A furious passenger has slammed Virgin Atlantic after they were served a “pitiful” vegan sandwich filled with mouldy vegetables.
Paul Booker, 55, a retired civil servant, who had just holidayed in Cancun, Mexico, was served the sandwich in question on his returning flight back to Heathrow on January 14.
Towards the end of the 10-hour flight, Mr Booker was offered breakfast and opted for the vegan option.
The holidaymaker, from Minehead in Somerset, said: “There was no way that was going anywhere near my mouth because it looked like it was rotten.
“I have had bad food on a flight before but not from this country, but this was a joke.”
Shocking photos show two slices of courgette, and an almost unidentifiable, “rotten-looking” pepper, between two small slices of bread.
Mr Booker said he and his friend, who he’d gone on holiday with, initially just laughed in shock.
He said: “It is certainly up there as the worst meal I have ever had, it’s certainly the worst offering I have ever had.”
Paul Booker said the sandwich looked ‘rotten’
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KENNEDY NEWS AND MEDIA
The retired civil servant showed the sandwich to the air hostess who he claims was embarrassed, before handing him a pot of fruit salad instead.
He said: “I called her over and I said ‘is this all you’ve got? Have you got an alternative I can have?’ and I showed her and she was absolutely shocked by that.”
The airhostess said the sandwich was “not acceptable at all”, Mr Booker claims, and advised him to contact Virgin Atlantic when he got home.
The holidaymaker said: “The sandwich had this amusing writing on the box, ‘we found love in a hungry place’.
Paul Booker has been a vegan for 10 years
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KENNEDY NEWS AND MEDIA
“I thought ‘there’s an irony for you’. I certainly didn’t find love there, but I was certainly in a hungry place, it was more of a kick in the teeth.”
Having been vegan for 10 years, Mr Booker claims he was left hungry on his £600 flight, with only a fruit salad to eat as an alternative.
He lodged a complaint with Virgin Atlantic once he got home and received a £100 voucher to use against Virgin holidays and flights.
However, the upset vegan was not satisfied with the British airlines offer, saying the voucher “isn’t going to go anywhere” on one of their holidays or flights.
He said: “I just wanted some acknowledgement from their in-flight catering team, and something properly financial would be nice.
“Their £100 voucher, not only is it not a lot of benefit to me but also doesn’t cost them anything.
“They could’ve given me £500 and it wouldn’t be a drop in the ocean to them.”
Virgin Atlantic have apologised and said all customers, including those with specific dietary requirements, “should receive food that meets our usual high standards”.
The airline’s spokesman said: “We never want to disappoint our customers, which is why it’s disheartening to hear that Mr Booker was unhappy with the meal served on his flight from Cancun to London Heathrow.
“We have shared all feedback with our catering teams to ensure standards are upheld.”