Jan 29, 2017, 11:30 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Special meals and nut allergies and Special meals and dietary requests
AA currently makes a number of “special meals” available on certain flights; they must be requested at least 24 hours in advance. Please see this page on AA.com for current information.
"Special meals are available on select flights with scheduled, complimentary meal service. Similar to scheduled meal service, they are based on departure time, destination and flight length. Menus vary monthly to ensure fresh and seasonal ingredients." See listing of special meals available from AA below.
How to request your special meal:
Contact Reservations (link)
For your interest, airline meal codes for SPML offerings on AA. The list of options may appear extensive but in practice the variety is much reduced due to duplication
From British Airways, definitions of these meals:
Archive of previous posts: ARCHIVE: Ordering SPML / Special Meal - how, what (consolidated)
AA currently makes a number of “special meals” available on certain flights; they must be requested at least 24 hours in advance. Please see this page on AA.com for current information.
"Special meals are available on select flights with scheduled, complimentary meal service. Similar to scheduled meal service, they are based on departure time, destination and flight length. Menus vary monthly to ensure fresh and seasonal ingredients." See listing of special meals available from AA below.
How to request your special meal:
- Make sure your flight has scheduled meal service
- Determine which specialty meal meets your need
- Call to order
- This option is available at least 24 hours before and up to 30 days in advance of your departure.
- Log into your AA account
- Select on Your Trips
- Select View/Change on your reservation
- Go down to Reserve a Meal.
- When you arrive at the airport, advise the gate agent and flight attendants that you ordered a special meal
- Call Reservations if you booked through American Airlines or contact your travel agent if you booked with an agency.
Contact Reservations (link)
For your interest, airline meal codes for SPML offerings on AA. The list of options may appear extensive but in practice the variety is much reduced due to duplication
- AVML - Asian Vegetarian Meal
- BBML - Baby / Infant Food
- BLML - Bland Meal
- CHML - Children’s Meal
- DBML - Diabetic Meal
- GFML - Gluten-free Meal
- HNML - Hindu Meal
- KSML - Kosher (Jewish) Meal
- LFML – Low Fat Meal
- LSML – Low Sodium Meal
- MOML - Muslim (Halal) Meal
- NLML – Non-Lactose Meal
- VGML - Vegetarian Meal (non-dairy)
- VLML – Vegetarian Lacto-ovo Meal
- VVML – Vegetarian Vegan Meal
From British Airways, definitions of these meals:
- Asian vegetarian - Does not contain fish, shellfish, meat, poultry or eggs. It is a meatless meal and spicy in content.
- Baby meal - ?
- Bland - For those with digestive tract and gut disorders. Excludes mustard, pickles, garlic, fried and fatty food.
- Child meal - Contains a combination of familiar and fun foods.
- Diabetic - For those who need to manage blood sugar levels. Foods excluded are sugars, syrups, jams, cakes and chocolate, unless specifically for diabetics.
- Gluten intolerant - Foods excluded are wheat or wheat flour, barley oats and rye, bread, cakes (unless wheat free), pastry, sausages or any flour based products.
- Hindu - Does not contain beef, beef derivatives, veal or pork, it is not a meatless meal.
- Kosher Meal - These meals are prepared to comply with Jewish dietary laws.
- Lacto-ovo vegetarian - Does not contain meat, fish or seafood. May contain dairy products such as milk, butter, cheese and eggs etc.
- Low fat - High fibre meal with reduced amounts of fat.
- Low lactose - Excludes cheese, dairy products and their derivatives and lactose or milk products.
- Low salt - Excludes use of salt, MSG and baking soda/powder, instead herbs and spices are used to flavour the meal.
- Muslim Meal - Does not contain pork, by-products of pork or foodstuffs containing alcohol. All meats come from ritually slaughtered animals.
- Vegan vegetarian - Does not contain meat, fish, fowl, eggs, honey, dairy products or derivatives. If vegan is not specified, then a lacto ovo meal will be provided.
Archive of previous posts: ARCHIVE: Ordering SPML / Special Meal - how, what (consolidated)
Guide: AA SPML - Special Meal (vegetarian, gluten intolerant, child, etc.)
Jan 12, 2016, 10:37 am
#31
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 7
that is our plan. However, very odd that AA doesn't have AVML. The email is written to have them include AVML in the special meals so that other vegetarian hindus can benefit. I do not care about myself as I can fast during the meal or eat fruits etc.
One thing is for sure, AA would not figure in my future travel plans if they do not list AVML. This is a principle stand.
One thing is for sure, AA would not figure in my future travel plans if they do not list AVML. This is a principle stand.
Jan 12, 2016, 11:20 am
#33
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: JFK
Programs: AA EXP/CK 2M+
Posts: 540
Just curious, how would a Vegan meal not be a Hindu meal? There can be no animal products if it is vegan. Is there another ingredient that is of concern? Or could you have ordered the Vegan meal? If so then AA is providing an adequate choice you should have taken.
Jan 12, 2016, 11:34 am
#34
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,631
You may reasonably ask for special meals that allow you to conform to standard religious or health requirements, but you do not have a legal or moral right to special meals that are unique to your own specific set of requirements.
Jan 12, 2016, 11:52 am
#35
formerly gemini573
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: LAX, HKG, and BKK
Programs: CX Emerald, WOH Globalist, Marriott Platinum, AA Lifetime Platinum, Virtuoso, Prive, STEPS, STARS
Posts: 2,233
AA won't have a proper AVML. You have to fly BA to get one that will come closer to what should look like a proper AVML.
Jan 12, 2016, 11:57 am
#36
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 1
I was wondering this, too. I thought the difference between Hindu vegetarian and vegetarian was no eggs. And vegan would comply with this.
Jan 12, 2016, 12:17 pm
#37
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
The good thing is that AA *usually* caters a vegetarian pasta dish as one of the two choices, even in Y. Unfortunately the phone agents have no clue if it will actually be offered or not if you call before your flight.
Oddly enough on our most recent LHR-DFW in J, the veg option on the J menu was vegetable korma - which catered in LHR wasn't bad at all - we were quite pleasantly surprised!
So bottom line is Dougie couldn't give two $hits about providing a proper Indian veg meal. Hell, he barely gives two $hits about providing a proper meal, period. If having proper Indian food while still earning your AA miles is that important, fly BA or QR.
Did you happen to ask the crew if there were any extra veg pasta dishes available? IME far more people order the chicken than the pasta (assuming those were the two choices, which they've always been literally every time I've flown AA Y longhaul). Usually if there are extra left they shouldn't have a problem giving them to you.
Last edited by no1cub17; Jan 12, 2016 at 12:23 pm
Jan 12, 2016, 2:11 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: AAdvantage, Hilton
Posts: 3,191
Reading is fundamental. OP said Business class but some of you are talking about Y meals.
As for the definition of AVML, it's supposed to be Indian vegetarian food with dairy, so it's an ethnic meal above anything else.
Airlines such as Emirates offer AVML as a standard meal option since they have so many Indian customers so it's not really a fringe meal request either.
As for the definition of AVML, it's supposed to be Indian vegetarian food with dairy, so it's an ethnic meal above anything else.
Airlines such as Emirates offer AVML as a standard meal option since they have so many Indian customers so it's not really a fringe meal request either.
Jan 12, 2016, 2:55 pm
#39
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Reading is fundamental. OP said Business class but some of you are talking about Y meals.
As for the definition of AVML, it's supposed to be Indian vegetarian food with dairy, so it's an ethnic meal above anything else.
Airlines such as Emirates offer AVML as a standard meal option since they have so many Indian customers so it's not really a fringe meal request either.
As for the definition of AVML, it's supposed to be Indian vegetarian food with dairy, so it's an ethnic meal above anything else.
Airlines such as Emirates offer AVML as a standard meal option since they have so many Indian customers so it's not really a fringe meal request either.
The fact is that AA doesn't seem to want to admit in print that it's consolidated zillions of special meals into one "lowest common denominator" meal, but it has. The only option I see that it could possibly be open to is admitting this in print.
And, btw, AA isn't the only one. I have the Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian meal preference in my BA profile, and when I booked a recent LAN business class flight through BA that preference got transferred to LAN. The FAs even verified on each flight leg that I had ordered the Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian meal. But guess what: On each flight leg, the meal was actually vegan. Just like at AA, they provided no butter for the rolls, whenever everyone else gets butter for the rolls. Now, it may have been a bit more varied than at AA, I dunno (it's been a few years since I've ordered a special meal on AA), but it definitely wasn't either Ovo or Lacto. So it's clear to me that LAN has done similar consolidation of special meals.
Jan 12, 2016, 4:52 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,631
Emirates may choose to supply Indian-style food as AVML, but that is not required.
Jan 13, 2016, 4:24 am
#41
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
sorry to say, that anyone expecting a "meal" on the plane, well be prepared to be disappointed, I order the so called veggie meal once, fortunately for me the FA come over and showed me what it was, (boiled vegs etc) and was happy when she said she had the pasta dish to offer.(well it was better than the veggie option)
BA, does a very decent job out of LHR to BOM. When I travel now, I will bring something along if I feel the need to eat, even out of LHR on AA, I grab a sandwich and crisps at the airport (even when traveling in Bussiness) I can tell some of the other passenges had wished they had done the same thing.
In sort, dont expect AA to cater for Indian meals, dont remember if they had Indian meals when AA was doing ORD to DEL years ago
BA, does a very decent job out of LHR to BOM. When I travel now, I will bring something along if I feel the need to eat, even out of LHR on AA, I grab a sandwich and crisps at the airport (even when traveling in Bussiness) I can tell some of the other passenges had wished they had done the same thing.
In sort, dont expect AA to cater for Indian meals, dont remember if they had Indian meals when AA was doing ORD to DEL years ago
Jan 13, 2016, 2:39 pm
#42
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: American AAdvantage
Posts: 1,045
sorry to say, that anyone expecting a "meal" on the plane, well be prepared to be disappointed, I order the so called veggie meal once, fortunately for me the FA come over and showed me what it was, (boiled vegs etc) and was happy when she said she had the pasta dish to offer.(well it was better than the veggie option)
Jan 13, 2016, 3:19 pm
#43
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
OP apparently asked his TA to make sure that the meal he wanted was catered. If the TA didn't tell him what was available, that's bad on the TA, but little to do with AA. OP is simply complaining at the wrong doorstep.
As to the broader question, it's really a marketing issue. Carriers are free to provide anything or nothing by way of food (think US domestic Y). The key is that the passenger knows what to expect (or not).
If your dietary requirements, whether medical, religious or simply personal are of real importance, it pays to double-check before departure so that you have the opportunity to pack your own.
As to the broader question, it's really a marketing issue. Carriers are free to provide anything or nothing by way of food (think US domestic Y). The key is that the passenger knows what to expect (or not).
If your dietary requirements, whether medical, religious or simply personal are of real importance, it pays to double-check before departure so that you have the opportunity to pack your own.
Jan 14, 2016, 3:26 am
#44
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
Feb 3, 2016, 6:28 am
#45
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,967
What's weird is that the vegetarian description when you choose meals in a premium cabin long haul flight says it's the same as Asian vegetarian, which it is not. I wonder why they say that because it leaves many disappointed like the OP.