INTRODUCTION
Jet2, a UK-based low-cost carrier, doesn’t offer complimentary catering. Instead, passengers can either pre-order meals from a diverse selection before their flight or make purchases onboard.
PRE ORDER MEALS
The Jet2 pre-order meal options include a variety of choices such as an English breakfast, vegetarian and vegan options, pasta dishes, beef casserole, sausage and mash, and more.
Prices for these meals start at £10 and can be pre-ordered up to 24 hours before departure. For this flight, I chose the vegan breakfast option, priced at £11.
The meal was advertised as hearty and substantial, featuring grilled tofu sausages, hash browns, and mushrooms & peppers in tomato sauce.
ONBOARD MENU
The onboard menu offers a range of options including sandwiches, toasties, wraps, and hot meals that differ from the pre-ordered meals.
Prices are competitive compared to similar buy-on-board menus on other UK and European airlines and include options such as:
FOOD OPTIONS
Chicken Tikka Meal (£8.00) A curry dish with marinated chicken pieces in a spicy tomato sauce, served with rice and tortilla chips.
Chilli Meal (£8.00) Beef chili served with tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream.
Penne Arrabbiata (£7.50) Penne pasta with tomato sauce and herbs.
Mac & Cheese (£7.50) Classic pasta dish with creamy cheese sauce
Kids’ Snack Box (£4.50): Includes Mini Cheddars, Jammie Dodgers, Milky Stars, Sunny Raisins, Fruit Gummy Zone Pizza Blast, and a pack of four coloring pencils.
Sweet & Savoury (£5.50): Features Nairn’s Gluten-Free Oatcakes, Hummus, Branston Pickle, Marmite Cheddar Bites, and an Urban Fruit Mango snack pack.
Tapas (£6.00): A selection of Pico’s Cracker Pack, Serrano slices, savory cracker, and thyme olives with Sobrasada paste.
Ploughman’s (£5.50): Cream crackers, Peter’s Yard sourdough crispbread, onion chutney, sweet pickle relish, Branston Pickle mini cheese loaf, and cheddar cheese portions.
Sandwiches, Toasties, and Wraps (£4.70 each)
Ham & Cheese Toastie
Tuna Crunch Roll
Onion Bhaji Mango Wrap
Hot Bacon Baguette
Chicken & Bacon Roll
INFLIGHT
On this flight from Palma to Manchester, I was fortunate to experience Jet2’s A330 aircraft, which the airline occasionally operates on select routes.
From the moment you board, the cabin crew’s friendliness is immediately apparent. They are approachable and engaging, which likely encourages inflight purchases.
Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the inflight service commenced, with pre-ordered meals being served first. Following the meal service, the crew offered those who had pre ordered a choice of tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or water.
The crew then continued with the inflight service, offering passengers who hadn’t pre-ordered the chance to purchase items from the onboard menu.
I noticed a significant number of passengers making purchases, which I attribute to the crew’s proactive approach.
They personally approached each row, made eye contact, and asked if passengers wanted anything from the inflight bar. Their genuine enthusiasm and friendly demeanor likely contributed to more inflight sales.
The inflight meal concept features a striking red box that houses the meal, with a concealed compartment for additional snacks and condiments.
Opening the box, passengers are greeted with an “Enjoy your meal!” sign and find a chocolate tiffin, onion marmalade, oat cakes, soy milk, and margarine inside.
Salt and pepper are included in the wooden cutlery pack, along with a napkin.
MEAL REVIEW
While the meal itself was decent, I was surprised by the portion size. It looked more substantial on the website, but the actual quantity was smaller than expected.
The hash browns were crispy and flavorful, while the faux sausages were decent, though they didn’t quite match the satisfaction of the hash browns.
The mushrooms and peppers were particularly enjoyable, even though the portion was modest.
The combination of oat cakes and onion marmalade was unconventional but provided an interesting taste experience.
The chocolate tiffin, which was also gluten-free, was a decent enough treat.
THE KIDS SNACKBOX
From the onboard menu, I purchased a kids’ pack for £4.50.
This snack box offers a mix of treats, combining both sweet and savory options. It includes an assortment of Jammie Dodgers, Sunny Raisins, Dairy Milk Freddo, Mini Cheddars, and Gummi Pizza.
These snacks are better suited as occasional treats rather than daily snack options.
Nutritional Breakdown Per 100g
| Nutrient | Jammie Dodgers | Sunny Raisins | Dairy Milk Freddo | Mini Cheddars | Gummi Pizza |
| Energy | 1829 kJ/435 kcal | 1412 kJ/333 kcal | 2210 kJ/530 kcal | 2134 kJ/511 kcal | 1447 kJ/341 kcal |
| Fat | 14.1 g | 0.9 g | 30.5 g | 28.6 g | 0.6 g |
| of which saturates | 6.8 g | 0.2 g | 18.1 g | 14.4 g | 0.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 70.2 g | 76.1 g | 57 g | 51.5 g | 79 g |
| of which sugars | 26.7 g | 66.5 g | 56 g | 4.6 g | 77.8 g |
| Protein | 5.4 g | 3.3 g | 7.5 g | 10.3 g | 5.7 g |
| Salt | 0.61 g | <0.1 g | 0.24 g | 2.4 g | 0.1 g |
CONCLUSION
Overall, my experience with Jet2 was very pleasant. The evolution of their pre-order meal service over the past six years is evident, with a price increase from £7.50 to £11 reflecting changes in the product offerings and inflation.
Although the portion sizes could be more generous, the variety and quality of the meals and snacks were generally good.
The friendly and proactive approach of the cabin crew further enhances the inflight experience, making Jet2 a good choice for travellers looking for reasonably priced and decent inflight catering options.
