Qantas has reinstated a vegetarian meal for financial system passengers on all home flights after a choice to take away the choice on short-haul journeys resulted in a fierce public backlash.
On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Qantas decreased its meal choices for financial system passengers travelling for lower than 3.5 hours to at least one snack choice, usually a rooster and leek pie or a vegetarian quiche or corn fritter. The one choice meant some vegetarian passengers missed out on a meal throughout their flights.
The provider mentioned the choice to cut back the providing got here resulting from “excessive ranges of wastage”, however on Friday it mentioned it might reinstate vegetarian choices and recent fruit on all flights.
A home traveller checks right into a Qantas flight from Sydney Airport on Thursday’s Nationwide Day of Mourning. Credit score:Louie Douvis
“Qantas will monitor take up of those choices and make any additional changes to ensure we mirror buyer preferences,” an announcement from the airline mentioned.
Passengers on all worldwide flights, home Enterprise and on home Economic system cabins on flights over 2.5 hours are supplied with a “vary of dietary meal choices”, the airline continued.
Qantas additionally mentioned it launched plant-based choices on “virtually all” worldwide flights final yr and dedicated to phasing out single used plastics, usually utilized in meals packaging, on board and in its lounges.
The airline’s govt supervisor of product Phil Capps mentioned the airline was pressured to make “alterations” to service throughout COVID-19 and was “within the course of” of refreshing its menus.
“We’re in the midst of a broader menu refresh for our home community that can roll out from October, which incorporates new vegetarian choices. There’s a whole lot of work occurring to get Qantas again to its greatest and that features listening to the suggestions from our prospects as we hold investing in our product and repair,” Capps mentioned.
Regional Categorical presents a complimentary savoury or candy snack in addition to drinks to all passengers on Rex flights. Virgin Australia doesn’t present a complimentary snack or meal choice for any financial system seats on any home flights.