Civil aviation appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, but they began to feed on board only 30 years later (although sandwiches were sometimes taken before). Why? There were refrigerators, there was a place, everything was fine, right?
There was no toilet. Toilets in the aircraft began to be put only in the 30s, and then began to delight passengers with food.
In 1936, United Airlines goes further - puts on board the oven. On each of their flights, American airlines laid roast chicken with wild sugar. Everything they love.
In the 40s and 50s, they fed most often as in a restaurant, because very wealthy citizens flew.
Here is an ad for those times:
In the 60s it became even better. Today, not every restaurant can see such a picture as on the Scandinavian airlines, where they served a whole ham. Our airlines also had a fancy table. Especially when flying long distances and on flights that flew abroad. Food for such routes was prepared in the best restaurants of the Soviet Union. And today, a number of restaurants continue to prepare food for aviation catering, but not for economy class.
Now portions began to do small. If you put a lot of food, the passengers, who are already ill due to low blood pressure, will increase the recycling of toilets. This means that you have to build more, and it is very expensive. Therefore, food is given just enough so that you do not take pictures of it with the words: “here you are, gossip is the same, but!”, But also not overload the toilet.
Flight training meal
Food is prepared right at the airports. Take it from somewhere else, go through control - lose quality. Each airport has one workshop for dogovka and preparation. In Sheremetyevo, there are three food shops, two of them are general shops that are prepared for all airlines. And the third shop is a specialized shop of the airline "Aeroflot".
Food is prepared on average 2 hours before departure, so that the food, again, does not shift. 30 minutes before boarding, all the food on special carts in special containers on special cars is already being transported directly to the aircraft.
Moreover, airlines always make as much food as there are people on a flight. It happens that someone buys tickets at the very last moment. Then this person also needs to bring food. Without food in terms of the number of passengers, the plane will not fly away. This rule is. Therefore, if you sit in your seat and think, why the hell do not take off, when all the passengers are in place, then the reason may be additional loading of food. So it goes. Some companies immediately ship more because it is profitable. Some ship a little less, because someone is sleeping, and someone just does not want to eat and does not take a portion.
Among the companies that prepare custom meals, they are number one in the whole world: LSG Sky Chefs - lunches for 300 airlines, 460 million units per year. They everywhere. Only the word in the name changes: LSG Lufthansa Sky Chefs, LSG Aeroflot Sky Chefs, LSG Singapore Airlines Sky Chefs. And so on. In general, they are in every airport. Will fly next time, pay attention to the cars that carry food on board.
How to cook? First, products are delivered in containers to the special workshop, prepared at the airport, and then all this is put into a rack. Someone else calls them kesaletkami. This is a special container made of aluminum, which serves hot meals on board. Then all this is placed in containers for cooling or, conversely, maintaining a hot temperature. Cars will come here after them and take them to the plane. On board, food is only warmed up in special ovens. They put casalettes in rows and bring them to a certain temperature, then take them out and serve them already hot for passengers.
If the routes are up to 2-3 hours, then hot meals are immediately put both there and back (that is, an airplane, for example, flies from Moscow to St. Petersburg and immediately back). If the plane flies for more than 3 hours, then food is prepared in the opposite direction at the second airport, from where the plane will return. All drinks go to both parts of the negotiable flight.
Types of food
Types are very different: low-calorie food, diet, salt-free, diabetic, and the like. Food types are available not only for the coolest airlines - today it is a requirement for all air carriers. The only thing - you need to inform in advance what kind of food you want. Aeroflot asks to do this no less than 36 hours before departure. There is nothing difficult for the airline employees. If you have diabetes, you just need to say this in advance. You will be given food for diabetics, and everything will be fine.
There is also a special menu for vegetarians, which, in turn, is divided into several categories: only vegetable products, menus with eggs and dairy products, Asian vegetarian food, and so on. This does not apply to all airlines, but you can also state this in advance.
There is a myth that kosher food is often with the healthiest portions. You can check, just read first what kind of circus you’ll get, so that no one except you will touch your meal.
In business, most often there is a choice like in a restaurant. Have their own cooking standards. For example, for the business class "Aeroflot" cook cooks from "Pushkin", which is located near the Red Square. Every year they agree on a new menu.
In addition, the business class serves the individual staff - allocated 1-2 steward. Plus there are glassware, metal appliances, sometimes even porcelain. On some flights you will be served something gilded - the same Qatar Airlines or some Asian company.
It is forbidden to take a knife on the plane. In business class, they will give you a dull table knife. Grinding bar in the plane to take is not prohibited.
FAQ
What if I overslept lunch? Will they feed me?Yes, feed. True, you will not have a choice, because two options of dishes were offered at the beginning. For example, fish with pasta or potatoes with meat. Once overslept, get what's left. But if you fall asleep, and someone asks for another lunch - do not worry. Extra portions will be sent to waste upon arrival at the airport.
What do pilots eat aboard?Pilots eat according to the business menu, but this is not the most remarkable. Remember, there are several pilots. Usually two. So, they never have the same power. Why? To not poisoned both at once. This rule works in absolutely all airlines in the world.
How many drinks can I ask for on board?If you do not fly low-cost, drinks are usually unlimited. With the exception of alcoholic. But after the introduction of the ban on drinking alcoholic beverages on board on Russian flights, this is prohibited, although there is still alcohol on international, or rather foreign ones.
Why is there almost everywhere tomato juice?When we fly at an altitude of 9000–10 000 meters, the taste parameters of most products change. At such a height, the perception of the sweet and bitter, and salty, receptors decreases. In fact, all food is desalinated, so many of the products are perceived quite differently. And tomato juice just retains its taste. Tomato juice is on the menu in 9 out of 10 cases.
What is the principle of distributing food?They distribute food depending on the internal schedule of the airline, but usually begin with a nose. If the plane is large, then two carts go towards each other. There are no clear rules, it is already determined independently in each airline.
How to determine how much should be chicken dishes, and how many fish?Usually driven in the ratio of 60 to 40 in favor of the chicken. In addition, airlines keep statistics and know for sure that passengers are more often chosen.
What is fed?
The world serves not only potatoes with meat, as we do. Some airlines are building onboard food in a separate art form. Let's go over some of the plane food dishes that deserve attention.
Delta Air Lines is known for ice cream. In fact, in few places they serve ice cream. Delta will fly to domestic American destinations - remember that this is the most expensive ice cream in your life, most likely (taking into account the cost of transporting it).
Air New Zealand serves beef stew in wine.
Alaska Airlines specializes in beef brisket seasoned with chili. Considered a delicacy.
Hawaiian Airlines is important to show their culture and their traditional cuisine, so they make a specific piece of meat in a specific sauce from fairly expensive products. And it is in economy class. Travel to Hawaii begins with Loko-Moko.
LATAM Chile (formerly LAN Airlines) claims that they have the coolest sandwiches. Although it is just puff pastry with cheese and ham, as we have in a stall in the subway.
Virgin America gives a huge box of tacos in economy.
Who is the most "delicious" with us?
Last year our passengers left 22 thousand reviews. We use them to show what is waiting for you on the plane, before choosing a flight - well, we love to travel and we are sure that it is important for many to know whether to take food with us or not. And how many. Therefore, we separately collect information on nutrition.
The top ten "most delicious" carriers are two foreign companies:
"Uzbekistan Airways" and
"Air Astana" . Tasty and much, and very beautiful design. For flights longer than 6 hours
, Uzbekistan Havo Yullari offers a light breakfast as an addition to the main meals. On-board meals of the carrier
“Air Astana” are loved for the “homemade” taste and for the fact that there is a lot of meat in portions. There is wine and beer. For short flights - quite pleasant light breakfast with overdried buns. And on the third place is the Russian carrier
ALROSA - they have food on short flights, because competitors do not feed there at all. There is a choice of three dishes.
Air Moldova , judging by the details, entered the top because of the wine.
Here are the top 10 reviews of Russian passengers:
| Airline | A country | Rating (food) |
| 1. Uzbekistan Havo Yullari | Uzbekistan | 9.33 |
| 2. Air Astana | Kazakhstan | 8.77 |
| 3. ALROSA | Russia | 8.64 |
| 4. Air Moldova | Moldavia | 8.53 |
| 5. Belavia | Belorussia | 8.39 |
| 6. Aeroflot | Russia | 8.26 |
| 7. S7 Airlines | Russia | 8.14 |
| 8. Fly One | Moldavia | 8.05 |
| 9. Aurora | Russia | 7.99 |
| 10. Red Wings | Russia | 7.94 |
Carriers from outside the CIS are often rated lower because of the unusual dishes, so they do not always have a chance to get to the very top of the rating of Russian passengers.
“Aeroflot” passengers are taken as the standard of comparison. In the reviews of almost all airlines there is a mention of "Aeroflot" in one form or another. And Aeroflot itself is likewise compared to itself on international flights - it's much tastier there than on domestic ones.