Cheapflights.co.uk, which calls itself a travel price comparison website, but in truth is a booking agency, and nothing wrong with that, has undertaken the first survey of in-flight charges for food amongst the so-called low cost airlines.
Now it is true that budget airlines can save you a small fortune on air travel, but getting a bit peckish or thirsty up in the sky can make those savings diminish rather quickly. Cheapflights has conducted a survey to find out where menu prices can erode savings made on the ticket price. It compares the prices of in-flight meals and other items such as a ham sandwich, Coca Cola, a gin and tonic and a cup of tea across 22 airlines that travel from the UK. Those flying on the major airlines such as Air Berlin, Air France and British Airways can breathe a sigh of relief as all of these items come complimentary with the flight. Alitalia also offers this service free and every year looses money. Economy passengers on profitable Iberia have to pay for their meal.
Don”t board hungry on Air Scotland, easyJet, Flyglobespan or Ryanair as no in-flight meals are available at all, only snacks. For those after a little tipple on the flight, you can find the cheapest gin and tonic on Thomsonfly at ”3.35 while Ryanair has the most expensive G&T at ”4.80. Coca Cola costs an astounding two and half times more on Germanwings and Iberia (”1.70) than on Flyglobespan (65p). These remarkable differences continue with Iberia”s in-flight meal (”6.78) costing double the price of Germanwings (”3.39) and Iberia”s ham sandwich (”4) is also 68% dearer than Germanwings (”2.37).
A cup of tea, however, is a significant 90% more expensive on Flybe and Ryanair (”1.90) than on Iberia who sells the cheapest cup at ”1. To see the full table of results visit Cheapflights” website. It is not on the list but Atlantic Express, flying between Stansted and Jersey is proud of the fact that tea, coffee and orange squash comes free. Please note that some of the charges shown are straight conversions from Euros.
http://news.cheapflights.co.uk/flights/2006/10/airline_meals_h.html