Airline meal - wikipedia Airline meal This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( October 2016 ) A Do & Co à la carte meal as served aboard Austrian Airlines flights An airline meal, airline food, plane food or in - flight meal is a meal served to passengers on board a commercial airliner. These meals are prepared by specialist airline catering services and normally served to passengers using an airline service trolley. These meals vary widely in quality and quantity across different airline companies and classes of travel. They range from a simple snack or beverage in short - haul economy class to a seven - course gourmet meal in a first class long - haul flight. When ticket prices were regulated in the American domestic market, food was the primary means airlines differentiated themselves. Contents 1 History 2 Contents 2.1 Halal food 2.2 Kosher food 2.3 Cutlery and tableware 2.4 Breakfast 3 Cost 4 Preparation 5 See also 6 References 7 External links History The first airline meals were served by Handley Page Transport, an airline company founded in 1919, to serve the London -- Paris route in October of that year. Passengers could choose from a selection of sandwiches and fruit. Contents Turkish Airlines Business class meal on an Istanbul to Cairo flight A United Airlines international economy meal. The type of food varies depending upon the airline company and class of travel. Meals may be served on one tray or in multiple courses with no tray and with a tablecloth, metal cutlery, and glassware ( generally in first and business classes ). Often the food is reflective of the culture of the country the airline is based in. The airline dinner typically includes meat ( most commonly chicken or beef ), fish, or pasta ; a salad or vegetable ; a small bread roll ; and a dessert. Condiments ( typically salt, pepper, and sugar ) are supplied in small sachets or shakers. Caterers usually produce alternative meals for passengers with restrictive diets. These must usually be ordered in advance, sometimes when buying the ticket. Some of the more common examples include : Cultural diets, such as Turkish, French, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese or Indian style. Infant and baby meals. Some airlines also offer children 's meals, containing foods that children will enjoy such as baked beans, mini-hamburgers and hot dogs. Medical diets, including low / high fiber, low fat / cholesterol, diabetic, peanut free, non-lactose, low salt / sodium, low - purine, low - calorie, low - protein, bland ( non-spicy ) and gluten - free meals. Religious diets, including kosher, halal, and Hindu, Buddhist and Jain vegetarian ( sometimes termed Asian vegetarian ) meals. Vegetarian and vegan meals. Some airlines do not offer a specific meal for non-vegan vegetarians ; instead, they are given a vegan meal. Halal food For several Islamic airlines ( e.g. EgyptAir, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Batik Air, Malindo Air, Gulf Air, Iran Air, Mahan Air, Iran Aseman Airlines, Oman Air, Yemenia, Kuwait Airways, Iraqi Airways, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Libyan Airlines, Afriqiyah Airways, Tunisair, Air Algérie and Turkish Airlines ), in accordance with Islamic customs, all classes and dishes on the plane are served a Muslim meal with Halal certification -- without pork and alcohol. While Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar are still providing bottles of wine to non-Muslim passengers, the cabin crew does not deliver alcoholic beverages lest to violate Islamic customs, unless those non-Muslim passengers request it. Because Iran and Saudi Arabia apply strict Sharia regulations, those countries ' airlines do not deliver pork or alcoholic beverages, and all airlines flying to or from Iran or Saudi Arabia are prohibited from serving either. However, Garuda Indonesia is still serving alcoholic beverages ( whiskey, beer, champagne and wine ) to non-Muslim passengers. Kosher food Inflight kosher meal approved by the Beth din of Johannesburg In the case the Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia and Israir, all meals served are kosher - certified by Rabbis. Even destinations outside Israel, sky chefs must be supervised by rabbis to make kosher meals and load their planes. Cutlery and tableware Before the September 11 attacks in 2001, first class passengers were often provided with full sets of metal cutlery. Afterward, common household items were evaluated more closely for their potential use as weapons on aircraft, and both first class and coach class passengers were restricted to plastic utensils. Some airlines switched from metal to all - plastic or plastic - handled cutlery during the SARS outbreak in 2003, since the SARS virus transfers from person to person easily, and plastic cutlery can be thrown away after use. Many airlines later switched back to metal cutlery. However, Singapore Airlines continue to use metal utensils even in economy class as of 2017. In May 2010, concerns were raised in Australia and New Zealand over their respective flag carriers, Qantas and Air New Zealand, reusing their plastic cutlery for international flights between 10 and 30 times before replacement. Both airlines cited cost saving, international quarantine, and environmental as the reasons for the choice. Both have also said that the plastic cutlery is commercially washed and sterilized before reuse. Reusing plastic tablewares though is a regular practice among many airliners and food caterers. For cleanliness, most meals come with a napkin and a moist towelette. First and business class passengers are often provided with hot towels. Breakfast Breakfast served on a short - haul Aeroflot flight During morning flights a cooked breakfast or smaller continental - style may be served. On long haul flights ( and short / medium haul flights within Asia ) breakfast normally includes an entrée of pancakes or eggs, traditional fried breakfast foods such as sausages and grilled tomatoes, and often muffins or pastries, fruits and breakfast cereal on the side. On shorter flights a continental - style breakfast, generally including a miniature box of breakfast cereal, fruits and either a muffin, pastry, or bagel. Coffee and tea are offered as well, and sometimes hot chocolate. Cost In - flight meal on India 's SpiceJet, a low cost airline Food on board a flight is usually free on full - service Asian airlines and on almost all long - distance flights, while they might cost extra on low - cost airlines or European full - service airline flights. Quality may also fluctuate due to shifts in the economics of the airline industry. On long - haul international flights in first class and business class, most Asian and European airlines serve gourmet meals, while legacy carriers based in the US tend to serve multicourse meals including a cocktail snack, appetizer, soup, salad, entrée ( chicken, beef, fish, or pasta ), cheeses with fruit, and ice cream. Some long - haul flights in first and business class offer such delicacies as caviar, champagne, and sorbet ( intermezzo ). The cost and availability of meals on US airlines has changed considerably in recent years, as financial pressures have forced some airlines to either begin charging for meals, or abandon them altogether in favor of small snacks, as in the case of Southwest Airlines. Eliminating free pretzels saved Northwest $2 million annually. Nowadays, the main US legacy carriers ( American, Delta and United ) have discontinued full meal service in economy class on short - haul US domestic and North American flights, while retaining it on most intercontinental routes ; and at least one European carrier, Icelandair, follows this policy on intercontinental runs as well. As of 2016, all 4 major U.S. legacy airlines now offer free snacks on board in economy class. United Airlines re-introduced free snacks in February 2016. Starting in April 2016, American Airlines will fully restore free snacks on all domestic flights in economy class. Free meals will also be available on certain domestic routes. Delta and Southwest have already been offering free snacks for years. Hawaiian Airlines is the only remaining major US airline that offers complimentary in -- flight meals on its domestic flights. Air China has reported that each domestic flight 's meal requires RMB 50 ( US $7.30 ) while international flights require RMB70 ( US $10 ). However, this figure varies from airline to airline, as some have reported costs to be as low as US $3.50. Air China is also minimizing costs by loading only 95 % of all meals to reduce leftovers and storing non-perishable foods for emergencies. In 1958 Pan Am and several European airlines entered into a legal dispute over whether certain airline food sandwiches counted as a `` meal ''. Preparation Food being delivered to a Boeing 767 Meals must generally be prepared on the ground before takeoff. Guillaume de Syon, a history professor at Albright College who wrote about the history of airline meals, said that the higher altitudes alter the taste of the food and the function of the taste buds ( although that 's not case on Dreamliner or A350 ) ; according to de Syon the food may taste `` dry and flavorless '' as a result of the pressurization and passengers, feeling thirsty due to pressurization, many drink alcohol when they ought to drink water. Tests have shown that the perception of saltiness and sweetness drops 30 % at high altitudes. The low humidity in airline cabins also dries out the nose which decreases olfactory sensors which are essential for tasting flavor in dishes. Food safety is paramount in the airline catering industry. A case of mass food poisoning amongst the passengers on an airliner could have disastrous consequences. For example, on February 20, 1992, shrimp tainted with cholera was served on Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 386. An elderly passenger died and other passengers fell ill. For this reason catering firms and airlines have worked together to provide a set of industry guidelines specific to the needs of airline catering. The World Food Safety Guidelines for Airline Catering is offered free of charge by the International Flight Service Association. See also Aviation portal Food portal Bento and Ekiben Cara Operations Chelsea Food Services Dnata Do & Co Gate Gourmet Kosher airline meal LSG Sky Chefs Servair Singapore Airport Terminal Services ( SATS ) TV dinner Space food References Jump up ^ Ronalds - Hannon, Elizabeth. `` Free peanuts on airplanes started out as a marketing ploy ''. Quartz. The Atlantic Media Company. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved August 6, 2013. Jump up ^ `` British Civil Aviation in 1919 -- Part 1 ''. Interactive aviation timeline. London NW9 5LL, United Kingdom : Royal Air Force Museum. Archived from the original on October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013. 11 October : The first airline meals are served by Handley Page Transport, when passengers are offered a pre-packed lunch - box, costing 3 shillings, on their London to Paris service. Jump up ^ Haigh, Gideon ( 2004 ). The Tencyclopedia. Text Publishing. ISBN 978 - 1 - 920885 - 35 - 9. Retrieved February 7, 2013. Jump up ^ Vass, Beck ( May 19, 2010 ). `` Airlines use plastic cutlery up to 10 times ''. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved May 8, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Airlines reusing plastic cutlery ''. Television New Zealand. May 19, 2010. Archived from the original on July 1, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2011. Jump up ^ Marcus, Caroline ( May 17, 2010 ). `` Airline ' reuses plastic cutlery 30 times ' ''. The Sunday Telelgraph. Archived from the original on May 20, 2010. Retrieved May 8, 2011. Jump up ^ `` American Airlines Inflight Dining, Recipes, Menus And More On ''. Aa.com. October 25, 2012. Archived from the original on January 22, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Airline Meals & Delta Dining Delta Air Lines ''. Delta.com. November 10, 2013. Archived from the original on April 26, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013. Jump up ^ `` United Airlines -- Inflight dining ''. United.com. September 22, 2013. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Icelandair information : flights to Iceland, destinations, schedules & more -- Icelandair ''. Icelandair.us. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2013. Jump up ^ `` News Releases ''. Retrieved October 11, 2016. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Jump up ^ `` Free checked baggage ? No, but have some pretzels ''. Retrieved October 11, 2016. Jump up ^ Ha, Thu - Huong. `` American and United Airlines are bringing back free snacks for everyone ''. Retrieved October 11, 2016. Jump up ^ Li, Jiaxiang ( 2008 ). My Way The Eight Strategies of Air China Towards Success. China : Cengage Learning. p. 241. ISBN 978 - 981 - 4239 - 58 - 5. Jump up ^ `` The Death of the Airline Meal '' MSN Money. Accessed May 2011. Archived March 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Airline Says Rivals Violate Rule By Epic, Epicurean Sandwiches ; Smorgasbord on Bread Hardly a Tidbit, Pan American Protests, Citing Pact Against Meals on Cut - Rate Flights. '' The New York Times. Saturday April 12, 1958. Business Financial, Page 38. Retrieved on January 12, 2010. Jump up ^ de Syon, Guillaume ( 2009 ). `` Is it Really Better to Travel than to Arrive ? Airline Food as a Reflection of Consumer Anxiety ''. In Rubin, Lawrence C. Food for Thought : Essays on Eating and Culture. McFarland. pp. 199 -- 209. Jump up ^ `` Airlines enlist gourmet chefs to draw first - class fliers ''. Associated Press / CNN. April 29, 2008. Archived from the original on September 15, 2008. Jump up ^ `` The Real Reason Airline Food Tastes so Bad ''. travelmail reporter. April 14, 2014. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Jump up ^ World Food Safety Guidelines for Airline Catering ( PDF ), International Flight Service Association, 2010, archived from the original ( PDF ) on December 28, 2013, retrieved December 27, 2013 External links Media related to Airline meals at Wikimedia Commons Airline menus from 1929 to the present at Northwestern University Independent and airline firm - owned catering companies Current LSG Sky Chefs SATS Ltd Gate Gourmet Servair Dnata Do & Co Chelsea Food Services Cathay Pacific Catering Services Commercial air travel Airlines Airline codes Airline holding companies Charter airlines Low - cost airlines Passenger airlines Regional airlines Alliances Oneworld SkyTeam Star Alliance Value Alliance Vanilla Alliance U-FLY Alliance Trade groups International ( ACO ATAG IATA IATAN ISTAT ) United States ( A4A RAA ) Europe ( AEA EBAA ELFAA ERA ) Other regions ( AACO AAPA AFRAA RAAA ) Aircrew Captain First Officer Second Officer Third Officer Flight attendant Flight engineer Loadmaster Pilot Purser Deadheading Airliner Travel class First class ( aviation ) First class travel Business Premium economy Economy Aircraft cabin Aircraft lavatory Aircraft seat map Airline meal Airline seat Buy on board Crew rest compartment In - flight entertainment Inflight smoking Galley Sickness bag Airport Aerodrome Airline hub Airport check - in Airport lounge Airport rail link Airport terminal Airstair Boarding Domestic airport Gate International airport Jet bridge Low cost carrier terminal Runway Transit hotel Customs / Immigration Arrival card ( Landing card ) Border control Departure card Passport Timatic Travel document Visa Environmental impact Hypermobility Impact on environment Law Air transport agreement Bermuda Agreement ( UK - US, 1946 - 78 ) Bermuda II Agreement ( UK - US, 1978 - 2008 ) China - US Cross-Strait charter ( China - Taiwan ) Beijing Convention Cape Town Treaty Chicago Convention Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives European Common Aviation Area Flight permit Freedoms of the air Hague Hijacking Convention Hague Protocol ICAO Montreal Convention Open skies ( EU -- US Open Skies Agreement ) Paris Convention of 1919 Rome Convention Sabotage Convention Tokyo Convention Warsaw Convention Luggage Bag tag Baggage allowance Baggage carousel Baggage cart Baggage reclaim Baggage handler Baggage handling system Checked baggage Hand luggage Lost luggage Luggage lock Safety Air Navigation and Transport Act Air rage Air traffic control ( ATC ) Aircraft safety card Airport authority Airport crash tender Airport police Airport security Brace position Evacuation slide Flight recorder National aviation authority Overwing exits Pre-flight safety demonstration Sky marshal Unruly aircraft passenger Ticketing Airline booking ploys Airline reservations system Airline ticket Airline timetable Bereavement flight Boarding pass Codeshare agreement Continent pass Electronic ticket Fare basis code Flight cancellation and delay Frequent - flyer program Government contract flight One - way travel Open - jaw ticket Passenger name record Red - eye flight Round - the - world ticket Standby Tracking Travel agency Travel website Groundcrew Aircraft maintenance technician Aircraft ground handler Baggage handler Flight dispatcher Miscellaneous Mile high club Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Airline_meal&oldid=824827024 '' Categories : Airline catering In - flight passenger facilities Serving and dining Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from October 2016 Webarchive template wayback links Use mdy dates from May 2014 Articles needing additional references from October 2016 All articles needing additional references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2016 Articles with unsourced statements from September 2015 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Bahasa Indonesia עברית Lietuvių Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe 中文 11 more Edit links This page was last edited on 9 February 2018, at 18 : 55. 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Question: when was the first airline meal served during a flight
Answer: 1919