What happens to airplane food that is not eaten

Have you ever thought about this issue?

But on board the plane there is always food after the flight. Someone refused, someone just slept and did not have time to eat, and no one canceled the "spare sets" (1 for every 100 servings).

So what happens to the food that is not chosen? Maybe they give it to airport employees or give it to charities? Or maybe she is fed with her dogs and cats that live on the airport?

Who gets cutlets with cutlets that remain unclaimed?

What flight attendants say

Ivan, flight attendant of one of the Russian airlines:

- All aircraft food that remained unclaimed after the flight is packed in carts, sealed, marked in documents and delivered to the on-board catering service. Further, all food products are disposed of, as they have a fixed and short shelf life. The fact is that nutrition in aviation is a very serious aspect. These are already paid products, but it is impossible to risk the health and well-being of passengers.

So, according to the rules, food is simply thrown away.

Board meals Georgian Airways

But maybe at least flight attendants can take out tomatoes from the remaining servings and recharge with vitamins? Sometimes it happens…
The flight attendant from Emirates says that all his colleagues have a separate meal. But some do not mind picking vegetables for themselves on a salad from portions to be disposed of.

Diana, employee of a major international airline:

- For cabin crew there is a separate meal on board - this is a tray with snacks and hot. But since this tray is always the same, the food assortment does not change over the years, so those who work longer than three months can no longer eat crew food. We usually eat business trays - business class passengers often refuse food in favor of sleep, and we get this food.

But it often happens that we take food from home. I am very picky and in the evening I don’t eat anything except kefir and apples, so this set for night flights is always with me. My friend Zhenya is even more confused on diets; she took seven packs of low-fat cottage cheese with her to Cuba, since the tropics are not rich in dairy products.

Food always remains, about 10% of servings, and sometimes more, remain unclaimed. And the passenger can always ask for an addition. We are not obliged to do this, but still we can treat them with an additional hot or sandwich.

Official answer

“Upon arrival of the aircraft at the destination airport, all buffet equipment, including unclaimed food, drinks, etc., must be unloaded from the aircraft and transported to the catering, where it undergoes mandatory sanitation,” said a representative of Aeromar, which supplies on-board meals to most flights from Moscow. - Unclaimed on-board catering from the flight is disposed of.

So, dear hungry travelers, if you are very hungry in flight and you didn’t have enough of a cassette, you can safely ask another cabin crew. If on board there are unclaimed portions, and this, as it turns out, happens almost always, then you will definitely be fed.

The most important thing is courtesy, this is the key to good service and additional services.