As an industry, aviation is a big contributor of CO2 emissions so it’s only normal they look at ways to offset this.

From switching to bamboo cutlery, offering carbon offsets to passengers to signing the Global SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) Declaration and now offering vegan meals, many airlines are trying to make a commitment to becoming more environmentally friendly.

While vegan menus aren’t necessarily new for some airlines, the difference is that they are being taken a lot more seriously. Rather than just a plate of cooked vegetables and a side of fruit, airlines are now becoming more creative and serving plant-based koftas and elaborate desserts.

Emirates is the latest airline to unveil a new menu to meet the demand for plant-based cuisine onboard, announcing a multimillion-dollar investment in October 2022. A curated menu of gourmet vegan dishes has been introduced for First and Business Class, while Economy Class has a refreshed selection of plant-based produce.

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Vegan options are available to order and pre-order onboard as well as in Emirates Lounges. Serving vegan options since the 1990s, mainly for religious requirements, the airline has noticed a sizeable increase in interest in vegan dishes over the last decade.

With over 180 plant-based recipes in its repertoire, the new vegan menu features unique koftas made with plant-based products from the world-renowned Beyond meat company – only for the pointy end of the plane though. Other core ingredients include the inimitable tofu, cauliflower steak, mushroom ragout, mango salad timbale and the list goes on.

Singapore Airlines is another popular airline among vegans. Options usually have a Western or Asian twist such as spaghetti marinara served with salad, fruit, or chilli with rice, steamed veggies and salad. They even serve vegan appetisers before the entrée!

Since 2018, Cathay Pacific has added variety to its vegan repertoire, serving Beyond Burgers in their Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong. It was also the first airline to serve OmniPork. OmniPork is a vegan version of pork made of a blend of pea protein, non-GMO (genetically modified organism) soy, shiitake mushrooms and rice. In October 2019, the airline served OmniPork dishes to Business Class passengers including OmniPork Bolognaise with Garganelli pasta on all long-haul flights departing from Hong Kong.

Those flying out of Air New Zealand to the US can enjoy the Bill Gates-backed Impossible Burger. Originally served only in Business class, the airline is looking to expand their vegan offering and meals are available in all classes upon request.

In 2020, Qatar launched its first à la carte vegan menu for Business Class. A true culinary experience for passengers leaving Doha, the menu includes sophisticated dishes including smoked moutabel; spiral courgettes and arrabbiata sauce; tofu and spinach tortellini; Asian barbecue tofu, noodles, scallions and shiitake; fried tofu with vegetable tagine; and cauliflower couscous and kalamata bruschetta. Vegan options are also available in economy via pre order.

Qantas is reported to be developing a vegan menu, with plant-based dishes and faux meat alternatives expected to be part of in-flight and airport lounge menus by the end of the year. The airline’s head chef, Neil Perry, is looking into plant-based meats like Beyond, Impossible and V2 – an Australian product. The new vegan menus are likely to debut in Qantas airport lounges first, before rolling out across domestic and international flights.

But really, vegan meals still aren’t the norm and are mostly only brought aboard after being requested, with the creme de la creme menus served on selected routes and in business or first. To make sure you get a vegan meal on your next flight, it’s best to call the airlines at least one week before your departure to pre-order your meal.

This article originally appeared on escape.com.au. It has been reproduced here with permission. 

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