This Instagram account shows how drastically different economy plane food can be on airlines around the world

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This Instagram account shows how drastically different economy plane food can be on airlines around the world

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Henry Wu airplane food

Henry Wu

Economy food on one airline - like Japan Airlines, left - can be vastly different in standard compared to another - like American Airlines, right.

  • The Instagram account @airplanefoodselfie shares images of plane meals on different airlines around the world.
  • One of the most striking takeaways is how much economy food can vary in standard depending on the airline.
  • The account is run by 39-year-old full-time traveller Henry Wu.

While it's no secret that business and first class food is leagues apart from economy, most people don't realise quite how much economy food can vary across different airlines.

Indeed, while on some flights passengers are forced to make do with overcooked broccoli and pasta served under a foil lid, others get to enjoy tender chicken and crisp salad served on actual chinaware with metal cutlery.

There's one Instagram account which hammers this point home incredibly clearly: Airplane Food Selfie.

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Set-up by 39-year-old Henry Wu, the account shares images of airplane meals sent in by travellers, as well as the airline, flight, and class, and asks fans to rate how delicious the food looks.

Set-up by 39-year-old Henry Wu, the account shares images of airplane meals sent in by travellers, as well as the airline, flight, and class, and asks fans to rate how delicious the food looks.

Wu started the Instagram account in June 2018 and it swiftly took off — it now has over 15,500 followers.

Wu started the Instagram account in June 2018 and it swiftly took off — it now has over 15,500 followers.
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Until last autumn, Wu was a software developer based in Chicago, but he decided to quit his job and sell his home to embark on full-time travel for a couple of years.

Until last autumn, Wu was a software developer based in Chicago, but he decided to quit his job and sell his home to embark on full-time travel for a couple of years.

"I love to travel (I flew 102,000 miles in 2018 alone) so over the years, I developed a decent collection of airplane food pictures and I never knew what to do with them," Wu told Business Insider.

He originally started the Instagram account to make fun of his friend's food blog.

He originally started the Instagram account to make fun of his friend's food blog.

"It really started as a joke but it just really took off to my surprise," Wu said.

"People seem to really like the idea of the account, maybe because it's unique and people are curious. And maybe a lot of other people probably also take pictures of airplane food when they travel like I do but never know what to do with them, so I'm giving them a channel to showcase."

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At the beginning, Wu was only sharing his own pictures.

At the beginning, Wu was only sharing his own pictures.

However, a month after starting the account, people started sending him their own pictures of airplane meals — he now receives so many he can scarcely keep up.

Wu's pictures show an incredible array of standards when it comes to airplane meals, as well as how cuisine varies depending on the airline.

Wu's pictures show an incredible array of standards when it comes to airplane meals, as well as how cuisine varies depending on the airline.
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From his experience, Wu believes the best economy food is found on Japan Airlines and Evergreen Airways.

From his experience, Wu believes the best economy food is found on Japan Airlines and Evergreen Airways.

He thinks the selection on Singapore Airlines looks great based on pictures, although he is yet to experience it himself.

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Airplane Food Selfie doesn't just share photos of economy meals — it also reveals a glamorous insight into the high life of business and first class, as well as private jet travel.

A private jet picture is the most popular one.

"The most liked picture was someone's private jet picture [above]," Wu said. "It's not necessarily the best but I guess maybe it was popular because it was more unique and people are curious about private jets."

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The second most popular is of Korean Air prestige class.

"It's good but not necessarily the best," he says, but admits that his newer pictures are getting more attention purely because his following has grown.

If you base your airline choice on the food served, Wu's Instagram may help you make a decision.

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