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.)
Mar 8, 2019, 8:28 am
#166
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Diabetic Meal ORD-LAX
February 27, AA2611 departing ORD at 1:35pm.
A satisfying meal catered out of Chicago. Tomatoes/asparagus/carrots in the salad had good texture and flavor. Generous-sized shrimp (
) were a bit watery. Main plate of grits, seasoned chicken breast and carrots. Unlike that sad/dry "side of grilled chicken" that catering adds to enhance a mediocre lunch salad, this chicken breast was moist and full of flavor.
The Flagship Lounge in ORD has the best food of the bunch, and it appears the aircraft catering out of Chicago is following suit.
A satisfying meal catered out of Chicago. Tomatoes/asparagus/carrots in the salad had good texture and flavor. Generous-sized shrimp (
) were a bit watery. Main plate of grits, seasoned chicken breast and carrots. Unlike that sad/dry "side of grilled chicken" that catering adds to enhance a mediocre lunch salad, this chicken breast was moist and full of flavor.The Flagship Lounge in ORD has the best food of the bunch, and it appears the aircraft catering out of Chicago is following suit.
Apr 4, 2019, 4:56 pm
#167
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
So the breakfast enchilada (with one Sriracha pineapple chicken sausage (?)) is disgusting and I want more than fruit on my next breakfast flight. I saw someone get the Kosher meal and I don't want to deal with that (plus a plain omelette isn't my jam) and the Asian veg will likely have chickpeas or lentils which I can't eat. Any thoughts on any of the other meals or should i just suck it up with one of the normal choices?
Apr 4, 2019, 6:49 pm
#168
Suspended
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Diamond, AAdvantage EXP, Hyatt Explorist, HHonors Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 7,344
So the breakfast enchilada (with one Sriracha pineapple chicken sausage (?)) is disgusting and I want more than fruit on my next breakfast flight. I saw someone get the Kosher meal and I don't want to deal with that (plus a plain omelette isn't my jam) and the Asian veg will likely have chickpeas or lentils which I can't eat. Any thoughts on any of the other meals or should i just suck it up with one of the normal choices?
Apr 4, 2019, 6:56 pm
#169
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
Also, it's pretty clear this is a preference and I'll pick one if need be.
Last edited by iadisgreat; Apr 4, 2019 at 7:09 pm
Apr 5, 2019, 8:33 am
#170
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
Well the lentil/chickpea issue is a deadly allergy, so I'll keep your "advice" in mind, and I've had the enchilada a few times and it isn't great, so otherwise do you have any actual information to add?
Also, it's pretty clear this is a preference and I'll pick one if need be.
Also, it's pretty clear this is a preference and I'll pick one if need be.
Apr 5, 2019, 10:18 am
#171
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: DCA/IAD/WAS
Programs: MAR AMB, WOH Explorist, AA EXP, UA 2P
Posts: 2,138
I've found Special Meal breakfasts to be disappointing, including Diabetic and Kosher. Even the regular breakfast, with the tasteless melon/pineapple combo, reminds you that it's airplane food. I bring a couple of granola bars (so I get protein and fiber), and ask for some milk or tomato juice.
Apr 24, 2019, 8:34 pm
#172
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: San Diego US and Brisbane AU
Programs: AA EXP/2MM - DL PM - OZ Diamond - Bonvoy LTT - Hyatt Glob - IHG Plat - National EE - Sixt Platinum
Posts: 1,315
Any recent reports of AVML examples out of LAX (international) or BCN, both in J? I'm not expecting much for BCN, but previous posts seem to indicate a mixed bag out of LAX, perhaps due to the catering issues from a while back. Was hoping LAX would be something along the lines of an Indian meal like with other large airports and not plain vegetables like in some of the previous examples...
Thanks!
Thanks!
Last edited by SpeedRicer; Apr 24, 2019 at 10:35 pm
Apr 25, 2019, 1:03 am
#173
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Big changes according to JonNYC and others:
Special Meals (SPML): Diabetic (DBML), Asian Vegetarian(AVML), Hindu (HNML), Muslim (MOML), Gluten Free (GFML), Vegan (VGML)
- Above listed main pre-order meals from domestic stations will receive standardized and frozen pre-prepared meals. Meals will have a one year frozen shelf life.
-Salads and appetizers are prepared fresh by the local caterer.
-Steaks that have appeared for DBML meals will mostly switch to a pre-prepared chicken entree.
-Asian Vegetarian (AVML), Hindu (HNML), Muslim (MOML) all receive the same meal. If not the pre-prepared meal, they're made to the same basic menu requirements.
- Above listed main pre-order meals from domestic stations will receive standardized and frozen pre-prepared meals. Meals will have a one year frozen shelf life.
-Salads and appetizers are prepared fresh by the local caterer.
-Steaks that have appeared for DBML meals will mostly switch to a pre-prepared chicken entree.
-Asian Vegetarian (AVML), Hindu (HNML), Muslim (MOML) all receive the same meal. If not the pre-prepared meal, they're made to the same basic menu requirements.
Jun 1, 2019, 1:47 pm
#174
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: CA & Europe
Programs: AA Life-Plat 5MM, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, UA, BA
Posts: 738
Possible to order special meal online?
We have booking on AA from LHR to JFK. I wanted to order for my wife a special meal and did not find how to do it online.
I called AA Plat and asked the agent if possible to order special meal online. Her answer: Yes. but I can help you. I let her do it.
Then I asked can we get a confirm by email. Her answer: No, I cannot send a confirm but you will see it in the online reservation in a few minutes. Of course nothing displayed about special meal.
I just found out that on aa.com it says: "Order on aa.com or call Reservations".
So... is it possible to order special meal online? How? Where?
I called AA Plat and asked the agent if possible to order special meal online. Her answer: Yes. but I can help you. I let her do it.
Then I asked can we get a confirm by email. Her answer: No, I cannot send a confirm but you will see it in the online reservation in a few minutes. Of course nothing displayed about special meal.
I just found out that on aa.com it says: "Order on aa.com or call Reservations".
So... is it possible to order special meal online? How? Where?
Jun 1, 2019, 2:10 pm
#175
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: OH
Programs: AA EXP; HHonors Gold; IHG Platinum
Posts: 122
Log into your AA account > click on Your Trips > click View/Change on your reservation > scroll down to Reserve a Meal. This option is available at least 24 hours before and up to 30 days in advance of your departure.
Jun 1, 2019, 3:03 pm
#176
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: CA & Europe
Programs: AA Life-Plat 5MM, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, UA, BA
Posts: 738
Could it be because the first flight in this booking (to LHR) is on BA ?? i.e. an AA system bug?
It was booked on AA.com.
Jun 1, 2019, 4:28 pm
#177
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 152
Jun 2, 2019, 1:56 am
#178
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: CA & Europe
Programs: AA Life-Plat 5MM, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, UA, BA
Posts: 738
There is NO way to select the AA flight from the reservation. I selected the reservation showing the BA flight followed by the AA flight. There is NO "reserve a meal".
Looks AA.com bug when reservation starts/includes a BA flight.
Added: I now looked at another booked trip, a round-trip with 6 flights starting and ending with BA and in middle 4 flights of AA. This trip does have "Reserve a Meal". So the system bug that no "reserve a meal" in my trip with 2 flights BA+AA, becomes .... more mysterious.
Looks AA.com bug when reservation starts/includes a BA flight.
Added: I now looked at another booked trip, a round-trip with 6 flights starting and ending with BA and in middle 4 flights of AA. This trip does have "Reserve a Meal". So the system bug that no "reserve a meal" in my trip with 2 flights BA+AA, becomes .... more mysterious.
Last edited by IntFF; Jun 3, 2019 at 5:09 am
Jun 3, 2019, 5:12 am
#180
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: CA & Europe
Programs: AA Life-Plat 5MM, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, UA, BA
Posts: 738
All/most non-standard meals are lousy food - per testimony of my wife. Recently was an article that such meals could be up to 80 days old, kept in refrigerator.