No catering on 7 hour flight...

[Totallyconfusedaboutlife]

I booked flights for me and OH last month and have just gone into my booking to try to order a GF meal for me - I'm coeliac. But there is no catering on this flight. This is OK (kind of... ) for me, but OH is type 1 diabetic and could really do with a meal half way through. I've never been on a flight this length that doesn't offer catering. Is this a new thing? The flight wasn't cheap (not Easyjet or anything like that).

@Theplayfulsideisouttobitch

Op last time I flew air Canada they took my meal order inflight not before, could this still be the case? (Its been a few years since I flew)

No idea - there's no info on the booking. I'll be stocking up on GF nice stuff anyway.

@Rosehugger

I was very pleased to find an Itsu at the airport last summer. Much better than aeroplane food!

Though I did used to find traditional aeroplane meals quite fascinating and miss seeing what you were going to get. I did get something like a bacon roll on BA recently which was quite nice. I'd totally forgotten that they still feed you. Also free wine! That was even better.

I do secretly love airplane food although I wouldn't admit that to anyone. Except the rice cake. That was a disappointment.

I'd advise checking the airport security rules for food before planning on taking your own food just in case you can't take it through with you.

Yes I was going to say there will be food but you'll have to pay for it. That menu looks ok.

i have a air canada flight booked for June and i can go in and request special meal

@chasegirl

I'd advise checking the airport security rules for food before planning on taking your own food just in case you can't take it through with you.

You can take food you buy after security.

Is this of any use? www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/plan/special-assistance/special-meals.html#/

@chipsandpeas

i have a air canada flight booked for June and i can go in and request special meal

There is no facility on my booking to do that.

@Totallyconfusedaboutlife

It's 7 hours though. Won't anything we pick up from the airport be rancid after 3 or 4 hours though?! (I realise I'm sounding quite precious here... I just don't want OH to be having blood sugar issues mid-flight...).

Sandwiches, baguettes, or fruit pots will not be "rancid" after 3 hours, don't be ridiculous. Thousands - millions - of people buy lunch on the way to work every day at 8am or 8.30am and eat it at 1pm.

I wouldn't take nuts in case of allergies.

leave out the hummus or take a sealed mini pot as it might flout the liquid rules.
it is considered to be a liquid so has to be under 100ml if you take it in a pot, but spread it between 2 slices of bread and you're fine!

[quote Theplayfulsideisouttobitch]Is this of any use? www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/home/plan/special-assistance/special-meals.html#/[/quote]
Thanks that is helpful and very kind of you! I don't think there's a meal service on the flight I have booked.

@Totallyconfusedaboutlife
when i go into the booking details and scroll all down to the bottom, theres a bit showing passengers with my name then add special requests, clicking on that gives me the option to choose a meal

Horrible BA once messed up my gluten free meal on a long haul flight so I was starving by the time we landed. After many complaints they sent me some airline wine in compensation. It was truly disgusting. Apparently tasted better thousands of feet up in the air. When my coeliac brother flew long haul with BA they gave him a full of gluten sandwich. After he'd eaten one mouthful they realised what had happened and snatched it from him but the damage was done - 10 days of terrible stomach pain and feeling really ill. Terrible airline!

Sandwiches, baguettes, or fruit pots will not be "rancid" after 3 hours, don't be ridiculous. Thousands - millions - of people buy lunch on the way to work every day at 8am or 8.30am and eat it at 1pm

Well aren't you a delight!

I'd avoid taking nuts, if a passenger is allergic they ask people not to eat them and you won't know about it til you're on the plane.

If your OH is in his 70s and type 1 then he will have been dealing with this kind of thing for some time. It is just the same as any situation, you plan ahead and take carbs and glucose with you in case of a hypo. Being hungry and regulating your BG are two separate things

@Fleurty

If your OH is in his 70s and type 1 then he will have been dealing with this kind of thing for some time. It is just the same as any situation, you plan ahead and take carbs and glucose with you in case of a hypo. Being hungry and regulating your BG are two separate things

*Sigh yes he will be fine - thanks.

Thank you to all the helpful people on this thread. We'll both be fine with our various needs and allergies!

where are you flying to?
id be very surprised if there is no meal tbh, my flight is from edinburgh to toronto and im getting a meal and a snack its 7.30hrs long

I’ve seen it’s Air Canada - do you know which plane you’re flying? They sometimes narrowbodies (eg A321s) for their ‘shorter’ flights to the east coast - especially Halifax. On a narrowbody they might not have the capacity for a full meal service - or not enough space to store it all or warm it up. This would mean a standard short haul in-flight service will be offered, so you might be able to buy sandwiches etc, or they’ll offer some snacks, but nothing more.

However, it’s just highly likely that it’s because of stupid Covid rules which mean a special meal is more of a risk than a normal meal. I suggest asking on flyertalk to see if anybody has recently flown your exact route and can tell you what it was like.

My experience with travel is to never be dependent on provided food. Don’t even count on something being available for purchase in the airport. With delays and changes you can end up in places where everything is closed and there is literally nothing, not even a vending machine. If he is t1 diabetic he should always have some sort of appropriate food with him before getting on even a short-haul flight. He could end up being one of those unlucky people stuck on the tarmac for hours.

I’ve got esoteric allergies that mean airline meals and snacks are total random luck. Even real food in airports that isn’t greasy fast food can be hard to find. I’ve also ended up stuck in a closed airport for 24 hours so my carryon now always contains a small pantry of snacks.

@Totallyconfusedaboutlife

I'm now wondering if this is the same couple where the OP was fretting about what her DH would eat while she was in hospital having a c-section.

Haha no - OH is in his 70s and I'm late 60s.

We look out for each other, thats all. It's lovely.

the stuff I will take for me will be very carby and that may not be the best for OH

Well if you look out for each other so much and you want to prepare his food, can't you take him some less carby stuff

The nut ban is for all passengers who might have allergies. The AC website says meals are provided, where are you flying to. They also have pre order bistro food.

I haven't read the whole thread bit isn’t it quite unusual not to be offered a meal on a long flight?
I’d say 7 hours is a long flight to warrant being given a meal.Is this because of covid?

Honestly @DorothyZbornakIsAQueen I am in admiration of the time you have taken to quote various parts of my posts!!!