Delta pasta

Please be more creative and stop counting the beans!

And please don't serve beans, either. 10.5 hours in the air is bad enough without suffering from bad air.

Like this...

-- Mike Beebe

10.5 hours in the air is bad enough without suffering from bad air.

Unfortunately, physics are working against you. A reduced air pressure in the cabin creates a greater pressure differential between your internal body pressure and the cabin, meaning any gas you have will try that much harder to get out.

Luckily cabin air is frequently turned over and not recirculated.

As for meals, I guess I never flew for the food choices. I sympathize with meal planners, come up with two options that is tolerable for a couple hundred people, of something that holds, and reheats well, plus has some flavor at altitude.

I usually skip the entree and just eat the other things on the tray as a light snack, then dream of all the things I can get once I land.

You could try finding something in the airport to bring on, lots more choices. You could also order a special diets meal at no additional cost, however that can be a bit like roulette. My wife used to always order one, had some great ones, had some real bland ones. Now she usually settles for the pasta.

Well, since on the way to Europe, your 10 hour flight is probably at night you could probably go 10 hours without a meal.

Or you can do what I do on any carrier, I bring on edible food. No I don’t think it’s any worse on Delta than it is on other carriers. I’m sorry I’ve had food on Air France and I would not describe it as yummy (although honestly I don’t know what yummy means but I’m assuming you meant it was edible) I was once on an Air France flight in business class, where the man across the aisle got up and apologized to the entire cabin on behalf of France for serving such inedible food

It’s all several day old TV dinners and there’s generally a better option in the airport that you can bring on that will taste better and you can eat at your convenience as opposed to when the airline wants to feed you. win-win in my opinion.

Agree 100% with Carol, and that is what I do too.

Agree 100% with Carol, and that is what I do too.

Yes, stand up and apologize for the American food.

We usually fly Delta and I always skip the meals - yes I skip the breakfast too. Especially when our flight leaves in the late evening. A Kind Bar or two is fine till I can get some real food.
The only time I had edible food on a plane was with Turkish Air. Both times we flew.

I don't agree 100% with Carol, I concur.

Cheers,
Pasta Pasta

There’s no law that says an airline has to offer a vegetarian meal option in the first place, but it is of course good customer service to do so. Given that limitation, pasta is the obvious choice. It’s filling, versatile, easy to reheat and serve, and most people like it. Also the airline wants a vegetarian meal that doesn’t ONLY appeal to vegetarians so they won’t run out of their other choices too quickly, and pasta is one that quite a few meat eaters may also choose. What other things might they serve instead, given that in economy class, it isn’t reasonable to try to serve more than one vegetarian entree choice? If it was a spicy veg curry some people would complain that they don’t like spicy food; or if it was a grilled vegetable plate, that that was not creative and insufficiently filling. There’s risotto, but that’s pretty similar to pasta and doesn’t have the same shelf life before it’s glutinous. Or perhaps some kind of a sandwich or wrap, but then people would complain that they aren’t getting a proper dinner compared to the carnivores.

The only really good meal I’ve had on an airplane was Gatwick to Minneapolis on Northwest in 1987. One of the choices was pork. I’m not a big pork eater (unpleasant memories of hog butchering one Sunday on Grandma’s farm) but I noticed the flight attendant was going back to the kitchen to get one when they were ordered so I decided to try it. “Last one!” she told me when she handed me the tray. It was actually really good.
My first post college job I worked with three guys whose wives worked as flight attendants. They all liked to point out that meals and snacks were not included in your contract for carriage so if you don’t like the food bring your own.

I have noticed that a lot of people feel like they have to eat the food because we’re trying to get our moneys worth. Just a warning, even if you’re in the very front of the plane in business, the amount of your airfare that went towards that meal is minuscule, like a few dollars. you’re not getting your moneys worth on the meal

In my experience, pasta is also offered at meals, along with a meat and a fish option.

The pasta îș usually the safest bet as far as palatability. At least I think so.

Once again, in my opinion, American companies come in last, with Asian airlines on top, followed by Middle Eastern and European operators. I have an AAdvantage mileage card, so I am stuck with them, but the food is terrible! The few times I have flown Delta, it has been slightly better, but nothing to write home about. An interesting comparison was on a trip to Beijing booked on Delta. On the DFW>ICN leg on Delta, the food was as I expected. However, the meal on Korean on the ICN>PEK section was remarkably good. On the return trip (PEK>HND), also on Korean, the food was as good as any I have had on a plane. HND>DFW on Korean again, less impressive but significantly better than on Delta. Wondered if airlines pay attention to food service, based on region and customer expectations. Of course, no one beats Thai or Singapore. One trick I have tried fairly successfully is to pre-select a Hindu or Halal meal if offered. Especially on inbound flights to the US, these are always better (tastier). You get served first, too. By the way, one of the best ramen noodle bowls I have had was in the above Inchon airport. 8.00 USD to boot!

Delta apparently prides itself on being a premium airline; and they charge a premium for it.

Really? Based on what? While they are a full service airline, I'm not sure on what basis that claim could be made. In fact, Delta isn't even in the top 20 airlines according to this rating: https://www.worldairlineawards.com/worlds-top-100-airlines-2025/

If you want noteworthy meals, you need to either upgrade your seat class or your airline.

I can't recall the last time I ate airplane food if I'm being honest. For some time I've limited my eating to an 8-hr daytime window. When traveling east to west our flights are typically overnight. West to east I bring aboard an assortment of non-ultraprocessed items devoid of sugar and added salt. Which airline food is loaded with. Never yet felt a hunger pang.

Airline food is a relic of (at least American) the past.

It was from a time where "expectations" mattered more. Now we have a "race to the bottom" where you get the minimum you pay for. And if you don't their competitors will offer less at a lesser price and people will buy it.

So, water runs downhill, surprise!

Delta isn't even in the top 20 airlines according to this rating:

Nope, it was 22 out of 100. Or top 25% which includes some decent airlines. I'm okay with "premium" given whats in the bottom 25%.

Most airline food is as good as my cooking, so it works for me. Turkish Air food is pretty high end.

I guess I’m in the minority. I’m on a plane to Europe (yeah!), and I just want something to eat, so I can try to sleep or at least feel drowsy for several hours. I chose the chicken curry for the last two trips heading east. I accidentally dropped some of the sauce on my shirt, so no more staining sauce choices for my next flight. The pasta didn’t look exciting, but I’ll choose it next time.

My expectations are low, but I do pass up the KLM cheese sandwiches.

I’m just going to be perfect a blunt I can’t find any reason anyone would ever say airline food is pretty good on flights between the US and Europe or on flights within the USA even if you’re sitting in the front of the plane it’s not that great and in coach it’s just sad.

I had Turkish airline food in September. It was just as bad as the stuff Delta serves I don’t even know what they tried to pass off as the pre arrival meal, but it made the awful hot pockets mess Delta serves look edible and I wouldn’t touch those unless that was the last food available for the next 48 hours.

I agree with Jean.

I'm on a metal tube in the sky for a few hours on the way to somewhere amazing - I really don't remember/notice/care about the pasta or chicken or whatever they're serving. It literally disappears from my memory the second they clear the tray. 🤷‍♀️

And yet, most people choose airlines on the price, not the food, if you have a choice at all.

Well, since on the way to Europe, your 10 hour flight is probably at night you could probably go 10 hours without a meal.

This right here.
an then

It’s all several day old TV dinners

The catering companies are generally prepping food 8-12 & up to 72 hours before a flight, flash chilling it and then generally delivering it 1-4 hours before departure. The food has to be suitable for mass prep, suitable for chilling, transport & loading, then suitable for re-heating in flight. It then must be palatable for the greatest number of passengers, served at 35,000 feet where everyone's palate is dulled. Pasta, rice, some meats, and sauces handle those environments well. I have seen what people put in their grocery carts, you're not eating better at home. I'm wondering if people have reasonable expectations.

None of the airline meals I've ever had have ever stood out as amazing or particularly bad. They are such that I just don't recall them. It is not what I am hanging my airline selection or trip memories on.

VAP, you pretty much nailed it. Still, no worse than my cooking.

"Race to the bottom"

I expect low cost airlines to introduce a ticket based on weighing you shortly. And also your luggage/bag of course.

[shrug]

Why not?

Plenty of room to go before we get close to that (mythical) "bottom".

RobertH is off the pasta topic but to follow, I expect low cost airlines to implement what ever changes increase profits. Somehow, I dont think alienating customers will do that.

Guess I grew up a “poor” blue collar kid who, like an earlier poster, considers it a meal and not my last meal. Past few trips I’ve flown United premium economy and BA world traveller plus because I’m tall and I set aside the money to upgrade. I thought the main dinner was pretty good. I’m not vegetarian and maybe my expectations are low, but I just don’t see it as the end of the world. I’d rather arrive safe and fly with a courteous crew and fellow passengers—that’s my priority.

"Somehow, I dont think alienating customers will do that."

Why not? It's working now.

As long as the rest of the Industry moves in lockstep, to increase profits, then why not? No other choice.

You see it constantly where one tries to reduce what you get just a little bit, and if there's not enough of an outcry, it sticks. And the others then add it quietly.

"Race (in a slow way) to the bottom"

That's just it, the cheapening of everything requires the active participation of the consuming public.

The actions of the consumer constantly states, we don't care we want the cheapest price possible.

When going to a restaurant, I never really give much thought to the transportation that gets me there. And when flying anywhere, I never really give much thought to the food along the way.

Bottom line, in my opinion, is that airline food is airline food. It's edible. Beyond that, meh.

I agree with TC only I would say ‘sometimes’ it’s edible and ‘most of the time it’s meh.’