Airline Meals

Airline meals are part of the in-flight service on an aircraft. Airline catering companies prepare them, and flight crews serve them at cruising altitude. The cost, quality, and quantity of food; frequency of meal service; and structure and content of the meal vary depending on the type of carriers (budget, private, commercial), duration of flight time, port of departure and arrival, and classes of travel. Airline meals illuminate food issues surrounding catering operations, food safety, class, health and nutrition, cultural identity, and food choice. This entry focuses on the history, role and production, and types of complimentary in-flight meal service on commercial airlines.