Airline Food – Air New Zealand: Still OK, But Not as Before

Air New Zealand still delivers great service, but has its in-flight food quality taken a hit post-pandemic? A review of our recent airline meals.✈️️ Flying with Air New Zealand post-pandemic—still great service, but has the food lost its touch? Some hits, some misses, but hoping they bring back the quality we remember! #AirlineFood #TravelEats

It had been a while since we last flew with Air New Zealand for an overseas trip as a family. Our last experience before the pandemic was nothing short of excellent—top-tier safety records, stellar service, on-time flights, a great rewards system, and surprisingly decent airline food. But this time, something felt different. While the service and reliability remained strong, the food had noticeably changed, and not necessarily for the better.

Our In-Flight Meals: A Mixed Bag

Over the course of our trip, we had a variety of meals, some decent, some disappointing. Here’s a breakdown:

Italian Meatballs with Mashed Potato – Served with couscous salad, bread, rice puff and soy crisps, and Kapiti ice cream. The meatballs were dry, some parts even burnt, and the couscous salad was bland. The bread looked wrinkled and unappetizing, but at least they got the dessert right—Kapiti ice cream is always an excellent choice.

Chicken Sausage and Omelette – Served with fruits and apricot custard yogurt. The omelette was dry and forgettable, nothing special here.

Chicken Stew with Rice Pilaf and Green Beans – Served with edamame salad, rice puff and soy crisps, and a blueberry cheesecake slice. This was the standout meal—flavourful chicken, delicious salad, and a surprisingly good cheesecake. Even the bread was better this time.

Chicken with Tomatoes, Ratatouille, and Potato Gratin – Served with edamame salad, rice puff and soy crisps, and blueberry cheesecake slice. Another solid dish—the chicken was tasty, and the potato gratin was nice and moist.

French Toast with Berry Compote and Breakfast Syrup – Served with fruits and blueberry Greek yoghurt. A generous portion, decent flavour, and good yoghurt made this one of the better breakfast options.

Chicken Sausage, Tomato, and Omelette – Served with fruits and blueberry Greek yoghurt. Another dry omelette, and the tomato was simply a raw slice, not grilled or seasoned—disappointing.

The Verdict: Still OK, But a Step Down

Looking back, the food wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t the high standard I remembered from pre-pandemic Air New Zealand. The quality, taste, and even the presentation felt downgraded. Fortunately, the airline still excels in other areas—reliable service, comfortable flights, and strong safety records—so I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with them again. But I do hope they bring back their previous food quality, because when an airline gets it right, in-flight dining can actually be something to look forward to.