wrp96

While I disagree with the point the OP is trying to make, for those of you questioning the requirement of a vegan diet, it doesn't matter why the OP's wife needs it. Once someone goes vegan (or any other special diet), giving them a food product their body is no longer used to could cause major issues. So while the initial decision to go vegan may be a preference, no one should assume that it isn't a requirement for them to continue to eat vegan.

As to the issue with meal requests (among other things like seat preference) transferring to other airlines, I can only imagine the logistical hassles. Let's just look at AA and BA, the two closest partners. Both on completely different systems. For any requests you have to get the other airline's PNR and log into their website for everything from seat choice to meal choice, and it's all bound by that airline's policy. Imagine the frustration from BA customers if AA customers could get free seat selection on BA while people who purchased through BA couldn't. Or for an AA customer, if AA was required to provide a full meal on a short flight for someone who booked through BA, while AA customers only get a choice from a snack basket, if they are lucky.

tennessetom

I get that you are frustrated but it isn’t a very long flight, I find that international travel is far more enjoyable when I don’t let minor inconveniences upset me.

BA or bust

Welcome to FT.

PETER01

Welcome to Flyertalk and the BA Forum BAGoldGermany, this place is a fantastic resource for BA/OW fliers and I hope you find it useful. The main BA Forum Dashboard is full of golden nuggets so to speak and worth a read on many a topic.

BA Forum Dashboard

You're only allowed 5 posts on your first day for info. Sometimes the Moderators will combine your initial posts but if not then there's always tomorrow and every day/whenever thereafter to post as much as you like!

Pete

marcopizzaiuolo

There was a case reported by a fellow FT on the JAL forum that was also picked up by the UK mainstream media at the time which makes for a nice case study:

Vegan option on JAL

omk298

While medical school was a while back for me, and I'm not working as a gastroenterologist/GP/relevant specialty, I've never heard of complications from moving from a vegan to a normal diet. I'm pretty confident that vegans can eat a bacon sandwich/steak/burger if they want to without worrying about some kind of re-meating syndrome.

Sealink

I'm actually amazed that an airline like MH doesn't offer vegan meals. It's 2024.
​​​​​​
So I share the OPs shock.

Robespierre

Well I presume it doesn't drive revenue for them. I think the point was made earlier about the AA snack basket in First class even when booked under a BA Business Class Codeshare. Please can we just accept that it is fine for other airlines in other countries and cultures to offer what works for them in their local market and leave it at that. You can look up the service for each individual flight on the carriers website. None of this is BA's problem.

infrequentflytalker

I pity all who wasted their time defending an airline for not catering for a common dietary requirement 😂

kabroui

I have some exprience with this.... I tried a vegetarian diet many moons ago and lasted about six month. After deciding it wasn't for me, I figured that a large T-Bone steak was a great way to 'ease back' into a meat eating diet. Let's just say things did not go well and the steak made a quick exit.

On the other hand, maybe I read this wrong, but I thought the OP had the option of selecting a vegetarian meal and the issue was that it wasn't a vegan meal. I'm aware of the difference, but if that was the case, I think I will just roll my eyes and move along.

Stripe

Here are my thoughts...

• It's a 3 hour flight. If you were on a three hour flight on someone like Delta in the US you wouldn't have a dietary option at all, let alone vegan.
• It may come as a surprise that in many less affluent parts of the world, people don't have the luxury to be that precise with their diet.
• Even if you had the opportunity to order a vegan meal there is a reasonable chance that the contents wouldn't fit your definition or that it wouldn't be catered at all. On a recent AA flight in the US I ordered an Asian Vegetarian meal but the catering folks thought that the vegan meal was the same thing. Except for a small lettuce and tomato salad, it was inedible.
• The ordinary vegetarian meal will likely have at least some things that qualify as vegan, so you won't starve.

In short, get over it. Pack your own food if your needs are that inflexible.

oceanscape

/end of thread!

simonsmith

They do : see my post above . They even supply Vegan meals on Domestic routes

https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/uk/...-call-business

BlueThroughCrimp

Meah. All these special meals for various reasons, and there's still not one for "Just give me more meat, and sod the veg".
I've got over it.

JezFleming

If it's not available, it's not available. Fly another airline. Simple.