Japan airline serves vegan passenger ‘a single banana’ and chopsticks for in-flight meal
- The business class passenger said he was ‘quite shocked’ and found it ‘a bit insulting to be served a single banana while others are given far more’
- His flight from Jakarta to Tokyo was scheduled to last more than seven hours. Japan Airlines has apologised for ‘not being able to meet expectations’
There were two meal services during the flight – the first was a snack and light refreshment served after take-off and the second was lunch, Japan Airlines said in a statement. The snack option for non-vegan passengers consisted of seared tuna with a Moroccan-style aubergine salad, cheese with orange salsa, and a baguette, per the airline’s menu and Chari’s experience.
Chari said he expected to receive the equivalent of what non-vegan passengers were served as a snack, such as a sandwich, salad, vegan cheese, or a baguette.
“Instead, I was served a single banana,” he said. Chari showed reporters a verification confirming he was on the flight.
The flight attendant told Chari before the plane took off that the banana was a catered meal. He said he was “frankly quite shocked”.
“It’s a bit insulting to be served a single banana while others are given a far more substantial and flavourful menu,” he said. “It seems especially important given the growth in the number of vegans and vegetarians.”
“We apologise for not being able to meet expectations,” Japan Airlines said in its statement, further confirming that the snack and refreshment option for all special meals on the flight was a banana.
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“We will continue to respond to our menus in light of the growing interest and diverse needs of customers requesting special meals, including the valuable feedback from this customer,” the airline said.
Chari said the second vegan meal he received was spaghetti. Lunch options for non-vegan passengers flying in February included a cheese omelette, ratatouille, and a chicken sausage on the “Western Menu”, and grilled salmon on the “Japanese Menu,” per the airline’s website.
A “vegetarian vegan meal” is listed under special meal menus on Japan Airlines’ website and shows a sample picture of salad bowls, a baguette, a halal sorbet, and a larger dish containing rice.
Some airlines have come under scrutiny for not providing substantial meals to vegan passengers. For example, an Air Canada passenger said flight attendants initially only offered her water during a 10-hour flight from Frankfurt to Toronto, it was previously reported.
