Describe your worst AA in-flight meal ever
Jul 3, 2018, 8:13 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
Can't remember if it was UA or AA, but many years ago when flying home from college I requested a vegetarian meal in advance, and it turned out to be a slab of unseasoned tofu on a rock hard bun. No condiments or anything. Learned my lesson 
Jul 3, 2018, 8:23 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Here and there
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,551
The breakfast I was served on a JFK-LHR day flight in 2012. It was a white, somewhat runny substance, and to this day I have no idea what it was. It may have been an undercooked omelette, but it was a little sweet. It could have been a rice pudding, but it wasn't lumpy enough. Long Train Runnin is right; I'm sad I don't have a photo.
Jul 3, 2018, 11:05 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Laguna Niguel, CA
Programs: AA PLT, 1.8mm
Posts: 6,988
tonight's choices from DFW-SJO were the stuffed peppers or new nicoise salad. The peppers (with 3 cheeses) smelled like feet, so I had the salad. A cold plate of 3 hard boiled egg halves, potato, tomato and asparagus, served on a single romaine leaf, with cold chicken on the side.
Jul 4, 2018, 4:19 am
#20
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,193
I wonder why we as travelers expect a decent meal on any airline.
My way of thinking is that , If I know I will be hungry, eat before, and I wont be disappointed.
I have stopped counting the meal on a plane to be edible
My way of thinking is that , If I know I will be hungry, eat before, and I wont be disappointed.
I have stopped counting the meal on a plane to be edible
Jul 6, 2018, 11:33 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
I can't say I've had a "bad" meal on AA or US. My worst meal ever, though, was in UA C on ICN-NRT once. Cold chicken breast with salad - probably the worst chicken I've ever seen or tasted. Was totally rubbery, and the salad was of questionable freshness at best.
I can generally slog thru any meal, but I couldn't touch that one after tasting it.
I remember getting Chicken Kiev once in US Y back in the early 90s. Sad that most coach meals then were still better than the F meals we get now.
I can generally slog thru any meal, but I couldn't touch that one after tasting it.
I remember getting Chicken Kiev once in US Y back in the early 90s. Sad that most coach meals then were still better than the F meals we get now.
Jul 6, 2018, 4:41 pm
#23
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: QDF
Programs: AA EXP (2MM), Marriott Tit
Posts: 1,039
Jul 7, 2018, 8:24 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SAN
Programs: AA CK, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 839
I’m rather jaded from 30 years of constant air travel so I have very low expectations and usually carry my own snacks onboard and/or eat prior to boarding. The worst are any steak offerings in J or F followed by slimy pasta dishes and chicken curry. The safest, most edible meals are breakfast.
Jul 7, 2018, 8:27 am
#27
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AAdvantage Exec Platinum, Hertz #1 Club Gold Five Star, IHG Platinum, Marriott Gold, HHonors Silver
Posts: 2,039
I had the stuffed pepper a few days ago that everyone has been maligning. I actually thought it was pretty decent for airline food and would eat it again.
Jul 7, 2018, 9:47 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: United Premier Platinum
Posts: 638
ALL of my x-PEK meals have been some variation of this, regardless of airline, alliance, cabin, caterer, or any other variables. I am starting to think there is just a Panda Express deep in the basement of PEK that cooks a week’s worth of meals once every seven days.
Jul 7, 2018, 9:48 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Just because food is served while in-flight doesn't mean it has to be awful. In fact, most of the in-flight meals I've had on foreign carriers have been pretty good. A few have been excellent, and not always in Business Class.
I flew from Bangkok to Phuket (45 min flight) in bare-bones economy last year and they served a fantastic Thai meal. Yep--you got that right: they served a great meal to a planeload of ~100 passengers in less than 15 mins (the amount of usable time between take off and landing).
And don't even get me started about my fantastic meal on Austrian Airlines' Business Class from Vienna to LAX last week. Here's a pic of just the main course: Austrian style stuffed chicken breast with goulash sauce, lima beans, and grilled asparagus. Chicken was absolutely perfectly cooked and plated beautifully.
Chicken on Austrian
I flew from Bangkok to Phuket (45 min flight) in bare-bones economy last year and they served a fantastic Thai meal. Yep--you got that right: they served a great meal to a planeload of ~100 passengers in less than 15 mins (the amount of usable time between take off and landing).
And don't even get me started about my fantastic meal on Austrian Airlines' Business Class from Vienna to LAX last week. Here's a pic of just the main course: Austrian style stuffed chicken breast with goulash sauce, lima beans, and grilled asparagus. Chicken was absolutely perfectly cooked and plated beautifully.
Chicken on Austrian
Jul 7, 2018, 12:47 pm
#30
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New York City + Vail, CO
Programs: American Airlines Executive Platinum, Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite
Posts: 3,226
A hummus plate I had in domestic J on an ATL -> DFW. It was the only option by the time the FA got to me. The hummus was runny and there were only bread-sticks for dipping. I asked the FA to get me a snack box from Y. All of my international Y meals have been better, and some have been significantly better.