The cost of airline food
October 19, 2006
It's a well-known fact by now: you'll save money on the ticket price but a low-cost airline could sting you for all the extras. If you're planning on having a snack or a drink on the plane, this new research from Cheapflights is essential reading.
We've found out the cost of some staple items of food and drink from different airlines - a ham sandwich and a gin and tonic included. Our handy table lets you quickly see where you can get the best gastronomic deals... and on which airlines it would be better to take a home-made sarnie.
Most flag carriers continue to offer complimentary meals and drinks, but it may be surprising to see the difference in price from the low-costers. A full meal on Air Southwest, for example, costs less than the price of a sandwich on many other carriers.
With restrictions still in place about the amount of liquid allowed onto a plane in hand luggage, make sure you know how much you're going to be charged for a humble coke or a thirst-quenching gin and tonic. The latter could you set you back a staggering £4.80...
| Airline | Meals | Ham Sandwich | Coca Cola | Gin & Tonic | Tea |
| Aer Lingus * | £5.40 | £3.38 | £1.35 | £3.39 | £1.70 |
| Air Berlin | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Air France | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Air Scotland | N/A | £3 | 70p | £3.70 | £1.60 |
| Air Southwest | £2.50 | N/A | 50p | N/A | £1.50 |
| Alitalia | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| bmi | £6 | £3.50 | £1 | £3.60 | £1.60 |
| bmibaby | £4 | £3.50 | 70p | £3.70 | £1.60 |
| British Airways | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| easyJet | N/A | £3 | 70p | £3.70 | £1.60 |
| Excel Airways | £5 | N/A | 70p | £3.70 | £1.60 |
| First Choice | £12 (return) | N/A | 70p | £3.40 | £1.50 |
| Flybe | £4.50 | £3.75 | £1.50 | £4 | £1.90 |
| Flyglobespan | N/A | £3 | 65p | £3.65 | £1.60 |
| Germanwings * | £3.39 | £2.37 | £1.70 | N/A | £1.70 |
| Iberia * | £6.78 | £4 | £1.70 | £4.40 | £1 |
| Jet2.com | £5 | £3 | 70p | £3.70 | £1.50 |
| KLM | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Monarch | £6 | £3.50 | 75p | £3.75 | £1.60 |
| Ryanair | N/A | £3.65 | £1.15 | £4.80 | £1.90 |
| Thomsonfly | £5 | £3 | £1 | £3.35 | £1.60 |
| Wizz Air * | from £3.70 | £2.70 | £1.35 | £4 | £1.35 |
* Prices have been converted from euros for ease of comparison.
© Cheapflights Ltd
User comments
Airport caterers and airlines must be delighted with the new rules about drinks. I used to travel with a minimum of five small bottles of water (and drank them all), which now must be bought at the airport or on the plane. I wonder how long before this rule is relaxed.
Posted by: marjorie pugh | 14 Nov 2006 18:57:43
Dear Marjorie,
The rules about liquids in hand luggage have recently changed. You are allowed to carry liquids again, however, they must not be in a container bigger than 100ml. For full details of the revised rule please see our recent story Security rules set to be adopted across Europe. I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Sabrina Wolfe, editor, Cheap Flight News
Posted by: Sabrina Wolfe | 15 Nov 2006 11:10:48