Emirates Mistakenly Served Halal Meat Meal to Vegan Passengers

dailyblitz.de 3 days ago

DUBAI- The flag carrier of UAE, Emirates Airline (EK) mistakenly served halal meat instead of vegan meals to two passengers on a flight from Dubai (DXB) to Bangkok (BKK) in March 2024.

A Glasgow couple who had specifically ordered vegan meals through their travel agent, Hays Travel, were repeatedly served halal meat dishes instead, sparking concerns about Emirates’ special meal ordering system reliability.

Emirates Mistakenly Served Non-Vegan Meal

Mr. Ashby McGowan narrated the complete incident to Aviation A2Z in an email.

The incident occurred when Mr. Ashby McGowan and his wife traveled from Glasgow to Thailand via Dubai in March 2024.

Despite confirming their vegan meal requests multiple times with Hays Travel before departure, the couple discovered that Emirates’ system had them registered for halal meat meals on most legs of their journey.

The situation escalated during the Dubai to Bangkok leg when a flight attendant refused to provide alternative options after the couple declined the halal meat meals.

According to Mr. McGowan’s complaint, the steward became visibly upset and allegedly stated, “If your travel agent can’t order vegan food I am not helping you.”

The crew member reportedly showed the passengers Emirates’ computer records indicating they had not ordered vegan meals and subsequently declined to provide them with food, drinks, or coffee during the long-haul flight.

The aftermath proved equally frustrating for the passengers. Mr. McGowan reported making six separate complaints to Hays Travel in Glasgow, who insisted they had correctly booked vegan meals. After two months of communication between Hays and Emirates, the airline refused to acknowledge any error in their meal ordering system.

Emirates’ complaint-handling process compounded the issue. Mr. McGowan noted that the airline lacks a dedicated complaints email address, instead using a “Comments” website that he found difficult to navigate. In his January 2025 update, he stated that Emirates lost his complaint details four times, requiring him to resubmit his concerns repeatedly.

When Emirates finally responded in December 2024, nearly six months after the initial complaint, they offered the couple 15,000 complimentary Skywards Miles each as a goodwill gesture. However, their response contained another error, referring to the couple’s request as “vegetarian” rather than “vegan” meals.

ALSO READ: Emirates Cabin Crew Mocks Passenger Flying First Class on A380

Systemic Issues With Special Meal Orders

Mr. McGowan expressed particular concern that other passengers could face similar problems. He noted, “I asked why any vegan would trust them when their computer is faulty,” a question that remained unanswered by Emirates.

The passenger also commented on the quality of vegan meals when they were correctly served on other Emirates flights on the later leg, describing most as “poor quality” with only one meal being “tasty and nutritious.” The airline also reportedly did not provide soy milk alternatives for coffee service.

This incident highlights potential systemic issues with Emirates’ special meal ordering system. The disconnect between what the travel agent claimed to have ordered and what appeared in Emirates’ system raises questions about the reliability of their meal request protocols.

So I suggest you always verify your meals before eating them and check whether it’s vegan, vegetarian, non-veg, or some specially requested meals.

A Friendly Note from Editor

Strong Demand for Vegan Meals

Emirates reported a 40% year-on-year surge in demand for plant-based meals across its global network. In response, the airline is expanding its in-flight and lounge offerings by adding new items to its extensive “vegan vault,” which now includes over 300 recipes.

The airline’s investment in vegan cuisine reflects a broader shift in passenger preferences, especially on routes to major destinations such as Tokyo (NRT), Manila (MNL), and Beijing (PEK), where plant-based meal consumption has notably exceeded passenger volume growth.

Emirates served more than 450,000 vegan meals onboard in 2023, a sharp increase from 280,000 in 2022. This jump aligns with growing interest in plant-based diets, especially during global initiatives like Veganuary. The airline now rotates over 300 vegan dishes across 140 destinations, up from 180 dishes the previous year.

The most significant growth was recorded in Economy Class, with added demand on flights serving China, Japan, and the Philippines. Regionally, consumption outpaced passenger growth by 4% in Africa, 5% in Southeast Asia, and a striking 34% in the Middle East. Emirates Cabin Crew has also embraced the shift—vegan meals for crew have been offered since 2018.

Emirates first introduced vegan meals in the 1990s, mainly on routes like Addis Ababa (ADD), catering to Ethiopian Orthodox fasting requirements. Over time, demand spread to North America, Australia, Europe, and Asia. In 2022, Emirates launched an upgraded vegan menu in First and Business Class, catering not just to lifestyle choices but also to those seeking lighter, health-conscious meals.

Similar Incidents

A consumer court in Ahmedabad has directed Emirates Airlines to pay ₹75,000 compensation to a couple who were served non-vegetarian food and missed their connecting flight due to delays in 2018.

Dinkar and Mrudula Patel from Maninagar were traveling to London to visit their son on May 20, 2018. Their Emirates flight to Dubai was delayed by more than three hours, causing them to miss their connecting flight to London. The couple was forced to spend the night in Dubai and take another flight the following day.

During their return journey, when boarding at Dubai for Ahmedabad, one of the Patels was served non-vegetarian food despite selecting the vegetarian option. Upon opening the meal box and discovering it contained non-vegetarian food, Patel immediately returned it.

Following their return to India, the couple filed a lawsuit against Emirates in the Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission, Ahmedabad District (Additional), seeking ₹3.14 lakh in damages.

Their claim included ₹21,000 for income loss suffered by their son who had to take an additional day off work to receive them in London, compensation for their overnight stay in Dubai, and ₹2 lakh for being served non-vegetarian food against their clearly stated preference.

Emirates defended the flight delay, attributing it to a medical emergency beyond their control. The airline acknowledged the food service error, calling it a mistake by an air hostess, and noted that proper accommodations were provided during the Dubai layover. They also pointed out that “non-vegetarian food” was clearly marked on the box, which the passengers returned without consuming.

After reviewing the case, the commission ruled in favor of the couple, ordering Emirates to pay ₹20,000 for the food service error, ₹50,000 for the flight delay that disrupted their travel plans, and an additional ₹5,000 toward legal expenses.

Other Carriers Serving Non-Veg Meals by Mistake

Three years ago, Saudia Airlines (SV) faced criticism when a passenger traveling from Jeddah (JED) to Europe was twice served chicken despite ordering a vegetarian Hindu meal and confirming its contents with cabin crew. The passenger, who had never consumed meat before, described feeling “queasy and guilty” after unknowingly eating chicken.

Air India (AI) also grounded two flight attendants in March 2022 after serving non-vegetarian food to a passenger who had ordered a Jain vegetarian meal on a Tokyo (HND) to Delhi (DEL) flight. The incident prompted the Gujarat Animal Welfare Board and the Jain community to petition India’s Minister of Civil Aviation for a ban on non-vegetarian meals on domestic flights.

Similarly, In 2013, Lufthansa (LH) faced complaints when a Hindu vegetarian passenger was mistakenly served non-vegetarian food in business class on a flight to Delhi (DEL), causing significant distress.

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