Pilots Aren’t Allowed to Eat the Same Meal During a Flight—and It’s for This Very Important Safety Reason

Kosher, vegan, gluten-free, and even keto—most airlines are pretty good these days about giving you an option for in-flight meals. Many airlines even let you choose your entree in advance, especially if you’re flying in business or first class. If everyone in your row selects chicken, the flight attendants will do their best to make sure you all get chicken and not the dreaded pasta dish.

That said, it’s a different situation in the flight deck. Although you can argue they’re the most important people on the plane, pilots don’t have the same freedom we do when it comes to choosing what to eat. On long-haul flights, pilots sharing a flight deck can’t eat the same food. If one pilot is having pasta, the other has to have chicken—here’s why.

But first: Why do planes have more than one pilot anyway?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires airlines to have at least two pilots on commercial aircraft at all times. Long-haul flights over eight hours often require a third or even a fourth pilot. This is because there are strict regulations limiting the number of hours a pilot can fly within designated time periods. It’s also because if something were to happen to the pilot flying the plane, there needs to be someone qualified to step in.

Why do pilots have to eat different meals?

Salmonella, E. coli, norovirus, and the list goes on: Foodborne illness is a risk for anyone, and when food poisoning hits, its symptoms can be unpleasant at best and deadly at worst.

“Pilots are required to eat different meals on the flight in case one meal is compromised,” Adam Cohen, a captain at Skywest Airlines, tells Travel + Leisure. “That way, only one pilot will be affected, and the other can continue safely to the destination.” While the FAA doesn’t have a regulation stating that pilots must eat different meals, most airlines have rules mandating that pilots cannot eat the same meals as their co-pilots both before and during their flight.

How common is food poisoning on planes?

While there have been a lot of unfortunate incidents ranging from passengers trying to open emergency doors to planes catching on fire recently, food poisoning appears to be less common. That said, it happens. In 1982, most of the crew members on a flight from Lisbon to Boston were afflicted with stomach pains and cramps after indulging in the same dessert during the flight. While some of the crew members were taken away in ambulances upon touching down in Boston, no passengers were affected.

The crew had been served different food, and fortunately, two of the 10 opted out of the tapioca pudding. “Pilot skips pudding, lands plane safely” read the headline in the Manchester Evening Herald that week. A spokesperson for the airline said they suspected the pudding because it was the only item on the menu that had a cream base which would produce an instant reaction. 

What do pilots eat?

There’s no governing body that dictates what pilots can or can’t eat. That said, the captain will try to make sure they’re not eating the same thing as their first officer. Usually the pilot with the most seniority gets to choose their meal first. While many pilots pick up food on layovers, some airlines feed their pilots mid-flight, especially if it’s a long-haul flight. For example, Emirates prepares meals for passengers and crew in the same catering facility in Dubai. That said, crew members aren’t served the same menu as passengers. Passengers typically get multi-course meals. The flight crew is more apt to enjoy sandwiches or grab-and-go dishes that are easier to eat while working or on break.

Pilots are also allowed to pack their own food from home, which is helpful because not all airlines pay for their pilots’ food, especially on shorter routes. “I even use the ovens on the plane when the flight attendants are done with them,” wrote one pilot on Reddit. “Nothing like a home-cooked meal in the flight deck.” Pilots just can’t pair what they pack with a glass of wine or whiskey. That privilege is only reserved for passengers.