The Saddest Airline Meals Ever Served on a Plane
Airline food is usually forgettable, which is almost the point. But some meals stand out for the wrong reasons. They arrive looking oddly sparse, poorly thought out, or just confusing enough that passengers stop and take photos. A few went beyond social media and ended up in headlines or official responses. These are ten airline meals that drew attention simply for how little they delivered.
A Banana With a Side of Cutlery
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On a nine-hour All Nippon Airways flight from Tokyo to Sydney, a London passenger requesting a gluten-free breakfast was handed a single banana, neatly plated and accompanied by a knife and fork. The airline later clarified it was meant as a snack rather than a full meal.
Raw Veggies Under Plastic Wrap
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Aegean Airlines offered a vegetarian dish labeled “Oriental,” which turned out to be raw vegetables wrapped in plastic. In the name of dressing or seasoning, there was a mix of carrots, celery, and peppers. One Reddit user said the “oriental” part was a strip of Chinese celery. That might’ve been a joke, but no one could say for sure.
Ham and Cheese or Just Ham?
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A Twitter user flying with Transavia posted what was supposed to be a ham-and-cheese sandwich. Instead, it was two slices of bread and one lonely piece of ham, with no cheese and no condiments. It looked like someone gave up halfway through making lunch.
Mystery Burger, Always Cold
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Air Koryo, North Korea’s national airline, sticks to one in-flight meal: a cold, lifeless burger. Photos show a grayish patty, soggy cabbage, and a soft bun. It’s served the same way on every flight. Travelers have stopped asking what the meat is made of—it’s easier to just accept it and move on.
Cucumber and Cheese Misfire
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Lufthansa served what they labeled a cucumber and cheese sandwich. What actually showed up was two slices of dry whole wheat bread, a few cucumber sticks, and a thin square of rubbery cheese. On long-haul flights, this sandwich might be the only food option for hours. It became a meme on travel forums for how unsandwich-like it truly was.
Sloppy and Sold Separately
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Ryanair once charged a passenger for a burger that looked as if it had been dropped and reassembled. The patty had slid halfway off the bun, and the lettuce was dark at the edges. Though it technically met the definition of “burger,” the presentation left plenty to be desired.
Tuna Seasoning on Bread
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A traveler on Slovenia’s Adria Airways shared a tuna sandwich that appeared to contain almost no tuna at all. Instead, the roll seemed seasoned with the idea of tuna—no chunks, spread, or clear filling. One passenger sarcastically called it “bread seasoned with tuna crap.” Given the short flight from Ljubljana to Tirana, perhaps the airline hoped no one would notice.
Omelet in Question
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Jetstar Airways served a breakfast omelet that didn’t look fully cooked. A rubbery yellow mass sat next to two pale sausage links, all glistening under fluorescent cabin lights. Some passengers joked that it looked like it was trying to hatch itself. The texture alone sparked Reddit threads filled with confused guesses about what exactly the ingredients were supposed to be.
Two Meatballs in White Liquid
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Air China delivered a meal that some believed was soup, others called it cereal, and a few simply refused to touch it. Two meatballs floated in a white, glue-like substance with no clear flavor or origin. It was part of the airline’s breakfast service, though no one could agree what the meal was intended to resemble.
Oil-Slicked Congee
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Singapore Airlines served a congee with peas and chicken that stood out because of its unusually shiny surface. A thick layer sat on top, closer to gel than broth. Congee is typically simple and familiar, but this version led passengers to share photos online, often with dry captions like, “Still safer than airplane chicken.”