This Airline Serves Dog Food to Passengers in First Class

We have all had our fair share of yucky airplane food. Everyone generally criticizes airplane food as it is often dull in flavor and variety. Combine this together with the crankiness of catching an early flight, and you will have yourself a not-so-delightful experience. While that is bad enough by itself, there is even worse out there. What could be worse than normal airline food you might ask? Well, this airplane took it up a notch. An airline serves dog food exclusive to first-class passengers as a delight.

Airline Serves Dog Food for High-Paying Passengers

A photo from a China Eastern Airlines flight in business class reveals a menu with options like beef, seafood, and soup. However, a notable addition catches attention, as one starter is listed as “imported dog food with okra.” The passenger, Conrad Wu, shared the image on Facebook, prompting questions about the accuracy of the translation and the nature of the dish.

Are They Really Serving Dog Food?

Well, not quite! Airplane food might be disgusting, but this would be a definitive health hazard. It was actually a mistranslation. Social media users have commented on the mistranslation of China Eastern Airlines’ menu, with Coleman So cautioning about the consequences of Google Translate. Dai Ching made a playful remark, suggesting the dish might be a “hot dog.”

The image was also shared on Reddit, where a user noted the specificity of “imported” dog food, humorously suggesting that economy-class passengers only receive domestic dog food. The specific dish referred to in the translated menu remains unclear, and efforts have been made to seek clarification from the airline by The Independent.

But, Why Does Airplane Food Taste So Bad in General?

While you are not really eating dog food any time soon, the plane food options are still always criticized. However, the reason why they taste so bland and bad is not surprising. Airlines freeze pre-made meals on the ground before takeoff and then thaw them during the flight, as explained by Charles Spence, an experimental psychology professor at the University of Oxford. Despite cruising at around 40,000 feet, the cabin air pressure is equivalent to 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level, making it challenging to prepare fresh meals onboard.

Airplane food preparation is comparable to fast food, but flight attendants face the challenge of serving a larger number of passengers in a shorter time frame, according to Guillaume de Syon, a professor at Albright College. To prevent food from drying out while serving hundreds of people simultaneously, airlines often include elements like chicken in cream sauce, extra gravy for beef, or mashed potatoes with a runny consistency in typical economy-class meals.

The Altitude Also Affects the Food

Despite efforts to make airplane food taste good on the ground, the combination of dry air, low pressure, and loud engine noises in flight cabins significantly impairs passengers’ ability to smell and taste. This can make even well-prepared food seem slightly off during the flight.

Would you ever be brave enough to try dog food on your next flight?

You might also want to read: This Airline Is for 18+ Only! No “Annoying” Children Allowed