A traveller has shared their shock and dismay at allegedly being served just one banana for their paid-for in-flight meal.
The passenger, known online as Kris Chari – who is vegan – said they were left hungry after receiving only the soft fruit while flying out of Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on a Japan Airlines plane.
Taking to the popular travel forum, Flyer Talk, Chari said they placed an order for breakfast while flying and were taken aback when the dish arrived at their seat - which turned out to be a single banana and cutlery.
‘Before takeoff today my flight attendant confirmed that I ordered VGML (Vegetarian Vegan Meal) and that my breakfast was a banana, by which I mistakenly assumed she meant that breakfast included a banana,” he said.
“When she served the banana after take-off I thought it was just an underwhelming appetiser, but it was in fact the entire meal service! It was a really good banana - one of the best I've had recently - but it still seems more appropriate as a snack. Is catering out of CGK typically this underwhelming?” added Chari.
“Lunch was barely seasoned spaghetti and my meals on other JL flights (part of this itinerary) were also bad, but nothing was quite as insubstantial as this. It was cute of the crew to serve the banana with chopsticks, though!” he concluded.
Chari shared an image of the fruit on the forum, which can be seen lying on a plate with packaged cutlery, next to a glass of some fizzy drink.
Many people commented on his post.
One person wrote: "I really like the understated presentation of your meal. Very delicate and very Japanese!"
Another declared: "Makes me glad I don’t order vegetarian meals!"
Japan Airlines has addressed Chari's claims and issued an apology via ‘Insider’.
"We apologise for not being able to meet expectations," the airline's spokesperson said.
"We will continue to respond to our menus in light of the growing interest and diverse needs of customers requesting special meals, including the valuable feedback from this customer."
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