Flybe bans passengers from eating own food in-flight

Low-cost airline Flybe has said it will ban passengers from eating their own food on flights.

The Exeter-based carrier, which flies to 40 airports around Europe, said the change was made to protect passengers who have allergies to certain foodstuffs such as peanuts, after passengers complained about other people eating them.

However, the Air Transport Users' Council (ATUC) has taken a dim view of the prohibition, which takes the form of a warning on menu cards.

"It would be mean for an airline to do that," said an ATUC spokesman. "It appears to be a way of forcing passengers to pay extra to buy food. We do not like passengers being forced into a corner like this. We would urge airlines to calm down and stop taking things to extremes."

Budget airlines such as Flybe, Ryanair and Monarch are deriving an increasing proportion of their revenue from sources other than tickets, so the in-flight sale of food is important to them. These ancillary revenue sources help them to keep their fares low.

Flybe offers various sandwiches, snacks and drinks through its "Deli in the Sky" service, such as chicken tikka wraps, muffins, Pringles, tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

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Comments

[Steve]

I wouldn't mind paying EasyJet and Ryanair for their food but it's overpriced, low quality and not always available. I prefer to buy something in the airport.

[JR]

Flybe has obviously only taken into consideration those who have a nut allergy (seems to be the 'in-thing to blame re foods)..What about those who eat certain foods due to religion or other allergies where the airline - due to short flights and minimum space for catering - cannot supply, eg..gluton free, kosher etc. Will we now see passengers sneaking bites out of sarnies hidden in bags etc...its almost like prohibition! I can see the headline now..."police raid aircraft and arrest man armed with tuna bap!"

[Andy]

Very poor change, but if it is not in the terms and conditions at ticket purchase time or you have not been informed of the change, it is not enforcable. I fly on Flybe regularly and will only comply with my terms and conditions at purchase, not some random, one-sided change.

Perhaps if one-sided contractual changes are allowed, I might want to enforce free food on the flights!

[Sarah Fox]

What happens if you have a wheat or gluten allergy and can't eat their sandwiches,wraps or muffins? Are they going to supply food for people with allergies if they are banning you eating your own food. I somehow think they won't!!

[john noel pallant]

And what do they intend to do if you defy them? This is just another case of cheap airlines becoming more expensive by stealth.I will make a point to avoid Flybe until the start 'serving their customers' properly.

[J.Potts]

Flybe is not a low cost airline as those in the Isle of Man will tell you. Their service generally is over-priced and poor quality compared with BA, but we have no choice. They had better not try enforcing this with our family member who is coeliac.