane food!! I don't think I've ever been disappointed with that little tray of sunshine they put in front of me. Stewardesses are always a bit surprised to hear me rave about the meals afterwards.
Pukey2
As long as airfares are affordable, I don't care what the food is like. Having said that, airfares not that affordable. Some of the best food I had was with Cathay Pacific and JAL. I tend to avoid ANY American airlines. It's not just the food, but the service too.
JeffLee
It's not as bad as most people say.
I like Delta.