On Wings

So what’s the deal with the airline food? You remember how that stand-up routine goes, right? I’ll talk of food in a moment.

The Guangzhou Baiyun Airport is definitely nice. It has large open spaces, clear directions and space to sit. As far as services, you have several little carts cruising around, ready to take you to the gate or check-in counter. There are restaurants, which, while expensive are clean and nice. Even the public toilets are clean. Or as close to clean as I’ve seen a mainland toilet. But this is all because you are specifically paying for these services - you get what you pay for.

The flights themselves are occasionally on time. I think I haven’t seen a flight which wasn’t 30 minutes late in the air this year. Not a big deal, but I’m glad I speak enough Chinese to understand when they announce plane is going to sit two hours before taxiing to the runway. Oh, they do have an English announcement too. I welcome anyone to come and try make sense of it.

But once you are up in the air, the airline is fulfilling its obligation to you. They have to take you where the ticket says. But they do not need to serve you nice food. They feel compelled to serve some food, true, but it’s just so say they did it.

If you’re lucky you get a choice of rice or noodles over sauce. It’s not great but it works. The sad case is when they don’t serve the hot food at all. You get a little box, which includes a bread, a few cherry tomatoes, a piece of something sweet and a wet towel. The towel is the tastiest item in the box. I wish there were food options aside from flying in business class.

I’ll be flying to Finland in a couple of weeks. I hope our grand national airline has stopped flying the MD-11. Calling it a venerable aircraft is a courtesy.

OP out.