For many travelers, splurging on a business class ticket is about more than just legroom and champagne—it’s the promise of comfort, premium service, and a dining experience that feels a cut above the rest.
But one Qantas passenger says their upgrade from Melbourne to Singapore left them feeling short-changed, especially when it came to the food.
A Meal That Missed the Mark
The passenger, who flew on QF35 last month, shared their frustration online after being served a vegetarian meal that didn’t live up to their expectations.
According to the menu, the dish was pan-fried parmesan polenta with braised greens, wild mushroom ragout and salsa verde.
On paper, it sounded like a carefully curated plate. In reality, the traveler claimed it was disappointing.
Posting a photo on Reddit, they didn’t hold back: “Qantas business class is actually a joke,” they wrote, adding that the meal felt more like “premium cabin, budget vibes.”
Limited Choices and Salty Greens
Adding to the frustration, the passenger explained that sitting in the last row meant many menu options had already run out.
What remained, they said, was a salty pile of vegetables.
“Midday flight from Melbourne to Singapore, and this was the business class lunch on offer,” they added.
What Qantas Promises
The criticism stings because Qantas markets its international business class meals as “a contemporary selection of locally sourced dishes with a focus on choice.”
Its website boasts options like red wine braised beef short rib with potato purée and balsamic-glazed eschallots, or Humpty Doo barramundi with ginger, chilli, and jasmine rice.
For this passenger, though, that promise felt a long way from reality.
Divided Reactions Online
Not everyone sided with the unhappy customer.
Some travelers chimed in to say the food on Qantas isn’t worth flying for in the first place, with one comparing the photographed meal to “something out of my compost bin.”
Others, however, accused the business class passenger of being overly dramatic.
“I always find it amusing when grown adults with the capacity to fly business class throw a tantrum about vegetables,” one commenter wrote, pointing out the lack of context about alternatives or how the issue was raised on board.
The Passenger Defends Their Point
The original poster hit back, insisting their issue wasn’t with vegetables themselves but with how the dish was presented.
“It looked like I’d raided a buffet blindfolded,” they argued, standing by their complaint.
Not Everyone Had the Same Experience
Interestingly, another traveler shared that they had been served the exact same polenta dish just a week earlier—and loved it.
They described it as “very tasty,” though they admitted their plate had looked “a lot more appetising” than the one in the viral photo.
The Bigger Question Around Airline Dining
The debate raises a bigger point about airline dining: should business class meals be judged by taste alone, or does presentation matter just as much when passengers are paying a premium?
For some, the experience is about value and expectation, while others believe complaining about greens mid-flight misses the bigger picture.
Qantas Yet to Respond
As the online conversation continues, Qantas has yet to release an official comment.
For now, the meal in question remains a talking point about what passengers should expect when they pay extra for business class—and whether the airline’s menu lives up to its glossy promises.
