For decades the national dish has been a staple meal on the national carrier. But now British Airways has taken beef off the menu for economy passengers amid concerns about its “religious restrictions”. The airline has instead switched to a fish pie or chicken dish option for the so-called “cattle class” passengers. BA’s second-biggest long-haul market is to India, where the majority Hindu population do not eat beef because of their beliefs. The decision to scrap the nation’s favourite fare was described as a “great shame” by the English Beef and Lamb Executive, formerly part of the Meat and Livestock Commission.
A spokesman said: “It is regrettable that Britain’s flag carrier is not proposing to serve Britain’s national dish. “It is a meal we are rightly proud of. Roast beef and beefeaters are symbols or Britain used to promote tourism. “Our beef is also much in demand overseas. It is predominately grass fed and highly praised for its flavour. “It is obviously up to British Airways to decide what they serve on flights, but beef is an ideal meat for making into airline meals.” A BA spokesman said the it stopped serving beef to economy class passengers last month. He added: “We can only serve two options and beef and pork obviously have religious restrictions. “We also look at trends from major supermarkets to see what types of meals are popular and fish pie style meals are selling well at the moment.
Fish Pie?..Now I’m offended. I demand satisfaction! Pass the airsickness bag please.
This type of thing makes me really angry.
I choose not to partake in the honor killing my siblings coz they don’t go out with someone my father approves, and they don’t have to eat beef if they so choose.
Now I realize that Hindus don’t generally honor kill (thats usually reserved for the Islam fanatics), but it all gets down to the same thing. They don’t have to eat dead cows, but their stupid religion DOES NOT mean that I should be prohibited from eating them if I damn well want to!
Why not please everybody and stop serving food altogether?
For that matter, only people who dress completely in plant fibres (no animal or synthetics thanks) should be allowed to board planes.
What about restricting air travel to only those who have been baptized, or any other stupid idiotic illogical religious bullcrap you care to mention!
Seems to make good economic sense really, more than being PC….. what they should do is just serve vegetarian meals, with cheese on the side…. vegetables always Hallal, Kosher, and Hindu friendly, and if the cheese is on the site the vegan area happy to. I mean, there aren’t religions that say people have to eat meat with every meal…
When asked if I had any religious food requirements, I always go kosher. I figure it would be different and fresh–never got a bad meal.
Looks like my new religion might have to be “carnivore” and let the pc marketing folks chew on that.
Rubbish.
Don’t just believe and reprint any old crap you see on the web or a free newspaper!
If they really wanted to keep from offending people, they’d skip the nasty English food altogether.
#5 – Grimbo
Ever used Google?
The airline has instead switched to a fish pie or chicken dish option
I dunno, you might offend the Chicken Worshippers.
http://tinyurl.com/6jvpg7
RBG
No big loss. The Brits are known for having the WORST food on the planet. If anything, they are doing all of their customers a big, BIG favor, Hindu or not.
Anyway, I’m absolutely 100% positive that this move has a LOT more to do with cost savings than with anything having to do with being PC. Fish and Chicken are cheaper than beef. They are just using the Hindu rationale as an excuse to avoid looking cheap and cutthroat.
#2, You’re a complete and utter moron.
#6 & # 9, are you by any chance from the land who gives us McDonald’s ? Wendy’s, IHOP and Dennys ?
I take it the British food doesn’t have enough fat and sugar for your metabolism ?
JPV: The Brits are known for having the WORST food on the planet.
Sorry mate, I think you’ll have the British WERE known for the worst food on the planet…. you’ll never guess who has taken over that mantle now…
I don’t like all this religious appeasement I see going on in England. They are going to be living under sharia law in a few years if they don’t stop it now.
#13 – Uncle Ben – …worst food on the planet…. you’ll never guess who has taken over that mantle now…
The Finns?
#12. Yeah, I’m an American, and I’ll gladly admit that our national diet is one of the most unhealthy on the planet. However, it can taste pretty damn good, considering that there are American-food restaurants just about everywhere on the planet. You can get a hamburger in rural England, but just try to find steak-and-kidney pie in rural America.
>>The Finns?
Hey, I guess you’ve never had easter pudding Mämmi and salted fish. Right up there with fish pie!
I am a nudist and hate clothing. I now expect BA to honor and respect my feelings and require that all people aboard remove their clothing.
I was tutoring a guy from India (I’m pretty sure, he had a multi-syllabic name with very few vowels that was about 3 feet long which is a real bitch when you have to make them a name tag for their cubicle) in mathematics and he explained to me that cows were sacred. Everyday I would bring him either a Slim Jim, Big Mac or beef jerky. I just didn’t get it.
18. Hey Ron, this may not be the time, but what do you guys do when you’re out there altogether and you know happens, anyway?
RBG
What’s wrong with serving haggis?
#10
Actually around here beef is cheaper than chicken and fish by a long shot.
#11 – Perhaps, but I’m an utter moron who is absolutely correct!
Nobody is forcing the Hindu passengers to order the meat dishes, but ALL non-Hindus ARE being forced to NOT have the meat dishes that many would prefer over the typically tastless chicken and fish offerings.
Yes, but this was served in first class.
I don’t eat much beef, anymore; but, this bumps my grocery shopping, this morning. I’m making steak and Guinness pie for dinner, today.
julieb….the only religion that they cater to in the UK now is Islam. The PC patrol figure they are the only ones who might behead their asses if they are offended.
BA got into a jam last year because it told a Christian woman employee she couldn’t wear a cross necklace while working as it may offend non-Christians, saying BA had a policy of not allowing any dress that cannotes any particular religion. She went public and sued, and she won. Seems BA allows it’s female Muslim employee’s to wear the head scarf or head covering.
English food has made a comeback. It’s some of the best you can find anywhere.
All that research that NASA put into creating food for the astronauts. And the world’s airlines still carry this kind of slop on board. Why can’t they adopt the “space food” we saw in the movie “2001”? Or something that comes in squeeze tubes. There most be too much politics involved in the food planning decision. Even the military can’t get it right. Some useful “spinoff” technology, NASA. Nobody wants your turkey-in-a-tube dinners.
So OK. On a recent packed flight from the UK we were offered chicken or “fish” pie. After my stomach stopped turning at the idea I thought “Why Not” and had the fish pie. Now I want the recipe. Let’s get beyond the religion hang ups and just look for something healthy. It really was very good and maybe it is because I’m Catholic but I did enjoy it.
Still like a good Prime Rib but fish once in awhile is OK. Lesly