Making your Inflight Meals Special
So, is there anything else to know about special meals? There are a number of different types of special meals, but just because they are different than the usual airline fare does not mean that they will necessarily be better tasting. As many will attest, airline food does not equal an absolutely delicious meal. The ingredients may be different, but special meals are still inflight meals.
Another important fact when mulling over whether to request a special meal or not is that airlines do not ask for you to present documentation proving that you require a special meal.
Airlines try to avoid that kind of paper work, and it is not practical nor tactful to ask a passenger exactly why they require a low calorie meal, or a kosher meal, etc.. Thus, if you simply want a change and have never tried a special meal service, you could experiment with the different meal services. Vegetarian meals, for example, tend to be popular with non-vegetarians.
It is essential to note that if you are traveling with children or infants, meal service for them is usually considered under the banner of special meals. Therefore, you need to request a children's meal or a baby meal, airlines don't simply equip flights with those meal services automatically.
As a final note, the importance of requesting special meals in advance must be reiterated. If you have strict dietary requirements, it is vital to make that clear to the airline, and even if you book online or through a travel agent, it never hurts to follow up with a call to the airline to make sure that they have received your request.
In the case of a stricter dietary regimen it can be helpful to bring your own snacks/meals as backup. Although airlines strive to provide consistent special meal service, the airlines are fallible. Files get lost, meals get burned, or may be accidentally given to someone else. Prepare for the worst case scenario, but know that the large majority of special meals do reach their rightful request-er. And know that regardless of how it tastes, your meal is special.
Another important fact when mulling over whether to request a special meal or not is that airlines do not ask for you to present documentation proving that you require a special meal.
Airlines try to avoid that kind of paper work, and it is not practical nor tactful to ask a passenger exactly why they require a low calorie meal, or a kosher meal, etc.. Thus, if you simply want a change and have never tried a special meal service, you could experiment with the different meal services. Vegetarian meals, for example, tend to be popular with non-vegetarians.
It is essential to note that if you are traveling with children or infants, meal service for them is usually considered under the banner of special meals. Therefore, you need to request a children's meal or a baby meal, airlines don't simply equip flights with those meal services automatically.
As a final note, the importance of requesting special meals in advance must be reiterated. If you have strict dietary requirements, it is vital to make that clear to the airline, and even if you book online or through a travel agent, it never hurts to follow up with a call to the airline to make sure that they have received your request.
In the case of a stricter dietary regimen it can be helpful to bring your own snacks/meals as backup. Although airlines strive to provide consistent special meal service, the airlines are fallible. Files get lost, meals get burned, or may be accidentally given to someone else. Prepare for the worst case scenario, but know that the large majority of special meals do reach their rightful request-er. And know that regardless of how it tastes, your meal is special.
