Are airlines legally obligated to feed passengers without charging?
Is there any duration and/or distance of flight beyond which airlines are legally obliged to feed passengers without charging them for it? If so, what is the limit?
In case jurisdictions matter, I'm flying from Australia to Japan with Jetstar, a presumably Australian airline.
Best Answer
No, there is no regulation that obliges airlines to provide free food during the normal operation of flights.
However, in the EU they do have to provide free "meals and refreshments in a reasonable relation to the waiting time" when a flight is delayed by more than two to four hours (depending on the length of the flight).
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The new law, called the Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights, increases passenger compensation, restricts high airline fees, and requires the refund of baggage fees for lost or delayed baggage, among many other provisions.How long does a flight have to be for them to serve you food?
Meal service is determined by time of day, flying time and mileage, but in general, food is served on flights of approximately four hours or more than 1,750 miles. Meals and snacks are available for purchase on domestic flights longer than 3 1/2 hours or 1,550 miles.Do they feed you on flights?
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Answer 2
The terms and conditions for a Qantas flight I'm on explicitly mentions that JetStar usually doesn't supply food and beverage as an inclusion. This suggests that they aren't merely bluffing about not supplying it:
Jetstar (JQ) & Jetstar Asia (3K) Flights - Onboard Inclusions/Exclusions
Food, beverages and entertainment are not included in most Jetstar fares.
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