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.)
May 14, 2018, 3:17 am
#106
Join Date: Oct 2010
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I asked myself the same. It is indeed polenta and bulgur or something similar. It was very dry as there was no sauce or so whatsoever.
May 14, 2018, 9:47 am
#107
Join Date: Apr 2016
Programs: IHG Platinum Elite, AS MVP Gold 75K, HHonors Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 219
There's definitely been a secondary quiet, yet good change here.
AA.com used to list just three domestic routes (JFK-SFO, JFK-LAX, MIA-LAX) where special meals were available, but now lists simply:
On a midcon out of Phoenix today I was offered the full selection for preorder, and ordered the Kosher meal. My expectations were fairly low on it actually being catered with a preorder 25 hours before the flight, but when I boarded the flight attendant confirmed with me that it was onboard.
It was a frozen Borenstein Caterers meal on AA plating with a use by date on the entree portion in May and the tray in April. It was the same meal which you'd typically receive on an international J flight, so it was more substantial than that standard offering.
As AA has no long haul services out of Phoenix, this type of meal wouldn't have been on hand there in the past. There's definitely some additional logistics going on here and I'm very happy that AA has made this change to accommodate customers.
I also don't see these available yet out of ORD, but I do have a flight from RDU to ORD in February where the choices are offered.
AA.com used to list just three domestic routes (JFK-SFO, JFK-LAX, MIA-LAX) where special meals were available, but now lists simply:
On a midcon out of Phoenix today I was offered the full selection for preorder, and ordered the Kosher meal. My expectations were fairly low on it actually being catered with a preorder 25 hours before the flight, but when I boarded the flight attendant confirmed with me that it was onboard.
It was a frozen Borenstein Caterers meal on AA plating with a use by date on the entree portion in May and the tray in April. It was the same meal which you'd typically receive on an international J flight, so it was more substantial than that standard offering.
As AA has no long haul services out of Phoenix, this type of meal wouldn't have been on hand there in the past. There's definitely some additional logistics going on here and I'm very happy that AA has made this change to accommodate customers.
I also don't see these available yet out of ORD, but I do have a flight from RDU to ORD in February where the choices are offered.
Jun 12, 2018, 5:58 pm
#108
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: MCO/FLL
Programs: AA-gold(MM); Marriott-Lifetime Titanium Elite; Hilton-Gold;
Posts: 503
Bland meal in first intl 777w
Can anyone shed light on what exactly is the bland meal. All it says is it excludes, spices, pickles, garlic, etc. But what type of protein and or carb does it include. My adult daughter is turning up her nose at most of the meals. She would be happy with a bowl of white rice or plain spaghetti, that is her type of meal. I know that isn't a choice. Weird, I have no idea why.
Jun 12, 2018, 7:35 pm
#109
Join Date: Jul 2004
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Posts: 6,670
Jun 12, 2018, 8:30 pm
#111
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW-In Plano & CDG-In the 11th
Programs: DL Diamond, AA revenue negative, Bonvoy Titanium +, Avis likes me
Posts: 3,209
Then maybe OP's adult daughter can continue to turn up her nose, AND just bring whatever the ... heck she wants.
There are only 8 F seats, so remember, if OP/adult daughter went to catholic school, bring enough for everyone!
OBTW-FA's don't count-they have a union that probably would prevent sharing without filing a grievance first.
There are only 8 F seats, so remember, if OP/adult daughter went to catholic school, bring enough for everyone!
OBTW-FA's don't count-they have a union that probably would prevent sharing without filing a grievance first.
Jun 13, 2018, 3:50 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,933
Can anyone shed light on what exactly is the bland meal. All it says is it excludes, spices, pickles, garlic, etc. But what type of protein and or carb does it include. My adult daughter is turning up her nose at most of the meals. She would be happy with a bowl of white rice or plain spaghetti, that is her type of meal. I know that isn't a choice. Weird, I have no idea why.
I don't know if they still do this or not, but this suggests that it's possible that a bland meal might have vegan combined proteins (though it might not).
Jun 21, 2018, 9:32 am
#113
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: CoUniHound 1K 1MM, AA EXP 2MM, DL Plat, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,625
I've been trying to get the Hindu meal, based on reports of its yumminess, with little success. DFW-MCO catering didn't load any special meal, and last night's CLT-AUS catering loaded the Asian vegetarian (AVML) instead of the Hindu meal (HNML). I guess I'll keep trying. Although the Asian veg meal wasn't bad.
Jun 24, 2018, 8:27 pm
#114
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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Posts: 13,967
I have a bad feeling that there might be negative changes coming. I'm booked in first JFK-DEN in a few days and can only select one of the normal choices (or special order fruit & cheese plate) but no special meals.
I checked with AA twitter and they said special meals only available on domestic flights > 2200 miles. Then they sent me this helpful link to explain: bit.ly/AASPCLMEALS ... where is says:
So I called EXP desk about another matter and remembered to ask about it. She tried to book AVML (my preference) but it wasn't allowed. She tried VGML & HNML just to see and no luck. She did find both the 2200 mile reference and the "most flights" reference and just shrugged and said its < 2200 so no meal.
On CLT-DEN 10 days ago I had no problem pre-ordering a AVML, so either there is something special about JFK-DEN, or they are back to allowing it on transcon/hawaii flights (> 2200 miles) only.
I checked with AA twitter and they said special meals only available on domestic flights > 2200 miles. Then they sent me this helpful link to explain: bit.ly/AASPCLMEALS ... where is says:
Originally Posted by aa.com
Special meals are available in First or Business on most flights with meal service in the U.S.
So I called EXP desk about another matter and remembered to ask about it. She tried to book AVML (my preference) but it wasn't allowed. She tried VGML & HNML just to see and no luck. She did find both the 2200 mile reference and the "most flights" reference and just shrugged and said its < 2200 so no meal.
On CLT-DEN 10 days ago I had no problem pre-ordering a AVML, so either there is something special about JFK-DEN, or they are back to allowing it on transcon/hawaii flights (> 2200 miles) only.
Jun 24, 2018, 10:19 pm
#115
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
...
I checked with AA twitter and they said special meals only available on domestic flights > 2200 miles. Then they sent me this helpful link to explain: bit.ly/AASPCLMEALS ... where is says:
...
I checked with AA twitter and they said special meals only available on domestic flights > 2200 miles. Then they sent me this helpful link to explain: bit.ly/AASPCLMEALS ... where is says:
...
Jun 25, 2018, 11:29 am
#116
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
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Posts: 13,967
Jun 30, 2018, 6:26 am
#118
Senior Moderator and Moderator: American AAdvantage & TravelBuzz
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 10,416
I have a couple upcoming domestic midcon flights that are all <2200 miles and was able to preorder special meals. ^