Why you should always buy food at the airport instead of bringing your own – even though it’s more expensive | The Sun

A LOT of people have started making packed lunches for their flights and, with the prices for food and drink in the airport as high as they are, I don't blame them.

On the face of it, it seems like the perfect money-saving solution, but it can not only make you sick, it can also make the flight unbearable for everyone else on the plane.

I've spent the last ten years working as a flight attendant and I know all too well how much places charge for food in the airport, or even on the plane.

However, it's a price worth paying as I'll explain here, in my latest blog for Sun Online Travel.

The main reason is that it's a lot safer for you and hugely reduces the risk of your holiday being ruined by an illness.

A lot of people make themselves chicken salads, or sandwiches and wraps with some meat in, not thinking about the lack of refrigeration in their backpacks or suitcases.

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You need to think about the time it takes for you to get from your house to the airport, then through the airport and onto the plane.

Some people will have this food sweating away in a box in their bag for up to six hours before getting it out on the plane and eating it.

That's going to potentially wreak havoc on your stomach and the only sight you'll end up seeing on your city break is the inside of your hotel's toilet bowl.

It may end up costing £8 for a meal deal if you get one at the airport, or even more for something on board your flight, but at least it's either from a fridge or cooked there and then.

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What's more, doing that can spare the rest of us the odour of your sweaty lunch.

Even the blandest cheese on white bread sandwich will start to smell a little if it's trapped in a box for a few hours.

But people are a lot more adventurous with their tastes nowadays.

Have you ever been trapped inside a plane with someone eating a wrap containing sauerkraut or kimchi? I have and it's horrible.

Those foods might be nice for you, but in a confined space, sticking to stuff at the weaker end of the smell spectrum is the courteous option.

That's not to say to avoid all food completely – we understand you have to eat something – but just think about lingering odours and what's going to irritate other people the least.

If you must insist on making a sandwich for a flight, make it as if it were going to be eaten by an elderly relative, not just you.

Act as if you're preparing food for someone with very tame tastes, instead of piling on the spicy toppings and fillings. You can go one meal without it.

However, my main bit of advice for anyone who wants to bring their own food on a plane is to go with a cup of instant noodles.

They're safe options, despite what some people say about the plane's hot water, and there are blander options that won't distress the nostrils of your fellow passengers.

We're more than happy to pour some hot water into your cup and let you prepare your own meal at your seat.

Other than that, you can simply eat something at the airport, which could well be your safest bet.

In fact, if you're well fed, you're more likely to sleep on the plane, so doing that could help you snooze once you take off.

Also, you'll not only be happy and full, you'll end up sleeping through the smells from anyone else who hasn't followed the rules and decides to stink out the cabin.

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Meanwhile, this man stunned others on his flight with a very weird choice of meal.

And this passenger was slammed for eating smelly eggs while waiting for a flight.

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