Flying with Qatar Airways soon? Then you’ll be glad to know that Qatar Airlines provides vegan meals to all clients.
I’ve flown with Qatar Airways several times now. It is usually one of the best and most cost-effective ways to fly between Europe and Asia. My normal travel path is between Vietnam and the United Kingdom. It includes a stopover at Hamad International Airport and several vegan lunches in between.
In this blog, I will discuss my experience ordering vegan meals on Qatar Airways and the quality of the meals themselves.
How are the vegan meals on Qatar Airways?
Qatar Airways’ vegan lunches have been a mixed bag. The offering, like that of any other airline, is entirely dependent on the airport from which you depart. In my experience, when flying out of countries like Vietnam, you will find a great selection of vegan food, however if you fly out of the UK, you will be far more likely to see vegan butter on your bread.
Despite the variations, I find that the majority of their vegan meals meet a comparable quality. Some just taste better than others. Here’s a summary of my experiences with each dining service.
Main meal
The main lunch is always the best part of a Qatar Airways flight. I have yet to be given anything that I did not like. Most of the time, you’ll get some form of rice meal, usually a curry, with a side salad and fruit. This was the case when departing the United Kingdom.
We were handed cake on our flight out of Vietnam, which made things even more thrilling. Yes, vegan cake on an airplane. It has to be a first for me! Plus, their side salad of tofu and mushrooms was flavorful (Vietnam knows how to make salad), and it went well with the tofu rice dish we were served.
Small meal
You will be served a small meal on flights lasting 7 to 12 hours. This is typically just a sandwich. And the vegan option has always been an unappealing roasted vegetable sandwich. It makes my stomach turn just writing about it.
I couldn’t get myself to try it, but my girlfriend did. He has a much stronger stomach than I do, and he tolerated it fairly well.
That being said, I’ve seen non-vegan versions of these sandwiches, and they don’t look that good either.
I usually decline smaller meals when they arrive. However, on a flight out of Vietnam, I was handed a vegan pizza pocket filled with a hot, rich tomato and mushroom sauce. I hope they offer me this again one day; it much outperforms the vegetable sandwich.
Drinks
I’ve heard that soya and oat milk are available in Qatar Airways’ lounges, but I have yet to see any plant-based milk options served during the beverages service onboard their flights. They may have them in business or first class, but not in economy, regrettably.
If you want a coffee or tea, you must drink it black. Alternatively, stick to spirits, as I do!
Snacks
Snacks are usually distributed at the beginning of the journey. For the previous several flights I’ve taken, we were handed rice crackers flavored with soy sauce. These are vegan. However, other folks have reported receiving non-vegan foods. So keep this in mind!
Occasionally, approximately halfway during a flight, I’ve been given a sweet snack. This is typically a packet of Lotus Biscoff, which are unintentionally vegan and amazing!
You can order additional snacks during your flight. However, the vegan lunches on Qatar Airways are so large that I doubt you’d need to.
Overall experience
When you make a stopover with Qatar Airways, you may find yourself on two 7-hour flights, or perhaps one 7-hour and one 12-hour journey. I prefer to fly on routes with the former, and I always end up consuming far more food than I would like in that time. You effectively get two large meals and two little meals in a 14-16 hour period.
So, while the food is always of exceptional quality, I would recommend just accepting the vegan main courses and declining the smaller dishes. Otherwise, you’ll wind yourself eating a lot. Furthermore, smaller vegan meals are seldom as wonderful in my experience.
How many meals do you get on Qatar Airways?
The number of meals served in economy class on a Qatar Airways aircraft is determined on the flight time.
For flights under two hours: unlimited refreshments.
For flights longer than 2 hours: one main meal and unlimited snacks.
For flights longer than 7 hours: One main meal, one mini lunch, and unlimited snacks.
For flights longer than 12 hours: Two main meals and unlimited snacks.
For any business or first-class customers, you can purchase from their à la carte menu or place an order ahead of time using your online account.
In addition to food, all Qatar Airways flights have complementary beverages. If I’m on a long flight, I like to order a couple G&Ts or Mimosas to help me fall asleep. Be careful not to drink too much or too quickly, as their cocktails are incredibly potent!
How do you order vegan meals on Qatar Airways?
It is very easy to get a vegan dinner on Qatar Airways. If you booked online using the Qatar Airways website, go to the’manage booking’ option on the homepage to request a special meal.
Screenshot of Qatar Airways’ Manage Booking function on their website.
If you booked directly through their office or with an agency, you must contact them to obtain it.
The universal meal code for vegan meals is VGML. You must select this option on the’manage booking’ page, after which your request will be processed immediately. Discover all of the special dining options here.
I enjoy how Qatar Airlines displays your meal request next to your name on the online booking management tool and on your boarding pass. So, if you’re feeling a little nervous a few days before your flight, you can quickly double-check that you’ve requested your meals.
How is the service on Qatar Airways?
Overall, the service I received on all Qatar Airways flights was excellent. The drinks cart comes by frequently, and the staff is always glad to assist. My only concern is with the delivery of the special meals.
Most airlines serve special meals before bringing the food cart through for the rest of the passengers. On numerous occasions, flight attendants have come around at the beginning of the flight to double-check my special lunch order. This has always made me feel more at ease knowing that my food request will be accomplished.
Unfortunately, my special food has been forgotten on a number of Qatar Airways flights. This has resulted in the food cart passing by, attempting to pass me something containing meat. I’ll quickly confirm with them that it is my vegan food, and they usually swiftly return my tray and go retrieve my vegan dish.
Fortunately, I have always received the specified vegan dinner. I’ve read stories about vegans surviving on crisps during 12-hour flights on other airlines since their vegan meal was not processed. Fortunately, none of this applies to Qatar Airways. I only wish they would streamline the process of distributing special meals.