forgotmyUA

Maple Leaf Lounge
I've been to the MLL at YYZ, BOS, LHR among others. There's nothing decent that is vegetarian, and on top of that, the dishes are not clearly labeled as to which is vegetarian, and which isn't. Is there a customer support link I can use to raise this issue?

Air Canada flights
I typically request VGML for longer-haul flights. But there's no default vegetarian option on short-haul flights. For eg I was flying from BOS to YYZ in business class, and asked for bread/butter, as the flight attendant served some meals with meat to everyone else....but I was told there's nothing that I could eat on that flight that was vegetarian, so "too bad". There's also no default vegetarian option for breakfast in business class on AC flights. Is this too much to ask for? Even something basic like bread/butter would suffice...

arf04

flyquiet

I did not notice allergen labels at MLL YYZ TB. Most of the items have a label, but far short of what we have at my workplace cafeteria, that lists all the ingredients of the in-house made soup, for example, down to salt and pepper. Also I noticed a sign saying "we cannot guarantee any food item is free of allergens" or words to that effect. I am reduced to sniffing all the foods to try to detect the presence of my own particular kryptonite.
Re: the OP, aren't the salads and one of the soups largely vegetarian? The big bowl o' edamame? (I'm not a vegetarian so have never perused the offerings to differentiate.) The non vegetarian options are not so hot either. I think there is a suggestion box in the MLL, and the post-travel surveys usually include a question asking for a rating of the MLL. However, I encourage any other forms of feedback (like the AC customer feedback form) to highlight shortcomings of these offerings.

forgotmyUA

@arf04, I was in an MLL 3 days ago. I'm in one at least once/week. Everytime I'm in an MLL, the labels are incorrectly place (or not there at all), so I've no idea what is vegetarian and what is not.
@flyquiet, yes, I noticed that one of the soups is (occasionally) vegetarian, if available (leek, if I recall correctly). Was hoping for something more substantial than just a salad at the MLL . The lasagna I was told may or may not be vegetarian - I've not heard a clear response from the people who work at the MLL...

RangerNS

BOS doesn't have a MLL.

flyquiet

The label inconsistency sounds familiar. My chief kryptonite is a vegetable and I would really, really like to know what is in the lasagna and other pasta casseroles as well. Last time through, I was there for five hours so I was hungry. I smelled the pasta and it seemed okaaaay, but had my fingers crossed until my digestive system had a chance to deconstruct it. The flatbread is also usually meat-free, though not dairy free. There might also be cheese on the pasta/lasagna. It's very church-potluck made-ahead casserole pasta so it's very difficult to visually determine what's in it.

flyquiet

The reference to BOS in the OP was related to food on board.

Adam Smith

I could be cheeky and say there's nothing decent, period, in the MLLs.

But I'm not sure what your complaint is. Most of the stuff in MLLs is vegetarian. Vegetables and dip, hummus, chips and salsa, tomato pasta, salads, margherita pizza, etc. In fact, there's very little meat - soup with chicken, maybe a pasta with chicken from time to time?

So as far as I'm concerned, your complaint about selection is totally off base.

These are short-haul flights. There's only one option. You like it or you don't. I'm allergic to some of the seafood plates. And I hate chicken. So if they bring out the plate with the seafood, or the chicken wrap, I'm out of luck. But it's a one-hour flight. Not dissimilar to what you find in Europe.

Again, you're wrong, as there's the fruit plate.

​​​​​​Still unhappy? Fill in the customer relations form online.

forgotmyUA

These are all appetizers - most of which are stale. I was asking about vegetarian dishes - not snacks. In all my time at MLLs (I travel at least twice a week), I've not come across cheese pizzas and tomato pasta. Where is this?

Ah, "fruit plate". How could I have missed this delicacy? Thanks for the suggestion!

RangerNS

Check that.

RangerNS

The show up at select lounges at "meal time". I'm not widely traveled enough at meal time to give a exhaustive list, but all three flavours at each of YUL and YYZ have such things out.

arf04

forgotmyUA

It's really quite astonishing there are such limited options at the MLL or how poorly trained AC flight attendants are on board. I was in business class from YYZ to LHR (and had requested VGML well in advance)...the flight attendant placed the lobster dish on my table instead - and when I said I was supposed to have VGML, she replied "I see. How about fish, would you like some fish?" (exact quote). Thankfully another attendant came along and quickly brought my VGML..but it goes to show how little they care.

The Lev

A couple of points:

• Most of us here don't think of the MLL as the source of a gourmet meal. It can be the source of sufficient calories to get you to your next destination. As an omnivore, I am struck by how much that is offered in the MLL is vegetarian - including but not limited to several nutricious salads, fresh fruit, bread/rolls, hummus, chips, salsa, soups, cookies, etc. At breakfast there is porridge, cold cereal, fruit, bread, yoghurt, potatoes, eggs (you may or not be OK with the latter). I would have no trouble ingesting a thousand or more calories of vegetable products at any MLL I've visited..
• While being vegetarian is important to you, and you are welcome to advocate for what you believe in, reality is that you form a very small minority of North American (and global) travellers. Combined vegans and vegetarians represent less than 10% of the Canadian population. I find that AC in flight typically over-represents vegetarian choices on its menu with both Y and J typically offering one vegetarian main menu choice (without having to order VGML).

Adam Smith

What exactly are you basing your expectations on? Most of the food on offer in MLLs, as well as UA UCs, DL SCs, and AA ACs is appetizers/snacks. There's no grilled portobello mushroom sandwich, but it's not like there's a T-bone steak either.

The margherita pizza is standard fare around lunch time.

As for pasta with tomato sauce, I've seen it many times in YYC and YYZ MLLs (all 3) around dinner time.

If you're looking for a decent meal, whether vegetarian or not, go out in the terminal, eat before you get to the airport or bring food from home. But I don't think vegetarians are really any worse off than the rest of us, and you're no worse off than if you were flying, say, UA or DL.

Again, you're off-base on the MLL.

As for the staff, some are good. Some are bad. My wife has a severe shellfish allergy. Sometimes the same crewmember she tells about the allergy brings an appetizer with shrimp. Other times they're very careful. It's nothing to do with your vegetarianism.