If you’re a vegan, have religious or health requirements – too bad, as Qantas adopts a one size fits all

Qantas may be getting flights away on time and losing fewer bags but its changes to meals on short-haul domestic services has passengers up in arms.

Qantas passengers have another reason to feel outraged after it emerged the airline has permanently dumped meals for people with specific dietary requirements from its short-haul flights.

On services under 3.5-hours, Qantas offers only one meal option regardless of a passenger’s dietary preferences. It’s a move that has vegetarians and vegans up in arms.

Planet Ark founder Jon Dee, now the chief executive of Do Something, discovered the menu change on a recent evening flight from Adelaide when he was offered “chicken pie” and nothing else.

“I said there must be a vegetarian option but the crew member told me there wasn’t,” Mr Dee said.

“Three crew members told me they thought it was a really bad decision and I agree with them.”

He said it was not only vegetarians and vegans affected but anyone with specific dietary preferences or requirements, including people with food allergies or whose diets adhered to religious beliefs.

“The decision makes no sense. To me it says ‘we’re charging you premium prices but we don’t care about you. We’re not going to give you the food you were used to getting’,” Mr Dee said.

“It’s 2022. We’re a multicultural country yet the full-service airline thinks it’s a good time to simplify in-flight meals.”

Qantas has a specific vegan offering on its international flights only across all seating.

A Qantas spokeswoman confirmed there had been changes to on-board food and service offerings to streamline delivery for crew.

“We now offer a single meal/snack option per flight on our shorter flights such as chicken pie or a zucchini and onion frittata,” said the spokeswoman.

“If the option on a particular flight is not suitable for vegetarians we try to offer an alternative of a small sweet or savoury snack which is vegetarian.”

On longer domestic and international flights customers could pre-book a range of special meals including vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options, she said.

Qantas was extending the availability of complimentary alcohol, and passengers could now have a free beer or wine from 4pm instead of 5pm.

On flights of two hours or more in duration, free alcohol was served from midday.

Mr Dee said the changes to on-board food meant Qantas was now providing less of a service for people with specific dietary preferences than its low-fares partner Jetstar and rival Virgin Australia.

“Both of those airlines guarantee vegetarian food on every domestic flight,” he said.

After months of performance issues, including flight delays, cancellations and mishandled bags, Mr Dee said there was only so much passengers could take from Qantas.

“The Qantas board has got to get (CEO) Alan Joyce to reverse this or they’ve got to take Alan Joyce off the menu,” he said.

“It’s time we saw a return to the Qantas we love, not this rubbish version we’ve seen since Covid.”

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also weighed into the debate, revealing the group had written to Mr Joyce criticising Qantas for sending “contradictory messages”.

The letter signed by Emily Rice of PETA, pointed out that on one hand Qantas had added vegan options to its international flight menus but on the other invited frequent flyers to redeem points at “serious steakhouses”.

“Ten years ago, adding vegan options to a menu was an innovative step to be applauded,” wrote Ms Rice.

“But as we find ourselves hurtling towards a global temperature increase of 1.5 degrees, we

can no longer afford to indulge in the same destructive habits – and as habits go, meat

consumption is one of the worst for the planet.”

She urged Qantas to “make a clear commitment to the planet (and animals) by serving only vegan meals which everyone can enjoy”.