Ukraine International Airlines can offer you several lunch options at prices ranging from 6 to 10 euros, and passengers will only be given a glass of water for free.

Now UIA passengers on international medium-haul flights can prepare their own lunch before departure from the dishes offered, or choose ready-made sets.

Avianews.com took a look at the on-board food options offered by UIA and told us how much each costs.

Ukrainian lunch - 7 euros

The main course is banosh with bacon (it is noted that it is very salty). Lunch includes a rye bun, butter, tomato salad with spicy sauce and poppy seed pie.

Lunch without pork - 6 euros

This set is used as a special meal or meal for Muslims, as it excludes pork. Available on flights FROM Ukraine.

The main course consists of beef chop, boiled rice and vegetable stew (zucchini, eggplant, peppers). Served with a wheat bun, butter, pickled cucumber and pickled champignon.

For dessert - a slice of strawberry cake.

Italian lunch - 7 euros

The main dish is Carbonara pasta (in the author's opinion, too fatty and too salty). Additionally, a salad of mozzarella, tomatoes and Chinese cabbage with French dressing is served. A bun, butter and tiramisu dessert are also included in lunch.

Continental lunch - 7 euros

The main course consists of chicken fillet and vegetable stew of zucchini, eggplant, peppers and onions. Additionally, it includes a rye bun, butter, a salad of boiled broccoli and feta cheese, served with French dressing. For dessert - honey cake.

Lunch “Cosmopolitan” - 10 euros

The main course is rice with a stewed piece of apple, cherry sauce and duck breast. In addition, there is a Caesar salad with dressing and a bun.

Lunch “Around the World” - 8 euros

The main course is boneless hake fillet, but with nuts, and rice. Served with rye bun, butter, cucumber, tomato and pepper salad. For dessert - apple pie.

Hot drinks for any of the lunches must be paid separately.

No matter what features the lunch sets have, travelers will definitely not remain hungry. And the rest is a matter of taste.

Have a good rest and bon appetit!

Kuku! Today I will tell you about my first flight with UIA. I had to, so to speak, use their services. The flight was New York - Kyiv. Who is interested in why I had to use these particular airlines - Here's why. Plus the price is more or less (I was afraid to fly through Moscow with Russian ones) and a direct flight. Although let’s be honest, I was afraid to fly Ukrainian, after the reviews on the Internet. Buying a ticket online seemed especially scary for me; you never know, there might be some kind of glitch and that’s it - no ticket! But fortunately, buying a ticket online was quite successful. I booked my ticket on the UIA website and tried to avoid any intermediaries like tickets and others.

The ticket was not paid for with my card (since I did not have a card with which I could pay), and after booking I received a letter in the mail saying that I needed to take a copy of my passport and a copy of the card from which the payment was made for registration. To be honest, I was very scared that I might not be put on board and other bad thoughts kept creeping in. Being in the states, I decided to call support; there is a special “Free call” button on the website and you can call there for free from anywhere in the world using Wi-Fi. Once I came across a girl who spoke English but with an accent, apparently Ukrainian, but somehow I no longer began to switch to Russian or Ukrainian, I spoke in English. So she explained to me that I needed to write a response to that notification (see above), so to speak, to explain the situation, she reassured me that if you answer and explain everything, then nothing bad will happen. I still decided to play it safe and the next day I called the same place again. This time a girl spoke to me in Russian, which surprised me a little) But I still played it safe and took the necessary copies with me, which by the way they didn’t ask me.

So I was a bit late in telling the story about the site, but perhaps you’ll learn something for yourself.

So I'm on board.

My place was the one closest to the window. There are 2 seats in the side rows, and 4 seats in the middle of the plane. It seemed to me that the seats in the middle of the plane were wider. The salon is quite good and neat. After takeoff, they brought a set of earplugs, something for the eyes (I don’t know what it’s called) and disposable socks. Individually wrapped headphones and a blanket were also provided; there were no pillows. The TVs were located in the middle of the side, several small ones “hanged” from the ceiling and, like, 2 large ones on the walls of the cabin division.

Flight attendants. Flight attendants are a separate issue. I read from someone here that they smile to your face, but as soon as they turn away, their face immediately changes. And it’s true, as it turned out! One of them openly behaved boorishly. She delivered drinks around the salon:

she: What do you want?

me: coffee and water if possible

she: It’s possible, (then a little quieter) if you’re careful. You could hear and see that she was never joking.

I decided not to take it into account, but it would be fun to make a row!

Food. An hour and a half after takeoff, food began to be served. Here is a piece of tomato, a couple of slices of cucumber, 2 pieces of different cheese, 2 pieces of ham. Next in the small box on the right is something made from rice and cucumber. The rice was undercooked, everything was cold, I didn’t like it. On the left is carrot cake, not bad. A bun with butter, as usual. You can eat, but “not fire.”

The next meal was approximately 3 hours before landing. This meal was already hot and given the choice of lasagne or chicken. I took lasagna, but I would have been better off with chicken! Lasagna is a large pasta with a substance similar to minced meat, with tomato paste and topped with cheese. Some kind of salad made from grated radish, several strips of ham and mayonnaise. Buttered bun and blackcurrant pie. The other chicken dish had mashed potatoes, chicken breast and green peas.

The flight time is generally 9 hours and 50 minutes, but we arrived in 9 hours. Thank you very much to the pilots, smart guys!

Russians, I think, are fed the same way. So, we read the material from avianews.com:

Airplane food has always been a staple of air travel, although industry folks like to say, “A plane is not a restaurant.” However, airlines often boast of business class meals prepared by famous chefs.

The road to the airport and pre-flight formalities can take more than one hour. It's not always possible to have a snack at the airport, but on board an airplane you find yourself in a confined space in which there is often nothing to do. And in this case, in-flight meals become not only a way to fill your stomach, but also a means of entertainment.

avianews.com I learned how leading airlines feed passengers on flights from and to Ukraine.

Ukraine International Airlines

On international flights lasting up to three hours, UIA provides economy class passengers with sandwiches, on flights from three to four hours - light hot meals (hot dish, bun, butter), and if the flight lasts more than four hours, the passenger receives a full ration with salad and dessert .

^^ standard sandwich

Business class is provided with hot meals on all flights, even domestic ones, where economy class has not been served for two years, but the size of the portions depends on the duration of the flight. Business class passengers always have a choice of several dishes, but this option will be offered to economy class passengers in the future. The airline says they are working on it.

^^

Economy class drinks include juices, water, coffee, and tea. For alcoholic drinks or carbonated drinks (for example, Coca-Cola), you must pay. Business class is provided with alcoholic drinks free of charge.

UIA says that on flights from Boryspil, food rations change every week, and at other airports - once a month. Twice a year (spring and autumn) all diets are changed.

In Kyiv, food suppliers are Aerocatering companies (belongs to LSG Sky Chefs) and Do&Co Kyiv (Kyiv Catering). Abroad, UIA passengers are provided with food by Gate Gourmet, LSG Sky Chefs, Newrest and others.

Note to passengers: UIA airline allows you to order kosher and vegetarian meals for free on its flights. And if on short flights, when ordering a vegetarian meal, a passenger will receive a standard sandwich, albeit without meat, then when ordering a kosher meal, he will receive a full hot meal.

^^ kosher special food

The passenger usually receives special meals first, regardless of which part of the cabin he is in. However, apparently, the airline realized that the loophole with kosher meals was being used by ordinary passengers, which is why on a number of flights, instead of a hot set, passengers are now given a “kosher sandwich.”

^^ business class meals on medium-haul flights

UTair Ukraine

In 2012, UTair Ukraine Airlines became one of the main players in the domestic flights market. The air carrier flies from Kyiv to Kharkov, Lviv, Donetsk and Odessa.

During the expansion of its domestic network, the airline offered economy class passengers coffee or tea, juice, and snacks, such as a small biscuit or sandwich.

Now the company's customers have to be content with only drinks. Snacks, according to passengers, are no longer provided. The airline explained this by the lack of demand for this type of food on short flights. "However, sandwiches in economy class are provided on our international flights"- noted a representative of the air carrier.

In premium economy, UTair Ukraine, as before, serves cold meals and offers hot, cold and alcoholic drinks.

^^

Lufthansa

Lufthansa airline operates flights from Kyiv, Lviv and Donetsk to Munich, Frankfurt or Dusseldorf. Meals on these routes depend on the time of day, the company told avianews.com. For example, in the morning it could be cereal or a sandwich, at lunch it could be a muffin, and in the evening it could be a cold dinner. On some flights, passengers receive hot meals.

Sandwich and muffin on the Munich-Kyiv flight, hot meals on the Frankfurt-Kyiv flight

As free drinks in economy, you can order tea, juice (tomato, orange or apple), Coca-Cola, Sprite, water, beer, including non-alcoholic, white and red wine, as well as champagne. In addition, business class passengers are served liqueurs (Gin, Whiskey, Baileys) or alcoholic cocktails.

On flights from Ukraine, Lufthansa passengers are fed by Aerocatering (LSG Sky Chefs), which is the carrier's main supplier worldwide.

Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines flies from Kyiv, Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk and Lvov to Vienna. Business class passengers receive a full hot meal, but economy class passengers are content with sandwiches, waffles, or a small package of crackers. Sometimes Austrian Airlines organizes apple days - instead of a snack, passengers receive fresh fruit.

^^ standard economy class meals on flights to Ukraine

Free drinks include juices, water, tea, coffee, beer or wine.

Economy class passengers can order meals for 15 euros, which are the same as business class. There are about a dozen dishes to choose from: both hot and cold, as well as baby food.

^^ business class meals

Alitalia

For several years now, on the only Alitalia flight to Ukraine from Rome to Kyiv, one has to be content with crackers or other types of cookies. Drinks include tea, coffee, juice or beer.

^^ Alitalia meals on flights within Europe

Transaero

Transaero airline previously flew to Ukraine only from Moscow. Now the air carrier is actively expanding in the Ukrainian market, operating flights to Kyiv, Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Odessa and Simferopol from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Ufa.

Passengers on all Ukrainian routes in business class are offered a choice of hot meals. In economy class - cold meals. True, Moscow-Odessa flights are an exception, here even economy class receives hot meals (two hot dishes to choose from).

The menu is completely updated twice a year. In the summer it becomes lighter, and by autumn-winter it gains additional calories to compensate for the lack of heat and sun in nature, Transaero notes.

The menu is consistent in several options, which change with a certain cyclicity. For business class, two menu options are agreed upon, which change every month. In each meal plan, passengers are offered a choice of three options for hot dishes, and porridge is additionally offered for breakfast. For economy class, the menu is developed taking into account four cycles.

Transaero offers up to 30 types of special meals depending on the departure airport and route. The service is provided free of charge. It can be ordered when booking your flight ticket or later, but no later than 24 hours before departure.

Passengers in business class are offered a range of alcoholic, hot and cold drinks. In economy class: soft drinks, tea and coffee.

Aeroflot

Aeroflot flies from Moscow to Kyiv, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Donetsk and Odessa. These flights can rightfully be called sandwich flights. The standard package for an air tourist includes a sandwich, a carton of apple juice and a refreshing napkin. In addition, flight attendants serve water, tea or coffee.

Special foods are unlikely to diversify your diet. By ordering it (for free) you will receive a standard sandwich diet. The only difference is in the filling.

Aeroflot-controlled airline Russia also feeds Ukrainian passengers on the flight St. Petersburg - Kyiv with sandwiches, or rather filled croissants.

Free meals in economy class on all medium-haul flights of Ukraine International Airlines were provided until the spring of 2014. The only exception was domestic flights- here passengers could only get a glass of water and a hot drink for free, there was no food even for a fee.

^^

WITH summer schedule flights in 2014, free meals disappeared on most medium-haul international flights. Passengers could only receive a glass of water for free.

For a fee, it was possible to purchase snacks, tea, coffee, sandwiches and Mivina instant noodles, which caused a flurry of criticism from passengers. A few months later, in August 2014, it became possible to order hot meals for a fee, but only one type, and then Mivina disappeared from the menu. Later, the number of available food options was expanded, but in 2016, hot meals began to be provided on board only by reservation.

Peculiarities

Now UIA passengers on international medium-haul flights can prepare their own lunch before departure from the dishes offered or choose ready-made meal plans consisting of several dishes - this option is cheaper than choosing dishes separately. Meals must be ordered no later than 36 hours before departure. For payment for the service, UIA credits miles to the Panorama Club loyalty program.

Each set of paid meals is provided to passengers at the very beginning of the service. The food is placed on ceramic dishes and supplied with metal utensils and a wet napkin.

Ukrainian lunch - 7 euros

The main course consists of banosh, which includes corn porridge and bacon. Very salty. Lunch includes a rye bun, butter, tomato salad with spicy sauce, and poppy seed pie. The lunch is filling, but I don’t recommend ordering it because the main dish is too salty.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Meal without pork - 6 euros

This type of food is used as a special food or Muslim food, because... does not contain pork. Available on flights from Ukraine, i.e. If you order this type of meal on flights to Ukraine, a different menu will be provided.

The main dish of this meal on flights from Ukraine consists of a beef chop, boiled rice, and underneath is a vegetable stew of zucchini, eggplant and pepper. Served with a wheat bun with butter, balyk, pickled cucumber and pickled champignon.

One of the best UIA paid menu sets to taste and has, perhaps, one of the best price-quality ratios. The only thing that spoils the experience is the dessert. The strawberry cake smells strongly of flavoring.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Italian lunch - 7 euros

The main course of an Italian lunch consists of pasta carbonara (noodles with bacon). Very greasy and oversalted. Supplemented with a salad of mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and Chinese cabbage, served with dressing - French sauce. Also includes a bun, butter and dessert - tiramisu. The sight of a dried orange slice on the dessert spoils the impression, but the taste is very tasty. I would not recommend ordering this lunch to passengers who do not like highly salty dishes.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Continental lunch - 7 euros

The continental lunch consists of a main course of chicken fillet, vegetable stew of zucchini, eggplant, peppers and onions. Contains rye bun, butter, boiled broccoli salad, feta cheese, served with French dressing. For dessert - honey cake.

Perhaps the most delicious UIA meal kit, which also has a pretty good appearance, which, given the price of 7 euros, allows you to get the best price/quality ratio for a continental lunch.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Lunch "Cosmopolitan" - 10 euros

This type of in-flight meal consists of a main course, Caesar salad served with dressing, and a bun. The main course consists of rice, a stewed piece of apple, cherry sauce and a few pieces of duck breast. The portions are very large and filling, the salad is delicious, and the rice is not dry.

However, a serious disadvantage of this meal kit is the type of duck meat. It has many veins, uncleaned skin and fat, which is why most of the meat went into the trash bag taken from the pocket in front of the chair. I previously ordered a dish with duck breast on an airberlin flight - then the meat was cooked perfectly and was very soft, without any fatty layers.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Lunch "around the world" - 8 euros

Previously, this type of food was called “sea food” and was served as a special meal. The main course consists of boneless hake fillet, sprinkled with nuts, and a side dish of white and wild rice.

Served with rye bun, butter, salad of tomato slices, cucumbers and peppers, dressed with French sauce. For dessert there is apple pie.

Everything is edible, but without the wow effect of a continental lunch. You can order it for variety.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Lunch "Viva Italia" - 8 euros

The main course consists of lasagne and stewed peppers and is complemented by a salad of tomato, mozzarella and arugula. I can’t call this type of lunch filling: the piece of lasagna is small, and the main component of the salad is greens, mostly bitter arugula. There is no dessert.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Meals for children from 2 to 10 years old on flights to Ukraine - 6 euros

Although this type of food is positioned as for children, adults can also order it. The ingredients are very simple - the main dish consists of chicken fillet with pineapple and a side dish of pasta and canned corn. As a snack - lettuce, a slice of fresh cucumber, peeled carrots and turkey fillet. For dessert - a sweet bun with butter and a cherry pie. Simple, but tasty and satisfying. The only thing missing was pasta sauce.

Rating 4.5 out of 5

conclusions

Now UIA offers quite large menu for pre-ordering food and reasonable prices that are comparable to prices at the airport or even less.

Of the eight paid meal options that I was able to try, I can say that the continental lunch, pork-free meals on flights from Ukraine, meals for children from 2 to 10 years old on flights to Ukraine, and the “around the world” lunch were very good or good. The first three food options have the best taste and best price/quality ratio. The impression of the Ukrainian and Italian lunches was spoiled by the oversaltness of the main course.

I wish UIA would allow you to add tea or coffee to lunches at special price when ordering in advance. For example, UIA now allows you to order a sandwich and tea/coffee in advance, and the price of a hot drink in this set is 1 euro instead of 2 euros. In the meantime, when ordering hot meals in advance, tea must be paid at the standard price of 2 euros in cash or by card on board.

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14.11.16