Why Pilots Get Different Meals on Flights – A Critical Aviation Safety Measure

Why don’t pilots and co-pilots eat the same food? Airlines enforce strict meal rules to prevent food poisoning risks. Different meals, batches, and even timing ensure flight safety at all times.

Officials conduct thorough checks

Airlines take many precautions for pilots. Usually, a pilot and co-pilot are in the cockpit. They must be alert from takeoff to landing. A small mistake can endanger hundreds of lives. So, officials thoroughly check every detail about them.

Different food

The pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit also follow strict food rules. They are not given the same type of food, meaning they are served different meals.

The reason behind it

The interesting reason is 'food poisoning.' If their food is contaminated, both could fall ill at the same time. In such a situation, controlling the aircraft would become difficult.

Different rules for each

That's why they get different meals. If one gets sick, the other can manage. This system ensures both pilots don't get sick at once. Most airlines are extremely cautious about pilot food.

Different chefs

Some premium airlines go a step further. They rule that pilot food must not only be different but also made by different chefs or in different batches. This ensures at least one pilot is safe if a batch is bad.

Time gap

It's not just different food; they also eat at different times. Some airlines require one pilot to eat 30-60 minutes after the other. This way, if food poisoning occurs, the second pilot can be stopped from eating.

Reason for implementing this rule

This rule came from serious incidents. In 1982, on a Boston-Lisbon flight, the crew got sick from 'tapioca pudding.' Luckily, they landed safely. After such events, this rule was strictly enforced.