The plane truth

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Posted at 12:02PM, 28 January 2009 by Andrea McGinniss - Editor, bbcgoodfood.com

You're either living under a rock, or have the misfortune to be flying (and eating) long-haul if you haven't cast your eyes over this infamous complaint letter doing the rounds today.

It was written by a passenger particularly unimpressed (to put it politely) with the menu on a recent Virgin flight. Hilarious as it is, it's sure to also strike a chord with many who find plane food, well, plain disgusting.

The popular Airline Meals review website has a dedicated band of plane food followers who snap their supper before attempting to eat it. I've thought about contributing, particularly after receiving some especially gruesome gruel on my recent flight back from Australia (beef jerky roll for breakfast anyone?) but felt a little self-conscious snapping it for evidence. And being bored and a bit of a glutton, of course I ate it all anyway.

But, it seems, it pays to complain. According to The Telegraph, the legend who compared opening the lid of the meal as being like 'being given a dead hamster for Christmas' has now been offered a job as the airline's future food and wine tester. Whether he is willing to put himself through the pain again is uncertain. Heston, fancy a new challenge?

Let me know what you think of plane food. Do you dread or delight in the tinkling of the food trolley as it approaches you down the aisle?

Comments

Emily

28 January 2009, 2:15PM
Emily

I normally fly with the budget airlines, who don't provide any food at all (except packets of crisps for about 3 pounds). I was quite excited to be flying with a proper airline recently, but all we were served was a choice of two vile sandwiches which stank out the plane. I think picking something up in the Pret/M&S/sushi place at the airport is a much safer bet - or a Gordon Ramsay meal at terminal 6!

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AdrianB

28 January 2009, 2:55PM
AdrianB

Firstly - I did read this and I thought it was pretty good. I'm not sure if Branson really did respond personally - that's just PR I think. Secondly, has anyone noticed BA's habit of cutting back by switching to sandwiches and nasty little muffins instead of hot breakfasts on long haul? Well - at least the G&T is still free. I am firmly of the belief that the opportunity play with all the little packets and juggle things around on the tray is good fun - well, it's a distraction isn't it? Here's my top tip: warm your bread roll up on top of the hot meal while you are eating your (ah-hem) "salad"... and look out for unsalted butter (they seem to serve it a lot). Finally, the now thankfully banished BA fish pie was nothing more than breadcrumbs and slop - they seem to have moved on, but not much.

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Nicola

28 January 2009, 4:58PM
Nicola

The worst meal I have ever had was a bacon roll on an XL flight from Egypt, I'd have rather eaten the sole of my shoe, it would have been softer. As for the sachets of gin on Ryanair, dont get me started...... I do look forward to the meals served by Singapore Airlines, lovely noodles and curry. I agree with Adrian about warming up the bread roll - although I always save the butter to have with the cheese and biscuits!

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sheppy

28 January 2009, 11:54PM
sheppy

I reckon Branson did contact him directly. It's not something that could easily be lied about as the complainer would dispute it straight away. Also it's a typical Branson thing that I've heard he does quite often... On the subject of plane food, I do sometimes quite like it. On a recent trip to Las Vegas, we'd said no food for the flight because we weren't really expecting particularly great food and it saved Â£20... We got it anyway, I guess cos they don't really have a record of which people cancelled it. Free food tastes better, FACT!

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Frantic Flapjack

29 January 2009, 12:10PM
Frantic Flapjack

I've just read the letter. It was soooo funny, I nearly fell off my seat laughing. I don't know about food tester but I do think that guy should consider being a stand up comic. That was the funniest I've read in a long time.

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Suzanne

29 January 2009, 2:36PM
Suzanne

One time on an Aer Lingus flight, the only food they had on offer was sandwiches. The choices were "cheese or ham and cheese". They might as well have added "and if you don't like cheese, you can feck off."

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Georgiegirl

29 January 2009, 3:13PM
Georgiegirl

I think he/she deserves a reply, the letter is absolutely hilarious, and faced with photographic evidence to go along with the letter writing skills and xxxx at the end, this quite possibly the best complaint letter I have ever read (and I have read many). The best meal I have had on a long haul flight was with Singapore Airlines, the food actually left me wanting more after, it was super. Granted, I didn't know what I was eating but none the less it tasted very, very good.

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lianne

2 February 2009, 5:11PM
lianne

That made me laugh so hard

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heidimo

3 February 2009, 12:36PM
heidimo

My favourite food was Heathrow to Bangkok, with Thai Air - lovely chicken green curry and fragrent rice - it was almost 10 years ago but sticks in the memory.......

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DianaD

3 February 2009, 5:55PM
DianaD

A couple of years ago, I travelled with my sister on a transatlantic BA flight and she ordered a gluten-free special meal in advance. She was served a good half hour before me, so whilst I sat beside her, stomach rumbling through hunger, she ate her way through a delicious meal containing fresh salad, vegetables and fruit. Once it did arrive, my own "normal" meal was made up of heavy, cheap stodge with bread, pasta and biscuits. Since then, I always pre-order gluten-free meals and what a difference it makes - I'm served earlier than my fellow passengers and there's no bloating feel in my stomach. The one downside is that the gluten-free breakfasts are awful, the bread rolls are replaced by ricecakes which resemble circles of polystyrene balls pressed together. But you can't win them all!

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dandifiedviolence

3 February 2009, 8:44PM
dandifiedviolence

Plane food is disgusting.. the suffocating smell that wafts through the curtain is bad enough. Eurgh. That being said, Singapore Airlines does quite decent stuff.

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tracy

11 February 2009, 9:21PM
tracy

i'm not a frequent flyer but any food I've had with any airline has been perfectly edible-enjoyable even.(my only complaint has been with the coffee-almost the worst i've ever tasted on every occasion)

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Billy

16 April 2009, 2:17AM
Billy

I once got a free upgrade with an American airline. I was actually given a menu, I chose the tolouse sausages with mash, absolutely delicious and I washed it down with the complimentary champagne whilst my seat gave me a gentle massage. I didn't need the complimetary socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, ear plugs or eye patches but it was comforting to know they were there in the complimentary drawstring bag. Every other meal I've had whilst flying has been inedible but I do look forward to mealtimes, as apart from relieving the boredom, they can be extremely amusing. Tracy what on earth do you usually eat?

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