Meals on plane

[Firstshoes]

Does anyone still pre-order meals on the plane when going on holiday? I'm in two minds ......

We usually fly short-haul with easyJet. We always pre-book a food and drink voucher each- £10 worth of food and drink for £8. We usually spend it on gin & tonic and Pringles! Long-haul, we always pre-book as we are vegetarian but it often goes wrong. Can't be arsed making a picnic as well as the stress of packing.

I used to fly intensively for business, and since my time zones were always jumbled I had a standard order of fruit only on my profile.

I once got served a fruit platter with a dried apricot with a bite taken out of it.

That's the last time I ate plane food.

Ever since I take a full on picnic, even when travelling business class, and notice many jealous looks as I unpack my food from people eating out of their miserable little trays...

Depends on time of day, on how far have to travel to and from airport (both before and after flight), and on what sort of accommodation you are staying in.

But yes, I've overwhelmingly found airline food to be good, and I wouldn't consider £70 for 8 meals to be bad value at all.

OP are you flying with Jet2? I’m going to Fuerteventura this weekend with them and I had the email for 20% off pre booked food. I did have a nosey at what was on offer but decided against it. Think I will take a homemade picnic instead.

We must go to different airports, the food available at some of the ones I have been to recently has been fabulous. Some of the Italian ones are great, amazing panini and stuff.

Well we've just come back from Gran Canaria and I scoured all of airside and there was only a couple of places selling baguettes and pastries which I didn't want.

I ended up in fucking Burger King which I hate but I needed a filling lunch before a 5 hour flight.

On the flip side Malaga airport is great, there's a big street food market type section, a Giraffe and probably other places too.

Not on under 5 hour flight if not included.
Just pre ordering selection on long ones or the ones where it's included.

Jet2 have a permanent 20% off prebooked food as well as all the duty free crap.

Plus a claim of 10/15% off flights plus an extra 5/10% if you sign up with them. We've flown with them loads if times and it's always presented as if it's a unique one time don't miss this very special offer but it's all marketing bollocks.

Going out from the UK I've found that if you buy a drink in the airport its not much more for a meal deal, and I always make a point of picking the 'nicest' options like an innocent smoothie, fancy yogurt and triple assorted sandwich pack and also take an empty water bottle to fill up at the fountain which just about every airport has now. But we only ever travel as a couple or alone so I can see that if you're a family it works out better if you take your own food especially if your DC pick a plain sandwich.

Yes it is Jet2. ..I did fall for the 20% off sale I am a salesperson's dream! I really like the sound of bringing a picnic but with all the packing (last minute probably because of work) it will just be another thing to think of. I looked at the meals on offer on the plane and thought they looked quite nice! (Although I am easily pleased). I might go for it as it also includes a drink and snack and we may really appreciate it on the way back if the food options at Gran Canaria airport aren't good. Do you picnic makers do the same on the return flight?

I eat before for long haul flights; aeroplane food is not good and I sleep better, have a beer flight without eating on the plane

@Firstshoes we don't normally bother if we have to pay but our most recent flight (which was also Jet2) we did preorder for the kids and it was a good experience. Our outgoing flight we brought sandwiches from home; kids are a bit fussy about sandwiches being on the 'right' bread and no mayo so it's a risk trying to buy at the airport - plus it's £££ for a sandwich. But coming home the flight was over lunchtime and we didn't know what food they would have in the airport so we decided to order two kids meals. i was very impressed and would do so again. The price isnt bad for what yiu get - kids meals was a hot main, drink, and 3 little snacks (buttons, crackers and a bear yoyo). They loved it! Really broke up the flight too.

You are saying it's £70 for 4 people there and back - so 8 meals? That's less than £9 for a hot meal, snack and drink. Seems worth it to me if you can afford it to save the hassle of bringing your own.

I made the mistake of doing that on my last holiday in January. It was Jet2 and a 4 hour flight at 4pm. They insisted on serving it as soon as we took off. I was expecting it about half way through the flight and wasn't remotely hungry so it was wasted.

I'm open to correction but I think custom and practice many places for medium/long haul flights is wheels up and straight into the first/only meal service.

Amongst other things doing a meals round well into the cruise risks disturbing those that have settled down to grab some sleep.

We have a meal at the airport, usually in a lounge, and take some snacks on board for short haul. Long haul I pre order vegetarian as it is often nicer. DH and the kids get whatever the option is.

A long time ago when they were younger we used to fly Icelandic to the US and we pre-ordered then for the kids as they did young flyer meals. Kids loved it.

I flew with Jet2 this month and sat next to someone who had pre ordered. Can't tell what he was eating but it stank and they way he flip flopped what I think was a bit of bacon around the tray made me heave! It looked disgusting. So from that I'm sure you can tell I don't eat food from the plane.
We tend to make sausage wraps and will bring some fruit and a bar of chocolate/biscuit and then just order a tea. That does us fine for a 4.5 hour journey.

On our latest long haul (this year with BA), we ordered vegetarian meals because we'd noticed they seem nicer than the standard fare - which was a mistake because the option to change pre-assigned seats was no longer available. Apparently, cabin crew need to know where to deliver pre-ordered meals to passengers who've requested them - which, on reflection, does make sense. We won't be doing that again.

Yes we do. We don't fly that often but it breaks up the flight and as a nervous flyer it's a distraction and passes the time. Have found Jet2 meals fine. Always have a few snacks in my bag too. Agree that we are always in the minority in having the meals.

Never. Hate aeroplane food, I read an article once about how old it is and that they add constipation drugs to stop people pooping after eating. I might eat a light meal at the airport depending on the time of day then fast on all flights, water only.

OP, we’ve gotten into the habit of ordering a meal with jet2 these days.

We have the vegetarian breccy or the beef bourginon (sp?).

An advantage of the pre booked meal is you’re served before the rest of the plane.

Well OTOH I sort of lived off the stuff when at work for over thirty years, and IMHO in it’s various forms it was generally fine….

AFAIK it was generally prepped absolutely no more than a day ahead if that, often on the day, at a facility at our base airport…and no, I don’t believe the constipation drug comment for one minute…