Vegan Passenger Criticises Virgin Atlantic Over 'Mouldy' Sandwich on £600 Flight
A furious vegan passenger has strongly criticised Virgin Atlantic after being served what he describes as "the worst meal" he has ever encountered during a flight. Paul Booker, a 55-year-old retired civil servant from Minehead, Somerset, was travelling from Cancun, Mexico, to London Heathrow on January 14 following a 10-day holiday with a friend.
'Pitiful' Sandwich with 'Rotten-Looking' Vegetables
Towards the conclusion of his 10-hour journey, Booker was presented with breakfast included as part of the flight service. Opting for the vegan sandwich, he was immediately appalled by the standard and quality of the offering. Shocking photographs reveal two thin slices of courgette and a solitary slice of pepper that appeared rotten, placed between pieces of bread.
"There was no way that was going anywhere near my mouth because it looked like it was rotten," Booker stated. "I have had bad food on a flight before but not from this country. This was a joke."
The passenger, who has maintained a vegan diet for a decade, claims he was left hungry after rejecting the "pitiful" sandwich. The only alternative provided was a small pot of fruit salad.
Air Hostess Reportedly Described Meal as 'Unacceptable'
Booker showed the sandwich to an air hostess, who he asserts was visibly embarrassed by the presentation. According to his account, she examined the meal and declared it "terrible" and "not acceptable at all," advising him to contact Virgin Atlantic upon his return home.
"I called her over and I said, 'Is this all you've got? Have you got an alternative I can have?' and I showed her and she was absolutely shocked by that," Booker recalled. The packaging featured the phrase "we found love in a hungry place," which he described as ironic given the circumstances.
Passenger Highlights Broader Catering Concerns
Booker emphasised the broader implications of such incidents, particularly for passengers with specific dietary requirements. "The problem is that when you are on a flight they only take a limited amount of food with them, and then they will only take a limited amount of specialist meals with them," he explained.
"If that meal isn't quality checked before they send it out onto the plane and you are 10,000 feet in the air then you haven't got any other choice." He added that the sandwich represented "certainly the worst offering I have ever had."
Social Media Post and Company Response
Following the flight, Booker shared an image of the sandwich on social media, branding it "pitiful" and noting that the red pepper "actually looks mouldy." He wrote that the stewardess appeared "genuinely embarrassed" and confirmed he did not consume the meal.
After lodging a formal complaint, Virgin Atlantic offered Booker a £100 voucher for use on future holidays or flights with the airline. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with this gesture, stating, "£100 isn't going to go anywhere on a Virgin holiday or flight."
"I just wanted some acknowledgement from their in-flight catering team, and something properly financial would be nice," Booker remarked. "Their £100 voucher, not only is it not a lot of benefit to me but also doesn't cost them anything. They could've given me £500 and it wouldn't be a drop in the ocean to them."
Virgin Atlantic Issues Apology
A spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic responded to the incident, saying, "We never want to disappoint our customers, which is why it's disheartening to hear that Mr Booker was unhappy with the meal served on his flight from Cancun to London Heathrow."
"All customers, including those with specific dietary requirements, should receive food that meets our usual high standards. We take complaints like this seriously and we have offered Mr Booker a £100 voucher. We have also shared all feedback with our catering teams to ensure standards are upheld."
Booker's experience highlights ongoing concerns regarding the quality and reliability of special dietary meals provided by airlines, particularly on long-haul flights where alternatives may be severely limited.
