8 hours on a plane and no meal service!

[DisneyVillans]

I just picked up my tickets for our August trip to WDW. We will be leaving Portland, Or. at 8 am, which means we will have arrived at the airport at 5am. Our flight goes to Pheonix, Az, a four hour flight. We have one hour on the ground. We do not change planes, and I am assuming that we probably will not be allowed to get off the plane. And even if we could, I'm not sure I want to. From Pheonix we fly for another four hours before touching down in Orlando.

None of this would be a problem, except that there is no meal service on either flight! Drinks will be served, but no food. I know that I could make it. I know my husband can make it. I just don't relish the thought of being cooped up on a plane for that long with a hungry 10 and 13 year old! They can't last 20 minutes without saying that they are starving.

So, my question is - what are good food items to take on the plane? I can think of things like cereal bars, cookies, stuff like that. Does anyone have any other great ideas? We will be staying in a hotel the night before the flight and won't have access to a fridge. Any help would be great!

[CarolA]

You did not say what airline. If you are on SW don't get off, if you are on someone else you can.

Anyway, I have seen just about anything packed. Trailmix, Sandwiches, Bagels, you name it. Just remember no knifes and pack a picnic.

[ducklite]

Actually most of the carriers have cut back dramatically on food service in coach class. It actually started pre Sept 11, but was really cut back after that.

I was recently on a flight from Newark to Pittsburgh to Las Vegas, which is a simlar amount of time flying as you have, and there was no food service in coach. THey made an announcement at the gate in Pittsburgh that there would be no food service on the flight, but people were welcomed to carryon a snack or meal.

I'd suggest packing sandwiches for everyone. Also chips and snacks. Yes, they do beverage service, but it might not be enough, so you might want to bring along some cans of soda, bottled water or juice boxes.

Anne

[josierac]

Most airlines will make you get off whether you want to or not. That is to clean the plane, security, etc so you may have time to grab something quick. Continental still has meal service if on the plane during a meal hour

We once took a flight from NJ to HOnolulu with a stop in LA. Even though we had the same seats for the whole flight. We had to get off the plane and take our carryon off.

[Bob NC]

When you land in Phoenix, get off the plane and purchase sandwiches or pizza. As a matter of fact, buy 12 sandwiches. When the plane takes off your family can eat 4 sandwiches, then halfway thru the flight you can have a kind of eBay, inflight, auction of the remaining 8 sandwiches.....You'll make a fortune.....

[Threehearts]

BobNC- That's a hoot!! We fly 7 or 8 times a year and every time I bring meals on the plane I can feel the lions circling. LOL. It was only after wanting to swipe my seatmate's sandwich that I decided never to forget my own food. Threehearts

[skeezixspud]

That's what we do, though we don't spend the previous night in a hotel. I call ahead to our favorite deli and have the sandwiches made up, then I pick them up on the way to the airport. I pack the stuff in a soft cooler that is small enough to serve as a carryon. I usually also throw in a bag of bite-sized cookies and one of chex mix if the flight is long. (These are less bulky.)

If you are in a hotel, I'd get the sandwiches the night before, then ask the hotel to store them in the restaurant fridge. (They will do this for you, just put them in a plain paper bag with your names on it.) Get them back in the morning before you check out.

BTW: many airlines don't carry cups suitable for children to use; many also do not carry milk on board. I bring a spillproof cup for the little one, plus a couple of juiceboxes. We freeze the juiceboxes, and also put ice in the cup; that keeps our sandwiches colder.

For the sake of the starving folks around you, try not to bring really aromatic food on board!
(Unless, of course, you really do want to hold an auction!)

[GeorgeG]

I have to agree with packing along some sandwiches. It's entirely unreasonable to expect people to go eight hours without at least a light meal. Taking your own food would probably be better than whatever they have to offer, anyhow.

Next thing they cut back on will probably be the rest rooms. After all, if they don't serve anything to eat or drink, we should be able to hold it until the plane lands... well, maybe it wouldn't hurt to take along a plastic jug, too!

[ElaineMarch]

I pack Lunchables in a big ziploc bag with frozen bottles of water to keep them fresh.

[DisneyVillans]

Bob NC what a riot! Maybe literally. If I bring enough, I might be able to pay for part of the trip. Heck, I could start a catering business. All I have to do is fly from place to place and sell sandwiches! :smooth:

Thanks for the idea about the hotel fridge. We are three hours from the airport, so what ever I pack will have to be in a cooler for a while. This is one more detail I can plan that will make the time until we leave go faster!

Thanks everyone!

[seashoreCM]

If eveyone in your party leaves the plane, carryon baggage should be taken with you. This is to prevent pilferage.

You can get by with some boxes of cereal, one box for every three people. Two servings of the junkiest sweetest cereal or pretzels or potato chips won't kill you. Come to think of it, fasting for ten hours won't kill you either.

If time permits you can buy something nice in a connecting airport, but don't go past the security area towards the main terminal area. You don't want to have to come back through security which can take a lot of time. Then save the cereal for breakfast at the resort.

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One afternoon I got a new box of cereal, turned on the PC and started surfing the DIS forums. Just as I used to do with the TV after school. A few hours later I was appalled to find the cereal box more than half empty.

[jctwizzer]

Just curious.....why are you arriving at 5 a.m. for and 8 a.m. flight?? :confused:

[4nana]

I can't believe an 8 hr flight with no meal! :mad:
How many peanuts and pretzels can one person eat??
I know the airlines are cutting back...but this is ridicilous!
In Oct we had an 8 hr flight from BWI Md to London on
British Airways. It was a great trip....2 delicious hot meals
w/all the free drinks you could hold. Our 5 hr. trip on N/W
in Nov. from Seattle to Ohio also gave us a nice meal.
IMO....people get agitated when hungry and should not
have to pack a picnic lunch when traveling that long a
period.:eek:

[chris1gill]

This has happened to us many times... We always make a Dunkin Donuts run in the AM & carry the donuts & coffee on or eat in the airport... I always bring a box of cereal in my bag... nothing worse than hungry kids!! Our kids also like pop tarts, so I bring a large box of those as well.... As for lunch, you really aren't going to have much time at all to get off before they reboard the plane... I would assume you need to bring something for lunch as well... Certainly try to bring some fruit & sandwiches of some sort... I agree the night before you could just bring a cooler in your car with ice packs & put the necessary ingredients in the cooler... If you don't want to bring the cooler on board with you, just make the sandwiches up quickly after you park your car, before entering the airport.. Sandwiches should last until noon, just make sure there's no mayo or anything like that & don't forget the chips!!!

[DisneyVillans]

Just curious.....why are you arriving at 5 a.m. for and 8 a.m. flight??

We always plan to the airport at least two hours early. We live three hours away and try to leave enough time for unexpected emergencies. This trip DH is concerened about the new security measures. He has heard and read that the airlines are recommending arriving three hours early. As we get closer to the trip, I will call the airline/airport for their recommendation!

[klynn]

I hear in first class they serve hot meals! LOL!

[ducklite]

Originally posted by klynn
I hear in first class they serve hot meals! LOL!

Yup! On the Newark to Las Vegas trip I wrote about earlier in this thread I was in First Class. We were served beverage service and pastries for breakfast between EWR and PIT. Then we were served a very tasty hot meal (chicken marsala I think) which included salad, hot rolls, and dessert on the PIT to LAS leg.

Coach got nothing but beverages on both legs.

Anne

[KarenT]

If you are flying Southwest, they do offer a "snack". It is a survival package with a beef stick, soft cheese and bread sticks. We usually bring a bag of taco bell tacos and burritos. That gets us through just fine. Southwest allows you to bring any food you'd like on board. I think it's worth it to bring my own since I usually save about $300 flying SW compared to all the others. I can buy lots of tacos (and souvenirs) with the extra $300. Have a great flight. It won't be as bad as you think.:D



KarenT

[Bob NC]

I can't believe an 8 hr flight with no meal!
How many peanuts and pretzels can one person eat??
I know the airlines are cutting back...but this is ridicilous!

It's not an 8 hour flight....It is two separate 4 hour flights.

[4nana]

BobNC..
I was going by what DisneyVillans wrote ;)

"We do not change planes, and I am assuming that we probably will not allowed to get off the plane. And even if we could, I'm not sure I want to."

Sounds like an 8 hour flight to me :)

[Bob NC]

Every flight I have ever been on under those circumstances has allowed you to deplane during the stop.

My point being that this is not an 8 hour flight. It is a 4 hour flight. One hour on the ground. Then a 4 hour flight. Hence, it is not.....

an 8 hr flight with no meal!

[sgtdisney]

It sounds like you are flying on America West. If this is the case you should have a 1 hour and 15 minute layover in Pheonix. Since you are on an airline with reserved seats, and you won't lose them if you get off the plane, you should be able to get off of the plane and go into the terminal and pick up some lunch. Also, it looks like the total flying time will be just under 7 hours. Frankly, I am surprised that AWA isn't serving some kind of meal or snack from PHX to MCO since the flight is scheduled at over 4 hours. The flight from PDX to PHX is only scheduled for 2 and 1/2 hours and most airlines aren't serving on flights of that length anymore. As others have suggested, I would bring snacks along just in case, as you never know what happens to the schedules if delays take place, etc.

[lookingforward]

We are flying Continental, non-stop to Orlando from Newark. They say that a snack is offered. Does anyone have any idea what that comprises? Just want to know if I should pack food for my kids. We are flying at 9 a.m. and returning at 12 noon.

[CarolA]

My advice is that even if your airline says they are serving you a snack or other forms of food, BRING YOUR OWN! Unless you are lucky enough to be in First Class, the rest of the junke is not food as I define (i.e. edible!). I am not a picky eater, but frozen sandwiches, tiny OJs and the other stuff they serve me is not worth fussing about losing.

[Bob NC]

We are flying Continental, non-stop to Orlando from Newark. They say that a snack is offered. Does anyone have any idea what that comprises? Just want to know if I should pack food for my kids. We are flying at 9 a.m. and returning at 12 noon.

It's like a 2 and a half hour flight between breakfast and lunchtime. Do ya really need much more than a snack and a drink?

[CarolA]

By the way, peanuts and/or pretzels qualify as a snack in airline language.

[DisneyVillans]

Sorry for the confusion. I knew the flight was 7 + hours and I just divided the time in half. I don't actually have the tickets yet, so I haven't had a chance to see actual flight time. I guess I should have looked at the print out from the travel agent more carefully. The whole thing gets to be overwhelming. We live three hours away from Portland. In order to make early flight we will need to head up the night before. Then not arriving until after 8pm in Orlando, kind of makes things on that end take forever. Like renting the car, stopping at the store, getting dinner, checking in, etc. All in all, I guess you can't get anywhere from here:( .

I do appreciate all the great suggestions and the humor! I didn't think that the airline would let us deplane in Pheonix. I can remember flights through there in the past where we weren't allowed to leave the plane. With all the hightened security, I just assumed that once you were on the plane that was it. It would definetly make things easier if we could get off.

Oh well, only time will tell!

[laf]

I bring along Boost, Edge, SlimFast cans or food bars--the meal replacement variety (Atkins bars are great if you're doing the low-carb plan). They won't spoil if unopened, so if a miracle happens and the airline feeds you, you'll have them for emergency hotel and park food.