Why do my requests for a vegetarian meal on flights not work?
July 24, 2013 6:13 AM Subscribe
I take flights long enough to include meals six or eight times a year, and most of the time my request for a vegetarian meal doesn't come through. Anyone else experience this? Or have any tips for avoiding it?
I always check the box for a vegetarian meal when I book the ticket, and (for United, which is what I most often fly and where this most often happens) my frequent flyer profile indicates that I need a vegetarian meal. But somehow on probably 80% of my flights the crew has no record of my request and they then have to scramble to find me one, if I'm lucky.
Is this common? Anyone have any ideas for what I might be doing wrong or how I can avoid it? Ultimately, I know that I can probably start taking the extra step of calling the airline a couple of weeks before flying and checking in with them, but I shouldn't have to and would really like to avoid the hassle.
I always check the box for a vegetarian meal when I book the ticket, and (for United, which is what I most often fly and where this most often happens) my frequent flyer profile indicates that I need a vegetarian meal. But somehow on probably 80% of my flights the crew has no record of my request and they then have to scramble to find me one, if I'm lucky.
Is this common? Anyone have any ideas for what I might be doing wrong or how I can avoid it? Ultimately, I know that I can probably start taking the extra step of calling the airline a couple of weeks before flying and checking in with them, but I shouldn't have to and would really like to avoid the hassle.
Are you mentioning you need the veggie meal at the start of the flight, or during meal service? At the start of the flight is better.
posted by smackfu at 6:24 AM on July 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by smackfu at 6:24 AM on July 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
I agree with cristina"" , given the state of the airline industry, and the massive problems they have, getting your meal right is pretty low on their list. I pretty much expect them to get my seat wrong, be late, be rude, have problems with the plane, overbook, and lose my luggage..
bag lunch!
posted by HuronBob at 6:25 AM on July 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
bag lunch!
posted by HuronBob at 6:25 AM on July 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
I've had more luck getting them when requesting an Asian vegetarian meal, when that's available, but I also had the worst airplane meal of my entire life on United, so... ("What...what is this?" "Vegetarian!" "Yes, but what is it made of?" "No idea.") I always pack clif bars and trail mix. I agree with the above comment that you could double-check it with the stewardesses before they start serving meals, especially if you are seated towards the back of the section.
posted by jetlagaddict at 6:27 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by jetlagaddict at 6:27 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hmm. This may be happening to you because United only technically offers special meals in select flights:
If that describes where/how you're flying, then it sounds like bad customer service. If it doesn't, that means they don't usually grant these kinds of requests and are scrambling to accommodate you anyway.
posted by Kimberly at 6:27 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Special meals are available in premium cabins on domestic flights with scheduled meal service between:
New York (JFK) and San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX)
Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) or Los Angeles (LAX)
The continental U.S. and Hawaii
If that describes where/how you're flying, then it sounds like bad customer service. If it doesn't, that means they don't usually grant these kinds of requests and are scrambling to accommodate you anyway.
posted by Kimberly at 6:27 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
I wonder how often they give "your" vegetarian meal to someone who didn't pre-request it. So I'd second smackfu's question/suggestion that you ask at the start, so if there's only one vegetarian meal, someone knows, "Oh, that one person asked about it, so I better not give it to some other schmuck."
posted by Etrigan at 6:28 AM on July 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 6:28 AM on July 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for the tips thus far. I'm dealing almost exclusively with international flights, which makes packing my own tougher--sometimes there are going to be multiple meals, lot of hours, etc.
And I have at various points tried to ask about it at check-in and with the crew at the start of the flight, but neither seems to help: by that point they apparently have already made all their meal allocations and it's only luck that might get me an extra.
Flight to Japan coming up soon . . . guess I'll start stockpiling Clif bars.
posted by Levi Stahl at 6:35 AM on July 24, 2013
And I have at various points tried to ask about it at check-in and with the crew at the start of the flight, but neither seems to help: by that point they apparently have already made all their meal allocations and it's only luck that might get me an extra.
Flight to Japan coming up soon . . . guess I'll start stockpiling Clif bars.
posted by Levi Stahl at 6:35 AM on July 24, 2013
I can tell you this is not a problem I have had on any of various airlines. However, I've never been on a United flight with food. (I have been on Delta flights where one of the meal options was vegetarian and there was no separate vegetarian meal. It's unlikely the vegetarian choice would run out, but I hope they're holding one back for me, though I suspect they're not.)
Two thoughts. 1) Have you called United and asked them if their website is broken? Whenever I last flew United (like a year and a half ago), some things on the website wouldn't work if you were on what had been a Continental flight. Hopefully they have it sorted by now, but you never know.
2) Are you usually on code-shares or actual United flights? I don't think United claim to pass this information on to the other airline. If you're on Aer Lingus or something with a United ticket, you'd have to phone them.
Traditionally the advice has been to confirm at check-in. (If you check-in with an actual person, the person will often tell you they have a special meal registered.) I might try phoning the day before the flight as well. I think many of the people telling you to ask at the start of the flight are misunderstanding how special meals work. The special meals are mapped to specific seats. Asking someone when you get on the plane is not a bad idea, but I think it will only isolate where the problem is--on the plane or in the request itself. I'm not sure if the fact they're succeeding in finding a meal means they are forgetting about yours or if it means the request is lost, but they have a few extra.
I've switched to the Asian vegetarian meal, too, but because I tend to like it better.
posted by hoyland at 6:37 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Two thoughts. 1) Have you called United and asked them if their website is broken? Whenever I last flew United (like a year and a half ago), some things on the website wouldn't work if you were on what had been a Continental flight. Hopefully they have it sorted by now, but you never know.
2) Are you usually on code-shares or actual United flights? I don't think United claim to pass this information on to the other airline. If you're on Aer Lingus or something with a United ticket, you'd have to phone them.
Traditionally the advice has been to confirm at check-in. (If you check-in with an actual person, the person will often tell you they have a special meal registered.) I might try phoning the day before the flight as well. I think many of the people telling you to ask at the start of the flight are misunderstanding how special meals work. The special meals are mapped to specific seats. Asking someone when you get on the plane is not a bad idea, but I think it will only isolate where the problem is--on the plane or in the request itself. I'm not sure if the fact they're succeeding in finding a meal means they are forgetting about yours or if it means the request is lost, but they have a few extra.
I've switched to the Asian vegetarian meal, too, but because I tend to like it better.
posted by hoyland at 6:37 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've had this happen with several companies as well. Two things work:
- bring your own food/snacks, which, yes, stinks, but saved me on a trip from France to Australia (I mean seriously, ugh, I have a gluten intolerance, I am not going to make myself sick on a long-haul flight just before three weeks of vacation with a friend, argh)
- politely complain directly to cabin crew, and insist. Politely, and understandingly, since it's not their fault, of course. If they give you something different that does not work, politely explain why, too. On that flight to Australia, I was given... a sandwich, made with wheat flour... as the first snack, and I nearly cried because I wondered if I would have enough to eat for the rest of the flight. Because to top things off, I'm also hypoglycemic. Thankfully other meals contained potatoes and fruit, but it was pushing it (there was also pasta!!).
Calmly complaining and explaining really worked, because the cabin crew escalated it to the company, and on my return flights, I had awesome, actual gluten-free meals, and the lady who handed them to me, told me that she apologized on behalf of the company for my first flight! Impressive.
On your update — maybe try calling the company now to check, and even if they say it's fine, also ask if there's anything they need to know for your dietary request. Sometimes the answer tells you they didn't quite understand, and then you can clear things up.
posted by fraula at 6:38 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
- bring your own food/snacks, which, yes, stinks, but saved me on a trip from France to Australia (I mean seriously, ugh, I have a gluten intolerance, I am not going to make myself sick on a long-haul flight just before three weeks of vacation with a friend, argh)
- politely complain directly to cabin crew, and insist. Politely, and understandingly, since it's not their fault, of course. If they give you something different that does not work, politely explain why, too. On that flight to Australia, I was given... a sandwich, made with wheat flour... as the first snack, and I nearly cried because I wondered if I would have enough to eat for the rest of the flight. Because to top things off, I'm also hypoglycemic. Thankfully other meals contained potatoes and fruit, but it was pushing it (there was also pasta!!).
Calmly complaining and explaining really worked, because the cabin crew escalated it to the company, and on my return flights, I had awesome, actual gluten-free meals, and the lady who handed them to me, told me that she apologized on behalf of the company for my first flight! Impressive.
On your update — maybe try calling the company now to check, and even if they say it's fine, also ask if there's anything they need to know for your dietary request. Sometimes the answer tells you they didn't quite understand, and then you can clear things up.
posted by fraula at 6:38 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
The odds are that you are booking your ticket via one of the GDS agencies who act as middlemen between the airlines and travel agents. These agencies are very good at diverting profits in their own direction - but their interest tends to end at the point where they have secured you a seat on a flight and dealt with your payment. They are often, therefore, not great at allowing airlines gather additional information (or letting them sell you add-on services such as preferred seating).
If your information about your meal options is getting lost then you could try booking with the airline directly. If you do book using the GDS then contacting the airline via their website - and including your airline booking code - should let you check that everything is OK. If the check in document that you print off does not include a reference to your meal option then this is a cue to check with them.
posted by rongorongo at 6:40 AM on July 24, 2013
If your information about your meal options is getting lost then you could try booking with the airline directly. If you do book using the GDS then contacting the airline via their website - and including your airline booking code - should let you check that everything is OK. If the check in document that you print off does not include a reference to your meal option then this is a cue to check with them.
posted by rongorongo at 6:40 AM on July 24, 2013
Do you ring to confirm your flight before you go? I know it's considered old fashioned to do this, but if you ring a usually 2 days before departure to confirm your flight times etc you also get a chance to confirm you have any special requirements met. That is when your should be checking your vegetarian meal option is all organised. My mum fibs and says she needs it for religious reasons, I don't know if that helps her or not but she works on the theory that they take religion more seriously.
posted by wwax at 6:54 AM on July 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by wwax at 6:54 AM on July 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
Seconding wwax and MoonOrb - call to confirm 2 days before departure and you will either get your meal or at least have advance warning if there isn't one.
Also, switch to Asian Vegetarian - this is generally intended for and used by people avoiding meat for religious reasons (Jains, Hindus being careful about beef products, etc). Requests that are perceived as religious are almost always taken more seriously than requests from "mere" vegetarians, and this gives you a way to get your request noticed without having to lie.
Requesting a vegan mean (VGML) where it's available will do the same thing for you, since vegans are more likely to complain if their request is ignored or forgotten.
posted by Wylla at 7:06 AM on July 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
Also, switch to Asian Vegetarian - this is generally intended for and used by people avoiding meat for religious reasons (Jains, Hindus being careful about beef products, etc). Requests that are perceived as religious are almost always taken more seriously than requests from "mere" vegetarians, and this gives you a way to get your request noticed without having to lie.
Requesting a vegan mean (VGML) where it's available will do the same thing for you, since vegans are more likely to complain if their request is ignored or forgotten.
posted by Wylla at 7:06 AM on July 24, 2013 [6 favorites]
I've seen Air New Zealand deliver on a vegetarian meal... a perplexed/embarrassed stewardess found catering had packed an orange, apple & banana for the passenger.
posted by tinker at 7:08 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by tinker at 7:08 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
United and American have told me they didn't offer special meals, on certain flights I have taken. I always call to confirm two weeks before, and usually again a few days before if the first person I talked to didn't seem extremely competent. It sucks, and it's a hassle, but ensuring that special meals are available for you/me/us is sort of a hassle for the airline too, so maybe it's fair to share the bother equally. And yeah, always always always back-up snacks just in case. If your flight is cancelled and you're rebooked, or you miss a connection and have to get rebooked, or anything nonstandard happens the special meal request isn't going to carry over.
posted by booknerd at 7:11 AM on July 24, 2013
posted by booknerd at 7:11 AM on July 24, 2013
I've had this happen to me too a small handful of times (and I travel internationally fairly frequently). One of the times was b/c the booking intermediary didn't pass on the request (travelocity or expedia, if memory serves). Another was b/c my flight changed due to something on their side, but the meal request didn't get transferred over. And the other one or two times it happened, I have no idea what went wrong. :/
In any case, it causes great disappointment and frustration, esp on a long-haul flight when you are already tired/stressed (not to mention that some flight attendants can be inordinantly rude, and imply that you are lying about having made the request, e.g., "Well, your request isn't on my list!"). I know I've fought back tears a couple of times. The last time I called the airline afterward to complain. They investigated and discovered that the error was on their side and they gave me a travel voucher (£100-ish) for a future flight. So if you have prove of the request and you booked directly, it might be worthwhile complaining.
And yes, from here on out I will be ringing at least a couple of days in advance to confirm the meal to prevent tears/hunger (and 'yes' also to Asian/Hindu vegetarian meals; they are usually pretty tasty!).
posted by Halo in reverse at 7:45 AM on July 24, 2013
In any case, it causes great disappointment and frustration, esp on a long-haul flight when you are already tired/stressed (not to mention that some flight attendants can be inordinantly rude, and imply that you are lying about having made the request, e.g., "Well, your request isn't on my list!"). I know I've fought back tears a couple of times. The last time I called the airline afterward to complain. They investigated and discovered that the error was on their side and they gave me a travel voucher (£100-ish) for a future flight. So if you have prove of the request and you booked directly, it might be worthwhile complaining.
And yes, from here on out I will be ringing at least a couple of days in advance to confirm the meal to prevent tears/hunger (and 'yes' also to Asian/Hindu vegetarian meals; they are usually pretty tasty!).
posted by Halo in reverse at 7:45 AM on July 24, 2013
I always request a vegetarian meal and have never had a problem (and I fly with United a lot). Here's what I do:
1) Book directly with the airline, not a 3rd party site
2) Request veggie meal when booking
3) Verify with gate agent (this is likely when they are loading the meals onto the plane, so this is your chance to correct any errors).
(For the record, I'm not actually a vegetarian, I've just found the vegetarian meals to be much tastier than the regular).
I also try to get a seat near the front of the plane, so maybe if you've been sitting near the back they end up handing out all of the vegetarian meals before they get to you?
posted by melissasaurus at 7:50 AM on July 24, 2013
1) Book directly with the airline, not a 3rd party site
2) Request veggie meal when booking
3) Verify with gate agent (this is likely when they are loading the meals onto the plane, so this is your chance to correct any errors).
(For the record, I'm not actually a vegetarian, I've just found the vegetarian meals to be much tastier than the regular).
I also try to get a seat near the front of the plane, so maybe if you've been sitting near the back they end up handing out all of the vegetarian meals before they get to you?
posted by melissasaurus at 7:50 AM on July 24, 2013
If you book on a third party site, make sure that you go to united.com and pull up your reservation using the reservation code (the six digit alpha-numeric one) and make sure that the special meal is indicated on their reservation system. The problem might be the connection between the third party system and United. I've actually had good results with them, although I'm usually in business class.
posted by Lame_username at 8:08 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Lame_username at 8:08 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Once I was on a flight, and the flight attendant came over and said to me "ms. inertia, as one of our VIP passengers, would you like a glass of wine?" I had no idea what she was talking about, but said sure (hey, free wine!). She came back a few minutes later laughing and said that she thought the V for vegetarian next to my name was V for VIP, and brought my boyfriend and I wine anyway.
So in addition to confirming beforehand, I would also confirm with the flight attendant at the beginning of the flight. It seems likely that they're often provided with unclear or incomplete information about passengers.
posted by inertia at 9:11 AM on July 24, 2013
So in addition to confirming beforehand, I would also confirm with the flight attendant at the beginning of the flight. It seems likely that they're often provided with unclear or incomplete information about passengers.
posted by inertia at 9:11 AM on July 24, 2013
Holy crap, think I figured it out. See comment 10 here. Try requesting vegan instead of vegetarian. It's not like an airline has ever given me a vegetarian meal that wasn't vegan anyway (they're even labeled VGML).* United apparently made that official in the computer but the computer still takes vegetarian requests and doesn't convert them to vegan.
*Actually, this was also part of the reason I switched to Asian Vegetarian.
posted by hoyland at 9:14 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
*Actually, this was also part of the reason I switched to Asian Vegetarian.
posted by hoyland at 9:14 AM on July 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks so much, folks. I have been booking direct, and that hasn't helped, but I will definitely try 1) requesting vegan rather than vegetarian, and 2) just biting the bullet and calling in advance.
My growling stomach thanks you.
posted by Levi Stahl at 9:37 AM on July 24, 2013
My growling stomach thanks you.
posted by Levi Stahl at 9:37 AM on July 24, 2013
All Nippon Airways (ANA) has vegetarian meals and, in my experience, they honor that request, even of you don't call them before. We were flying business class, in case it makes a difference.
posted by clearlydemon at 9:52 AM on July 24, 2013
posted by clearlydemon at 9:52 AM on July 24, 2013
For future reference if they screw up again, tomato juice can be surprisingly filling, and they never seem to run out of that.
posted by Scram at 10:03 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Scram at 10:03 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Etrigan has the right of it, along with the several mefites who suggested asking at the beginning of meal service. If you are in seat 11A, your vegetarian meal probably is in the cart at the beginning of meal service, until the passenger in 4C impulsively asks if they have a vegetarian option. I fly a lot and do not eat red meat, and I must admit that at least some factor in relaxing from "total veg" to "will eat poultry now and again" is the number of four- and five-hour flights I have been through where my meal mysteriously vanished in much the same way yours do.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:44 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:44 AM on July 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you are in seat 11A, your vegetarian meal probably is in the cart at the beginning of meal service, until the passenger in 4C impulsively asks if they have a vegetarian option.
In my experience, special meals come out separate from the general food service (recently, it's been before, but I remember it being after as a kid) and aren't in the cart. Unless it's known that United operates differently, the 'it got given to someone else' explanation should be further down the list.
posted by hoyland at 10:49 AM on July 24, 2013
In my experience, special meals come out separate from the general food service (recently, it's been before, but I remember it being after as a kid) and aren't in the cart. Unless it's known that United operates differently, the 'it got given to someone else' explanation should be further down the list.
posted by hoyland at 10:49 AM on July 24, 2013
I've flow every 3-5 weeks internationally on Air France and Aeroflot (Skyteam, if that matters) for over a year and a half now, and they have always honored my request for a vegetarian meal in Economy and never had a problem. I just request it when booking my ticket online. But these are all Europe - Europe flights, so maybe it's an issue specific North American based or destination flights.
posted by peachtree at 10:52 AM on July 24, 2013
posted by peachtree at 10:52 AM on July 24, 2013
Data point: When I was vegan I requested vegan meals and never once got them. I later learned that you really do have to call. huge pain all around. It's no wonder airlines prefer not to offer meals at all.
posted by FlamingBore at 12:04 PM on July 24, 2013
posted by FlamingBore at 12:04 PM on July 24, 2013
I'm vegetarian and fly a fair amount, and have only ever had an issue with one airline (TAP in Portugal). I always tick the box for the vegetarian meal when I book, phone one week before the flight to confirm and then ask again at check-in. I've not had a problem with any airline apart from TAP with this method.
posted by goo at 1:03 PM on July 24, 2013
posted by goo at 1:03 PM on July 24, 2013
I flew United to Europe recently and while they were absolute ^*&($#%s regarding dealing with a booking glitch, they did have my meals on the plane. Calling them takes about 30 minutes of hold time, so check to see if you want to change seats, or anything else, while you're at it.
I have always phoned whichever airline to request vegetarian meals, and received them. As stated earlier, no matter which airline I've flown, the special meals are brought out before they start "general delivery." I do Asian Veg too, it's yummy.
It is a hassle to bring enough food for oneself on a flight, but no one cares about you as much as you do, and things happen.
posted by Anwan at 2:00 PM on July 24, 2013
I have always phoned whichever airline to request vegetarian meals, and received them. As stated earlier, no matter which airline I've flown, the special meals are brought out before they start "general delivery." I do Asian Veg too, it's yummy.
It is a hassle to bring enough food for oneself on a flight, but no one cares about you as much as you do, and things happen.
posted by Anwan at 2:00 PM on July 24, 2013
I would chalk this up to United being awful.
I've flown transatlantic a couple of dozen times on 5 or 6 different airlines (none of them United). I requested a special meal basically every time because I read somewhere that they tend to be of slightly better quality. Usually Asian Veg.
I always got the requested meal. The meal always came out before the main food service, and always had my seat number scribbled in sharpie on the tin. Maybe I've just been incredibly lucky in this regard, but my general airport karma is bad (I'm the guy whose flight is always delayed), so it seems unlikely.
posted by PMdixon at 3:51 PM on July 24, 2013
I've flown transatlantic a couple of dozen times on 5 or 6 different airlines (none of them United). I requested a special meal basically every time because I read somewhere that they tend to be of slightly better quality. Usually Asian Veg.
I always got the requested meal. The meal always came out before the main food service, and always had my seat number scribbled in sharpie on the tin. Maybe I've just been incredibly lucky in this regard, but my general airport karma is bad (I'm the guy whose flight is always delayed), so it seems unlikely.
posted by PMdixon at 3:51 PM on July 24, 2013
As another data point, I've flown Asia-Europe, intra-Europe and intra-Asia, while requesting for vegetarian meals (lacto-ovo, if that makes a difference) on all flights. Never had a problem with missing meals. The flight attendants will normally serve special meal requests first, so that precludes my specially-requested meal going to someone else who requested vegetarian meals on a whim.
I would suggest that asking at the check-in desk might be too late, since special-request meals might have to be pre-ordered (I'm just guessing here, though), and if so, re-confirming at the check-in desk might not be very useful. Nth-ing calling a few days in advance.
posted by titantoppler at 8:11 AM on July 25, 2013
I would suggest that asking at the check-in desk might be too late, since special-request meals might have to be pre-ordered (I'm just guessing here, though), and if so, re-confirming at the check-in desk might not be very useful. Nth-ing calling a few days in advance.
posted by titantoppler at 8:11 AM on July 25, 2013
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posted by cristinacristinacristina at 6:23 AM on July 24, 2013