Why do airlines (typically?) require customers to phone for special meals, and not provide this option online?
When travelling on flights where meals are included, travellers who need special meals, such as vegetarian or kosher, are, in my experience, typically required to make such a request by phone.
For the traveller, this might mean a 15 minute hold, followed by a 1 minute phonecall. After all, the operator simply needs to make an entry into a database somewhere.
Why don't airlines offer seem to offer travellers the option to select their special meal request through an online interface? Or do I just have the bad luck to happen to fly with airlines where this request can only be made by phone?
Examples: Air Transat, Korean Air both require to contact the service centre by telephone.
Best Answer
Either you've been misinformed, or we're travelling on different airlines...
For a flight I have next week, I've just logged into the "Manage My Booking" section of the airline's website (BA). Once I pick the flight, I see this:
By picking the Special Requirements link, I can request a special meal, and additionally on the right hand menu of special options it offers it there too!
Next up, trying a flight with Qatar Airways for several months time. After going to Manage A Booking, there's a section there called Flight Special Requests, which currently shows my seats, and that I haven't requested any special meals. Hitting the modify button brings up a page where I can pick special meals for each flight, including a fairly good list:
Once you have booked your flight, be that with the airline, or a travel agent, or a website, you'll get a booking reference (normally 5 or 6 characters). Go to the airline's website, pick Manage My Booking or similar, and look for something like Special Requests, then from there pick your meals. As long as you're flying with a moderately decent airline, you should have no problem doing so, as shown above!
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What does special meal mean?
SPECIAL MEAL Definition & Legal MeaningA term used in the travel industry for an alternative meal ordered in advance by passengers. It may be for a child, vegetarian , low salt for example.How do I request a special meal on American Airlines?
Home pageAre in flight meals free?
Fortunately, as we've noted, most long-haul flights still include a free meal or meals. But you should plan to eat at a time that will enable you to skip the expensive airport food options and yet not feel hungry during the first part of your flight, when the meal service still could be several hours away.Why did they stop serving food on planes?
Most airlines began cutting back or eliminating food and beverage sales on planes and closing airport lounges in March 2020 to help slow the spread of the virus. Some airlines limited the onboard service to boxed meals for long-haul and international flights.SALES INTERVIEW Questions And Answers (How To PASS Your Sales interview!)
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Answer 2
Airlines provide special meals as an accommodation for special needs (religious, medical, etc), not as an a la carte option. As such they make it something you have to request direct, to indirectly limit it to those who really need it. Allowing passengers to essentially order a la carte online makes catering the flight more difficult and more expensive.
Some airlines do allow you to save your special meal needs in your frequent flyer profile, others allow you to choose at the time of booking, but many make you order it special.
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