Qantas is revamping its onboard service for those with special dietary requirements.
Starting October 1, the national airline will make major changes that will not please people with allergies and special intolerances.
A number of specially requested meals on board will no longer be nut-free, gluten-free food will also no longer be dairy-free and there will be a separate meal for those with lactose intolerance.
Items that will now contain nuts are diabetic food, non-vegetarian Hindu food, kosher food, Muslim food and Jain vegetarian food.
One disgruntled passenger told Daily Mail Australia that the switch to gluten-free food “will leave those with intolerances to both (dairy and gluten) going hungry.”
“This is a scandalous decision by our national airline and they should be criticised for it,” said the passenger, known as Brownie.
‘Previously, it was fantastic that they could be such an accommodating airline with the variety of special meals.
‘How difficult can it be for Qantas to create a meal that covers all the most common allergies (gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts) in one, similar to Singapore Airlines?
From October 1, those with special dietary requirements will need to look more closely at the food options, as several of them now contain nuts and there are no longer gluten-free or dairy-free meals.
‘Will they refund money to passengers who booked flights with them under the impression that they would be served a special meal that they could actually eat?’
Qantas added that “while Qantas and its catering suppliers take all reasonable steps to reduce exposure to peanuts in-flight and on the ground, Qantas cannot guarantee an allergy-free environment on board or in our lounges.”
“It is always possible for other passengers to bring peanuts or other nuts with them on board or into the lounges. Passengers may also be served a variety of other nuts, such as almonds, cashews and macadamia nuts as a snack in the bar or after dinner,” the airline said.
‘For this reason, we recommend that passengers carry any medication they may need in the aircraft cabin and be prepared to administer it if necessary.’
The inflight dining revamp is the second change Qantas has revealed this week after it quietly raised the price for making changes to bookings.
The airline will increase the fee to change a flight, name on a reservation or cancel a flight from $99 to $119 for a variety of fare types starting Oct. 9.
The increase will affect flight changes for ‘Red eDeal’ economy class tickets, name changes and cancellations for ‘Flex’ economy class flights and all changes and cancellations for ‘Saver’ premium economy class tickets.
Qantas also recently increased fees for altering or cancelling flights and changing passenger information.
This will include group tickets, tickets purchased through Qantas Business Rewards and any tickets purchased or issued on or after 9 October.
The other tariff conditions will remain the same.
Qantas also revealed that the first change to a domestic flight purchased before 9 October will be subject to the $99 fee, even after the change is introduced.
The airline made its first change since 2017 last Friday, updating a FAQ section with relevant information without announcing it in a statement.
“Qantas continually monitors its fares, surcharges and operating costs and as a result has made an adjustment to these… fares,” the FAQ reads.
The change was outlined shortly before Qantas published its annual and sustainability reports on Thursday.
The reports focused on improving customer confidence after the airline posted a pre-tax profit of $2.08 billion for the 2023-24 financial year.
Announced changes to Qantas’ executive remuneration framework to make executive bonuses more transparent.
Customer performance will also be given more weight in annual bonuses, while brand reputation will be introduced as a performance measure for long-term incentives.
“Qantas has made significant progress over the past 12 months, but we know there is much more to do to restore the trust of our customers,” Qantas president Richard Goyder said in a statement.
‘We have seen strong improvement in on-time performance, customer satisfaction and reputation for both Qantas and Jetstar, and the Group has delivered strong financial performance.
‘It is this financial strength that allows us to continue investing in new aircraft, improving the experience of our customers and our people.
“The board has listened to feedback regarding our executive compensation structure and has made a number of changes that we are confident will drive improved results for our shareholders.”