Qantas international Economy Class meals

[kamchatsky]

19 December 2025: QF029 Y MEL-HKG

The first meal with beef, the pretzels, ice cream and cookie were OK. The mash potato tasted very average.

The second/light pasta meal looked bad, tasted bad ......

First Meal:


Second Meal (Light):

 

[kamchatsky]

12 January 2026: QF128 Y HKG-SYD

For dinner, the rice was soggy. So better off just eat the chicken and the veges. The mango ice block was nice. Then again, anything that is pre-packaged by other companies tastes nicer.

The western breakfast tasted very average. I wanted the Chinese breakfast but it all ran out. The best food in breakfast was muffin and tea.

Dinner:



Breakfast:

 

[Mattg]

QF165 BNE-ROR

The economy meal options were pasta carbonara, a chicken salad with Japanese rice or an unadvertised vegetarian dish with tofu. The pasta was fine but I was still hungry afterwards.

There’s no bread roll, dessert or any other accompaniments to go with the meal.



Beer and wine are available, but there’s no sparkling wine or spirits.

Given the 6-hour flight time, I think this is a pretty low effort to be honest.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

QF165 BNE-ROR

The economy meal options were pasta carbonara, a chicken salad with Japanese rice or an unadvertised vegetarian dish with tofu. The pasta was fine but I was still hungry afterwards.

There’s no bread roll, dessert or any other accompaniments to go with the meal.

View attachment 492423

Beer and wine are available, but there’s no sparkling wine or spirits.

Given the 6-hour flight time, I think this is a pretty low effort to be honest.

Looks like it’s catered/treated as a domestic?

 

[Mattg]

Looks like it’s catered/treated as a domestic?

Seems so. I wonder if they have limited catering on board because they need the galley space to store the snacks for the return flight tomorrow? (There’s no caterer in Palau.)

Still, for a 6-hour flight that’s not exactly cheap, I’m not impressed.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Seems so. I wonder if they have limited catering on board because they need the galley space to store the snacks for the return flight tomorrow? (There’s no caterer in Palau.)

Still, for a 6-hour flight that’s not exactly cheap, I’m not impressed.

That rings a bell!

Isn't there somewhere too that has limited (or no) business class catering for the return flight?

 

[Mattg]

That rings a bell!

Isn't there somewhere too that has limited (or no) business class catering for the return flight?

I think this is one of those routes.

A crew member just went through the aisle to warn everyone to eat before getting on the return flight and to bring extra snacks because they only serve a small snack bag on the return flight and it’s not substantial.

 

[The-Aviator]

January 2026 | QF148 | AKL to SYD

Choice of beef with black pepper sauce or barbecue chicken salad with colesaw and farro, they also noted there was a limited number of vegetarian meals on request which was a vegetable tagine with cous cous.

I went with the salad, it was a nice refreshing option. Dessert, a Kit Kat, was brought around later in the flight.

 

[Justinf]

Doesn't look very edible...

Oops, wrong thread. Deleted.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

That rings a bell!

Isn't there somewhere too that has limited (or no) business class catering for the return flight?

Samoa, Tonga, and Palau all suffer from this. No catering at destination and only shelf-stable products possible for the return in both classes.

Still, that's a terrible meal even in Y for a six-hour, international flight.

(J-meal back from Samoa was a sad assortment of packaged snacks. An almost hilarious overabundance of them stacked on the tray --- no doubt the crew's effort to make it look less sad --- but if you're not prepared, it's very disappointing.)

 

[Aeryn]

You would think some enterprising local would make bento boxes or gourmet sandwiches/wraps to capitilaise on tge known deficiency.

I remember flying UA Y from HNL to SFO and knowing there would be no proper food, but all the little japanese takeour places opened early so a bento box was purchased to enjoy in board.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

You would think some enterprising local would make bento boxes or gourmet sandwiches/wraps to capitilaise on tge known deficiency.

Local hotels and restaurants do this in some places. However, it costs money and takes some work, and Mascot says no.