The food offered on Australia’s top international airlines has been ranked based on their average ratings from several review sites, with Qatar Airways taking out top spot and budget carriers Jetstar and Scoot tied for last.
Qatar Airways took out the top spot for the best-rated in-flight food with an overall score of 7/10, followed closely by Singapore Airlines at 6.9/10 and Emirates at 6.3/10.
“Premium airlines dominate the top spots for in-flight food ratings, which is no surprise given you’re likely paying top dollar to fly with them. Along with better meals, you’d expect greater customer service and overall comfort compared to mid-tier airlines,” said Sean Callery from Money.com.au which compiled the rankings from review sites such as Tripadvisor, ProductReview and Skytrax.
“For long-haul travellers, meal quality can be a game changer, and the rankings suggest that, sometimes, you get what you pay for,” he said.
Air New Zealand ranked 4th with a solid score of 6.1/10, followed by Cathay Pacific at 5.8/10. Both stand out as relatively strong contenders for in-flight food quality based on the ratings, especially when compared to other airlines outside the premium category.
“Air New Zealand ranking ahead of Qantas in meal quality is bound to ruffle a few feathers. It could stir up some friendly rivalry, but New Zealand’s national carrier is clearly winning when it comes to serving up better in-flight meals,” Callery said.
Qantas landed in 6th place with a food score of 5.5/10. Australia’s second-largest airline, Virgin Australia, followed closely with a score of 5.4/10.
“The fact that no domestic carriers made it into the top half of the table is not great news for people who regularly fly within Australia. The consolation is that many of the most popular internal flight routes are short enough that you probably don’t need a meal on board,” Callery said.
Malaysia Airlines comes in 8th place with a food score of 5.1/10, while budget airlines Jetstar and Scoot tied at the bottom with matching scores of 3.9/10.
“If you’re flying economy with a low-cost carrier, you’ll generally have to pay for on-board meals. If these rankings are anything to go by, you might be better off saving the extra cost and packing your own snacks,” Callery concluded.
