qantas travel with baby

Qantas Infants Policy

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Do I need to reserve a seat or bassinet for my infant?

Children up to two years old (24 months), are not required to have their own seat, but you must inform Qantas Airways that you will be traveling with an infant on your lap. If you require a bassinet on board, you must notify Qantas at the time of reservation. Bassinets may be requested for infants up to 6 months of age on domestic flights and 18 months of age on international flights. Bassinets are subject to availability.

Only one lap child is allowed per adult. If one adult is traveling with more than one infant under two years of age, a regular seat must be purchased for each additional infant. You can also choose to purchase a seat for your infant as long as you have the proper child restraint device.

Will I pay for my infant to travel domestically?

A child under two years old (24 months) can travel for free as long as the infant will be on the lap of another passenger for the flight.

Will I pay for my infant to travel internationally?

Yes, for international service, an infant must have his or her own ticket.

What if my child turns two on the trip; will I have to buy a ticket for the return flight?

Yes, a ticket will have to be purchased for any flight on which the infant will be over 2 years old.

What are the baggage allowances for an infant?

If you reserve a seat for your infant at the full fare, he is entitled to the standard baggage allowance .

Infants without a full-fare ticket have the following baggage allowances:

• Australian domestic flights: No allowance
• Travel to and from US territories, Tahiti, South America, and Canada via the Pacific: 1 piece with total dimensions not exceeding 45in/115cm
• New Zealand domestic and all other international routes: 1 piece not exceeding 22lb/10kg

Adults accompanying infants are entitled to check-in one collapsible stroller or a carry basket or bassinet (to be stowed in the aircraft hold) and infant food and diapers for use in flight. This is in addition to the normal free baggage allowance for adults.

What types of child restraint devices are allowed?

Research demonstrates that the safety of your child will be enhanced with the use of a child seat. If you do plan to use a car seat you will need to reserve and purchase a separate seat and receive pre-approval for your device at least 24 hours before departure.

Contact your nearest Qantas Office for assistance with the pre-approval. You can also purchase a Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES) - a pre-approved harness style restraint device suitable for children aged two to four years. Find out more about the CARES system here .

What infant amenities are available on the aircraft I'll be flying (i.e. bassinets)?

Can i sit in the exit row with my infant.

Lap children and infant seats are not allowed in exit rows. In fact, no one under the age of 15 is allowed in the exit rows.

SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

Practical Tips for Traveling with Babies, Toddlers & Kids |

Kids On A Plane

Qantas Airways Pregnancy, Infant and Children Travel Policy

Qantas Airways is the flag carrier of Australia. Here’s a summary of Qantas’ pregnancy, infant and children travel policies.

*This is for informational purposes only. For more information on flying with children on Qantas Airways, click here .

Expectant Mothers

Flights 4 hours duration or greater

For routine pregnancies, you can travel up to the end of the 36th week for single pregnancies and the end of the 32nd week for multiple pregnancies (e.g. twins).

Medical clearance is required if you are having complications with your pregnancy (that is, if the pregnancy is not routine).

Flights less than 4 hours duration

For routine pregnancies, you can travel up to the end of the 40th week for single pregnancies and the end of the 36th week for multiple pregnancies.

Medical clearance is required if you are having complications with your pregnancy and it is not a routine pregnancy.

Medical Certification

After 28 weeks, you need to carry a certificate or letter from a registered medical practitioner or registered midwife confirming:

• the estimated date of delivery;
• whether it is a single or multiple pregnancy;
• that the pregnancy is a routine pregnancy and that there are no complications with the pregnancy.

The certificate or letter must be available on request and be carried with you at the airport and during the flight in your cabin baggage.

Medical Clearance

Medical clearance is required if the pregnancy is not routine and you are experiencing any complications with your pregnancy.

After Delivery

Medical clearance is required if you are travelling within 7 days of your delivery date. Infants cannot travel for 48 hours after delivery and need Medical clearance to travel between 3 and 7 days after delivery.

Infant (under 2 years old)

Infants are not required to have their own seat however, you must inform Qantas Airways that you will be traveling with an infant on your lap.

Only one lap child is allowed per adult. A regular seat must be purchased for each additional infant if you are flying with more than one infant.

A seat may be purchased for your infant as long as you have the proper child restraint device.

For domestic flights, infants can travel for free as long as the infant will be on the lap of another passenger for the flight.

For international flights, infants are charged 10% of an adult fare plus taxes to travel on another passenger’s lap or in a Qantas bassinet.

A ticket must be purchased for any flight on which the infant will be over 2 years old.

Baggage Allowance for Infants

Adults accompanying infants are entitled to check in up to three infant items for each travelling infant. Infant items can include; collapsible stroller or push-chair, collapsible cot or bassinet; or car seat or baby capsule. Charges will apply for any baggage carried in addition to the checked baggage allowance and three infant items.

Domestic Flights

• No baggage allowance on Australian domestic and regional flights.

International Flights to/from The Americas

• One piece with total dimensions not exceeding 115cm (45in) – (maximum 10kg (22lb))

International Flights on all other routes (other than The Americas)

• 1 piece (maximum 10kg (22lb)) Exception: 10kg (22lb) on QF337/338/358/359 between Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh

Strollers, Bassinets and Child Restraint Devices

To make your time on the ground easier, most mainline Australian ports have strollers available for you to use once you have checked-in your own personal stroller. Staff will be on hand at the boarding gate ready to collect the stroller and to further assist you with pre-boarding the aircraft.

If you require a bassinet on board, you must notify Qantas at the time of reservation. Bassinets may be requested for infants up to 18 months of age, but the recommended age limit for bassinet use on international flights is 8 months. The weight limit is 25lbs/11kg. The bassinet size is 28in x 12in/71cm x 31cm and the depth is 10.5in/26cm. Infants who are too large for bassinets but do not have a full-fare ticket must site on a passenger’s lap. Bassinets are subject to availability.

Child Restraint Devices:

Child restraint devices must have the labels noted below, or you will not be allowed to use it during take-off, landing, and surface movements. This includes booster seats and other types of harnesses.

Special Services

If your infant is less than 2 years of age and has any special requirements, we ask that you provide their meal for the flight. Qantas provides a limited range of top brand baby food, milk, baby bottles, cereals and rusks but it is a good idea to bring the brand your baby knows and prefers.

Related Reading

• Bottle Feeding and Formula Feeding Travel Tips
• Best Travel Beds for Babies, Toddlers and Young Children
• How to Travel While Potty Training + Potty Training Essentials Packing List

Qantas Airways flying with babies

Does qantas airways impose age restrictions regarding acceptance of children.

Infants (children under 2 years old) may travel on Qantas Airways flights without additional requirements after 7 days of delivery . Infants cannot travel for 48 hours after delivery. Between 3 and 7 days after delivery, infants may travel provided that you obtain Qantas medical clearance at least 5 days before your flight.

When does Qantas Airways require a ticket purchase for my child?

Until they reach their second birthday, infants may travel on their parent’s tickets on domestic flights . Children at least 2 years or older must have their own tickets .

A ticket purchase and reservation of a separate seat is required when the infant will be traveling in a child safety seat .

When one adult travels with more than one infant, each additional infant must occupy a seat, and a ticket must be purchased at the applicable child fare. The infant must be able to sit upright without assistance or travel in an approved child restraint.

For international flights , infants must have their own ticket regardless of age .

Does Qantas Airways offer discounts for infants or children?

Infants under 2 years without a seat reserved , held in the parent’s lap, travel free of charge on domestic flights  and for 10% of the applicable adult fare (plus taxes and surcharges) on international flights .

For both domestic and international flights, Qantas Airways offers special airfares for children and infants . These are available on certain less restrictive fare types, and conditions may apply. Discounts apply for infants under 2 years with a seat and children from 2 to 11 years old . Discounts are based on the fare type and the fare amount (excluding surcharges, fees and taxes) paid by the accompanying adult. Surcharges, fees and taxes that apply are then added.

All check-in options are available to you when traveling with an infant. At the time of booking or when you update your booking, a meal can be requested online for your infant .

Baggage Allowances

Infants are not entitled to a carry-on allowance , but the accompanying adult is allowed , in addition to his/her carry-on allowance, to carry on board food and diapers required during the flight. In addition to checked baggage allowance, the accompanying adult is allowed to check 3 infant items (collapsible stroller or pushchair, collapsible bassinet or cot, car seat or baby capsule).

When traveling on domestic flights , there is no free checked baggage allowance for infants . When traveling on international flights to/from North and South America , infants are allowed to check 1 piece of checked baggage with total dimensions not exceeding 115 cm (45 in) and a maximum weight of 10 kg (22 lbs) . When traveling on all other international flights , infants have a baggage allowance of 10 kg (22 lbs) .

No matter if the infant is entitled to a free checked baggage allowance or not, Additional Baggage Allowance is not available for purchase for infants . The adult traveling with the infant must purchase the Additional Baggage Allowance and check in together with the infant .

Child Safety Seat

When you intend to use a child safety seat (car seat) or a CARES restraint device for your infant, you must reserve and purchase a separate seat and obtain pre-approval for your device at least 24 hours before departure . You must contact your local Qantas Office to get pre-approval for the use of a child seat. Approval cannot be obtained on departure at the airport, but you will also need to show the device to the check-in staff on the day of your travel .

If approved by Qantas, child restraint devices secured to an aircraft seat can be used for carriage of infants, but also children aged up to 5 years. You may use the following information as a guide when planning your baby’s travel on the next Qantas flight:

• Infants weighing under 9 kg (20 lbs) – rear facing child restraint systems.
• Infants and children weighing 9-18 kg (20-40 lbs) – forward facing child restraint systems.
• Children over 4 years of age or over 18 kg (40 lbs) and/or 100 cm tall – a standard passenger seat is recommended .
• Children weighing 10-20 kg (22-44 lbs) – the Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES), a harness style restraint device, is a pre-approved alternative to car seats (suitable for children aged 2 to 4 years).

On international flights , bassinets are available on Boeing B787 , Airbus A380 and Airbus A330 aircraft . Bassinets on Qantas flights have a weight limitation of 11 kg and are approximately 71 cm long, 31 cm wide, 26 cm deep. The number of bassinets is limited so you should select a Seat with Bassinet in advance online (for a charge when traveling in the Economy cabin, complimentary when traveling  in First, Business, or Premium Economy cabins). 

On domestic flights , bassinets are available only on Airbus A330 aircraft and cannot be booked in advance, but only requested at the time of check-in , subject to availability.

On Qantas flights, children receive the same baggage allowance as adults . In addition to the checked baggage allowance children up to 12 years of age are permitted one car seat and one collapsible stroller or pushchair free of charge . Pre-purchased Additional Baggage Allowance is available for children .

At the time of booking or when you update it, a child’s meal can be requested online for children aged 2 to 11 (conditions apply).

To keep your children occupied from the time you arrive at the airport until you land at your destination, Qantas Airways offers a range of facilities and inflight activities :

• Family Zone at selected Qantas Clubs.
• Complimentary kids’ kits (an aircraft window shaped etch-a-sketch and activity booklet) for kids between the ages of 3 and 6 years old .
• Inflight entertainment for kids : movies, radio, audiobooks, and the Joey Club art studio interactive coloring game .

More information here >>

Qantas Airways info

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Qantas Airways seating maps

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• Airbus A330 200 International 235PAX
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• Boeing B717 200 110PAX
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• Boeing B737 800 168PAX
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• Boeing B747 400 353PAX
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Flying With a Baby? Here’s What to Know Before You Go

Medical review policy, latest update:, how old should a baby be to fly, read this next, what do children need to fly, tips for flying with an infant.

What to Expect the First Year , 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff.  WhatToExpect.com, Do Babies Need Passports? , May 2019.  WhatToExpect.com, Should You Bring Your Child’s Car Seat on an Airplane? , August 2021. WhatToExpect.com, Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling While Breastfeeding , August 2020. American Academy of Pediatrics, Family Friendly Flying , November 2015.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Flying With Baby: Parent FAQs , November 2019.   American Airlines, Traveling With Children .  Delta Air Lines, Infant Air Travel , 2021.  Federal Aviation Administration, Flying With Children , March 2021.  Transportation Security Administration, Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQ .  Transportation Security Administration, Identification .  Transportation Security Administration, Will Minors Need to Have a State ID to Fly Domestically? United Airlines, Traveling With Children , 2021.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Children – Child Traveling With One Parent or Someone Who Is Not a Parent or Legal Guardian or a Group , December 2019.

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New challenge unlocked: hiking with a newborn. How to keep your baby safe on the trails

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Last week, my wife and I embarked on a special outdoor adventure. By the numbers, it wasn’t that impressive — a 2.3-mile, 300-foot “hike” up to the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook . It took an hour from start to finish. Much of the route was paved. But it was a major milestone for one very important reason: It was our first hike with our newborn daughter, Emma.

In the days before this short but important trip, some pressing questions bounced around my head. Would Emma put up a fight as I wrestled her into the BabyBjörn carrier? Would she wail the whole way up the hill? Would she spit up all over me? (It wouldn’t be the first time.)

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I was also skeptical about how enriching a hike could be for a 2-week-old infant. Emma can barely see. After nine months in the womb, just lying in her crib must feel like visiting another planet — would she even notice the difference between indoors and outdoors?

To calm my nerves, I spoke with Dr. Rebecca Dudovitz, a pediatrician with UCLA Health. I was relieved to learn that babies, even those as young as Emma, appreciate time outside just as much as adults do.

“It’s a great way to stimulate their development with new senses and sounds, smells, things to look at,” said Dudovitz.

Outdoor time offers a host of benefits for babies. In addition to sensory stimulation, it exposes them to common allergens, which reduces their risk of developing allergies later in life, and it’s actually safer than spending time in crowded indoor places — they’re less likely to catch a virus from another person. Perhaps most importantly, going outside can calm a fussy newborn (and their exhausted parents).

“It can be a useful strategy, especially at the end of the day when everybody’s tired and cranky,” said Dudovitz.

Dudovitz also gave me a few tips to ensure our hike was a success. Rule No. 1 is to keep babies out of the sun, as a newborn’s skin is sensitive and sunscreen isn’t approved for use until they’re 6 months old. (Long sleeves and a sun hat are required equipment.) She recommends staying away from places with mosquitoes; if you can’t avoid bugs, you can pre-treat baby clothes with Permethrin to ward them off. Finally, pay close attention to heat and cold as babies can’t regulate their temperature as well as adults can (feel your child’s torso to gauge their temperature).

Armed with that info, my wife, Emma and I headed out for our first hike. It was a perfect Southern California day, the kind that makes you wonder why anyone would choose to live elsewhere. Warm sunshine spilled down from a deep blue sky, and a fresh breeze rolled in from the ocean as we trekked up the hill from the parking lot.

All around us, the chaparral was lush and alive with blossoms. Mounds of bush sunflowers glowed in the afternoon light, and here and there I noticed patches of coast morning glories, their delicate white cups streaked with purple. Amid the blooms, sagebrush branches stood out with their wispy pale green leaves. I touched them as we passed and savored their sweet, earthy scent. When we reached the top of the overlook, we could see for miles in all directions — the Santa Monica Mountains rising in the distance, the broad blue plane of the Pacific Ocean, and the skyscrapers of downtown L.A. poking up to the east. It was beautiful.

What did Emma think of it? Hard to say. She slept the entire time, stirring only when I took off her hat to snap photos. I think she opened her eyes for 30 seconds total. Even so, my wife and I enjoyed the excursion, and I’m calling this inaugural family hike a success. Next time, maybe Emma will be awake to hear, smell, see and feel all of it too.

3 things to do

1. ID plants and potluck in Topanga Canyon

Go for an all-levels plant identification stroll in the mountains of Topanga with Herb Club LA . The 2.5-mile walk will last about an hour and is open to everyone (even leashed dogs). Afterward, the group will be holding a “late Earth Day celebration” at the dreamy local Topanga shop the Well Refill for a tea meditation and potluck featuring herbal sodas and vegan chocolate. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes and appropriate shoes for the hike, and — if they plan to take part in the potluck — to bring vegan dishes and reusable plates, cups and utensils to minimize waste. The event is free (with donations accepted) and kicks off Sunday at 11 a.m. For more information visit eventbrite.com .

2. Bike, walk, skate or scoot in SGV

Ditch the car on Sunday and experience what it’s like to roam freely on five miles of streets in Alhambra, San Gabriel and South Pasadena. Active Streets: Mission-to-Mission , presented by Metro Los Angeles and hosted by San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments (SGVCOG), is a car-free celebration packed with live music performances, pop-up booths from local businesses and community organizations, and free games and activities. Walk, bike, skate or scoot through any part of the route — or conquer the whole thing, if you choose. The free event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you’re a San Gabriel Valley resident, you can borrow a classic GoSGV electric bike for $50 by filling out this form . Active Streets was formerly known as 626 Golden Streets — with the Metro “Gold” line becoming the “L” and then the “A,” the name changed.

3. The Earth Day celebrations continue

Though Earth Day happened on Monday, the L.A. celebrations are still going strong. On Saturday, you’ll find guided nature hikes and storytelling at the Chatsworth Nature Preserve , a seed swap at Barnes Park in Monterey Park and the Teen Climate Fest at Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific . You can also get your gloves dirty on Saturday at the Madrona Marsh in Torrance, which is hosting a habitat restoration event . Pre-registration is required and participants should wear closed-toe shoes and bring sunscreen and water.

The must-read

Here’s a fun idea for getting outside and exploring Los Angeles: Go on a walking tour of the city’s bridges. For The Times, writer Adam Markovitz highlights nine spans all around L.A. that are worth checking out, including quaint walkways over the Venice Canals, the historic Shakespeare Bridge in Los Feliz and the new 6th Street Viaduct over the L.A. River. Whether you’re in it for the architecture or looking for some new views of the city, these bridges won’t disappoint.

Happy adventuring,

A recently published book, “ Places We Swim California ,” will get you excited to jump in the water this summer. It highlights over 60 swimming spots all around the state (including several in SoCal) and features road trip itineraries for discovering unique California beaches, rivers and hot springs.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild . And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here .

Sign up for The Wild

We’ll help you find the best places to hike, bike and run, as well as the perfect silent spots for meditation and yoga.

Michael Charboneau is a freelance writer covering gear and the outdoors, and he’s writing The Wild newsletter for a few months. He has written for a variety of publications, including Men’s Journal, Runner’s World and InsideHook, and he lives in West L.A. When he’s not writing, he can be found running, hiking and biking around Los Angeles and its mountains.

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The sad, stale state of in-flight vegetarian meals

Who ordered the limp cucumber sandwich.

Last month, a traveler posted a photo to Reddit of his girlfriend’s vegetarian meal for a 12-hour flight. It wasn’t pretty.

The sandwich featured two grim cucumber slices and wan tomatoes. On the top half of the dry roll, faint oval imprints of the filling resembled cupping therapy marks. If the flight attendants had tried to revive the meal, they failed.

As a vegan, I could relate. For travelers who don’t eat animal products, the special meal delivered to our seat is often a mystery: What will the ingredients be? How was it prepared? Will it be halfway palatable?

We know the usual suspects all too well, tomato-soupy ratatouille, salty rice the color of pale sunshine or an anemic salad. We squirrel away extra packets of Biscoff not because we are members of the cookie’s fan club; we’re just trying to survive the flight.

The pitiful cuke is the latest publicly shared slight to vegetarian and vegan travelers seeking sustenance on airplanes. In 2023, a Japan Airlines passenger received a solitary banana with chopsticks for his vegan business-class breakfast. In March, Donna Zeigfinger, founder of Green Earth Travel , ordered a quinoa plate on a United flight. The travel adviser’s plant-based meal came with a side of chicken strips.

“They’re not quite getting it,” said Zeigfinger, a longtime vegan. “They’re still not understanding.”

On a 12 hour flight and this was my gf’s veggie sandwich around 8hrs in. by u/pestopopcorn in mildlyinfuriating

Airlines are constantly investing in meal service , especially in the higher ticket categories. American Airlines recently unveiled its reimagined menu, which included such meat-free dishes as truffle ricotta ravioli and vegetable and garbanzo bean tagine with couscous. Yet, veg travelers are discovering a disconnect between what’s on the menu and what lands with a thud — or whimper — on their tray table.

“One word — disgusting,” said Nikki Dewan, a Vegetarian Society member who participated in a recent Facebook survey about airplane food . “Airlines don’t make an effort to bring good, delicious and wholesome food for the airline customers.”

In a Gallup poll conducted in July, 4 percent of Americans said they were vegetarians. So, why aren’t airlines doing better? And can they please cheer up that sad cucumber with a little dressing?

Missing meals force airlines to improvise

In general, a catering company or in-house culinary team plans the in-flight menus and prepares thousands of meals and snacks in an industrial kitchen on the airport grounds. The airlines assume that all of the passengers will eat the standard meals unless they are otherwise informed.

No different from a restaurant or wedding reception, it is the diner’s responsibility to inform the host (in this case, the airline) of dietary restrictions or meal preferences. Most carriers require passengers to submit their meal choices at least 24 to 48 hours before departure, so the chefs can fill the special orders. If you wait until you’re on the plane to share your requirements, you could end up with an improvised meal conjured in the galley.

“I was always amazed by the time it takes to put together a special meal, which is actually not that easy,” said Daniel Klein, executive chef for research and development at LSG Group, one of the world’s largest airline catering firms. “That’s why I can sometimes see why you might just get a banana, because it’s a last-minute request.”

However, reserving a meal is no guarantee that you will receive it. The flight attendant might not deliver the dish to its rightful owner because of a technical glitch, human error or passenger interference.

“It’s not just the quality of the food or the availability. It’s actually the service,” said Deirdra Barr, director of communications for the U.K.-based Vegetarian Society. “So many people’s vegetarian or vegan meals go missing or someone else gets them, and that means they’re left with nothing.”

Grace Philips, a Vegetarian Society member, knew exactly what happened to her veg meal on a recent flight: Another passenger didn’t “fancy the meat option” and asked for the vegetarian option instead. When the flight attendant reached her seat, all of the veg meals were gone. “I was hungry,” she shared on the group’s Facebook page.

In these instances, the flight attendants will often assemble an improvised plate of food for the neglected passenger. They will forage in the galley or pinch items from their own mini-coolers.

On a flight from New York to Scotland, Elyse Mercedes King said a flight attendant donated her two apples. Vanessa Winsor once survived a long-haul trip with three segments of a satsuma mandarin, six grapes and a bread roll.

When Zeigfinger flew United from Washington Dulles to Berlin, her preordered vegan meal never materialized. The flight attendant tried to correct the injustice with a slapdash meal, plus 700 frequent-flier points.

“The flight attendant was really angry,” Zeigfinger said. “She acknowledged that this was a serious thing.”

The best and worst airlines for vegetarians and vegans

In the 1990s, many travelers who identified as carnivores on the ground became temporary vegetarians when flying. The meatless meal seemed like the tastier and less enigmatic option.

“People who weren’t vegetarian were ordering the vegetarian meal because it was so much better than the chicken or beef they would serve on the plane,” said James Doran, director of business development, tourism and hospitality practice at SIS International Research.

As airlines chase after loyalty members and elite travelers, they are paying more attention to overall meal service, including the previously maligned proteins. Some carriers have teamed up with celebrity chefs, such as Delta’s partnerships with Michelle Bernstein, Michael Chiarello and Linton Hopkins. Air France works with Michelin-starred French chefs and award-winning pastry chefs.

Charles Platkin, founder and executive director of the Center for Food as Medicine , described vegan and vegetarian meals as an “afterthought” in this profit-driven market. Even so, the major airlines are still providing special meals, including several that go beyond the traditional veg diet. The subcategories include Asian vegetarian, vegetarian lacto-ovo, fruit platter and Jain , a vegetarian diet that eschews root vegetables.

Travelers note that airlines that cater to populations inclined toward vegetarianism, for cultural or religious reasons, often excel in this department. Doran fondly recalled a vegetarian Malay meal on Malaysian Airlines and an Indian-style vegetarian dish on Emirates. However, this rule doesn’t always apply.

“Very surprisingly Air India is terrible on the occasions I’ve flown with them,” Teresa Dawkes shared on the Vegetarian Society’s Facebook page. “Pretty inedible and they didn’t have any gin.”

Ashley Isaacs Ganz, the vegetarian founder of the luxury tour operator Artisans of Leisure , said she wishes carriers based in countries with strong vegetarian traditions would better showcase their culinary heritage. For example, she suggested Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways incorporate Japanese temple cuisine into their menus.

“I always want to have the Japanese meal, but the different components of the meal are, for the most part, not vegetarian,” she said. “I would love for them to take it to the next level.”

In a Vegetarian Society Facebook post about airplane food, more airlines were panned than praised. Patricia Thompson called Irish carrier Aer Lingus “woeful” for serving dry veggie pasta for dinner and canapés with chicken bits that the flight attendants offered to pick off.

Not just pasta and salad anymore

To be fair, some airlines have been refining their palates.

Since 2009, Swiss has partnered with Hiltl , which claims to be the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant (it was founded in Zurich in 1898). The airline celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a three-course meal that included spicy beetroot tabbouleh, penne with vegetarian bolognaise or massaman curry for the main course, and a vegan mango mousse for dessert.

In November, Australian carrier Qantas launched new vegan menu items in all of its classes. Economy passengers can dine on lemon herb pearl couscous with roasted carrots, baby beans and toasted almonds. Higher classes can sample such dishes as pumpkin and ginger soup with sourdough croutons; stir-fried shiitake mushrooms with tofu, chrysanthemum greens and jasmine rice; or plant-based orecchiette with sautéed mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower cream and pangrattato.

For its latest vegan and vegetarian menus, Air New Zealand introduced such dishes as cannellini bean smash with pan-fried tofu spinach and jackfruit with coconut red curry and black mustard seed steamed rice.

Klein recently developed a Western-themed vegan menu for Korean Air. For first class, he created a trio of amuse-bouches, including an onion puree flavored with passion fruit; smashed Yukon potatoes with fresh truffles and a chestnut puree; and a risotto with roasted vegetables.

He said the biggest challenge in crafting innovative in-flight meals is not the altitude, which dulls the taste buds, but the cost of some products. He said alternative meats are too expensive to include on menus.

“They are still very pricey,” he said. “We’re not there yet, so we go with regular items, but we try to be creative.”

Platkin is not clamoring for fake proteins on flights. He advocates for clean, healthy ingredients, and said the airlines already rely too heavily on processed foods and easy carbs.

When asked to review new menu options on American Airlines, he said the dishes look tasty, but he was concerned about the heavy use of cheese and the fake meat.

As for the meal plan for international economy passengers, his critique was short and to the point: “It is all pasta.”

More on air travel

Leave flying to the pros: Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Experts say you’re wrong . Here’s what you should actually do if something goes awry during a flight .

Pet peeves: Why do “gate lice” line up early for a flight ? Psychologists explained for us. Another move that annoys airline workers: abusing the flight attendant call button . For more on how to behave on a flight, check out our 52 definitive rules of flying .

Plane mess: Stories about extremely disgusting airplanes have been grossing out travelers. The question of plane cleanups became the subject of a recent debate after a flight attendant allegedly told a pregnant passenger to pick up the popcorn spilled by her toddler.

Frequent flying: Airline status isn’t what it used to be, but at least there are some good movies and TV shows to watch in the air. And somewhere out there, experts are trying to make airline food taste good.

Help and Support

Requirements for flying whilst pregnant, 27/06/2023 • knowledge, information.

What are the requirements for flying whilst pregnant?

Flights 4 hours duration or greater You can travel up to the end of the 36th week for single pregnancies and the end of the 32nd week for multiple pregnancies (e.g. twins). Flights less than 4 hours duration You can travel up to the end of the 40th week for single pregnancies and the end of the 36th week for multiple pregnancies. Medical clearance is required if you are having complications with your pregnancy. Read more about  medical requirements for travelling while pregnant on Qantas flights or see the relevant consulate or embassy.

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• Infant and child age requirements
• Qantas Club access for Qantas Club members flying with Jetstar
• Identification requirements for Adults, Children and Infants
• Ways to earn Qantas Points without flying
• Information about the ‘Thank you for flying with us’ offer

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