FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) has initiated an inquiry into a meal described as “moldy and rancid,” reportedly served to a passenger during a recent flight.
Using the username Duty_free_USA, the passenger shared a photo of the kosher meal—a meal adhering to Jewish dietary laws—in a Reddit post on May 1. The image displayed what appeared to be mold spots on certain food items in a black tray.
American Airlines Spoil Meal Case
The passenger, who chose not to disclose their identity or location, informed Newsweek that the meal was provided on Flight AA67 from Barcelona Airport (BCN) in Spain to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City. However, the flight date was not specified. They remarked, “I think the orange was supposed to be salmon.”
Accompanying the post, the passenger wrote, “This wasn’t a singular issue. Every single kosher meal, breakfast, and dinner was moldy and rancid. What should I do?”
A spokesperson for American Airlines informed Newsweek, “We take immense pride in our food and beverage offerings, and that meal, which was salmon with vegetables, clearly does not meet American’s quality standards… Our team is conducting a thorough investigation.”
The airline is collaborating with its catering partners in Barcelona to address the matter.
“We take complaints very seriously, and this is the first complaint of this nature regarding the kosher meal that we have encountered,” the spokesperson stated, emphasizing that the case is under “thorough investigation.”
Billion-dollar Industry
The recent post coincides with the global in-flight catering services market, which was valued at $16.01 billion in 2022 and is projected to witness a compound annual growth rate of 5.9 percent from 2023 to 2030, according to a report by Grand View Research, a market research and consulting company headquartered in San Francisco.
The report highlights the emergence of ready-to-eat meals for travelers and the increasing demand for catering services on long-distance, nonstop flights as key factors driving market growth.
It notes that airlines benchmark themselves against competitors worldwide by establishing reasonable price ranges for on-board meals. At the same time, major in-flight catering companies try to offer meals catering to culturally diverse passengers.
In the caption accompanying the Reddit post, the passenger asserted that when they raised the issue with a flight attendant, “he said that if I am unsatisfied with the meal, then I should reach out to the kosher food company directly and that this is not an American Airlines issue. Is the flight attendant right? Or should I reach out to American Airlines about this issue?”
American Airlines Official Remarks
Regarding the alleged response of the flight attendant to the passenger, the American Airlines spokesperson remarked, “That’s also something we are investigating.”
She remarked, “Our investigation extends beyond just examining the meal aspect [of the recent incident]; we’re also delving into the passenger’s overall experience and actions. Our team is actively working to communicate with the affected passenger to obtain comprehensive information and address the issue satisfactorily.”
The exact circumstances surrounding the food incident remain unconfirmed, including whether mold was present, as indicated in the Reddit post, and whether the passenger will receive reimbursement for the meal.
The spokesperson emphasized that she “cannot provide confirmation at this juncture” as the investigation is ongoing, and “there is limited information we can disclose as we are still in the information-gathering phase.”
She emphasized, “We are treating this matter very seriously to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.”
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The post American Airlines Investigates the Case of Spoil Meals Served in Flight appeared first on Aviation A2Z.