Singapore Airlines Gluten-Free Flight Review - Melbourne to Singapore (Jan 2025)

Location: Melbourne - Singapore

Flight Number: SQ 248

Date: 5/01/2025

For the most accurate and up-to-date visit the special dietary page on Singapore Airlines Website: Special Meals | Singapore Airlines | Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines Gluten-Free Quick Overview:

Pros:

• Great service.

• Good quality food.

• A gluten-free meat pie.

• no reaction to the food.

Cons:

• Can not guarantee cross-contamination.

• Be careful of snacks that are handed out by flight attendants.

A Coeliac Traveller's Tip:

Proceed with caution. The service and food on board was terrific, however the airline can not guarantee cross-contamination. Also make sure to pre-book in advance.

Coeliac Traveller's Pro Tip:

Make sure to pre-book your meals at least 24 hours before your flight. If you do not pre-book Singapore Airlines will NOT be able to cater for your dietary requirements.

Singapore Airlines Gluten-Free Full Review:

Greetings, dear readers,

Welcome back to the Tales of a Coeliac Traveller. Recently I embarked on a journey between Melbourne and Singapore with Singapore Airlines. Seated in economy class, the flight was just over 7 hours, with two meals served throughout. This was my first time onboard Singapore Airlines as a coeliac and hence was intrigued to see what gluten-free options they would serve.

Service:

The service on Singapore Airlines is consistently excellent, and this was no exception when it came to serving gluten free meals. It should be noted that the airline describes it as a gluten intolerant meal as they cannot guarantee the absence of traces of gluten. Furthermore, this meal must be pre-ordered in the days leading up to the flight- if it is not pre-ordered you will not be given a gluten free meal. 

Shortly after boarding and after finding our designated seats, the flight attendant handed out hot towels - a refreshing way to start the trip. As the plane pushed back from the terminal and taxied out to the runway, a flight attendant approached us to confirm that we had ordered a special meal requests - a gluten free meal for myself and a fruit platter meal for my partner. After confirming, a sticker was placed on top of our seat to help flight attendants quickly identify which passengers required special meals. This thoughtful touch showcased Singapore Airlines’ commitment to customer care.  Before we knew it, we were hurtling down the runway and into the skies, leaving Melbourne behind.

Not long after takeoff, our first meal was served.  One thing we noticed on all Singapore flights during this trip was that all meals with dietary requirements were served first. The meals would be delivered by a flight attendant to our seat, with the flight attendant always checking they had the right person and meal type. After all special meals were delivered, they would go get the trolley and begin their regular meal service.  This process reassured us that Singapore Airlines took care to keep special meals separate from regular ones. It also meant that we could enjoy our meal while everyone else waited for theirs. The only minor downside was that we would have to wait for the regular meal service to get any drinks apart from the bottled water that came with our meal. 

Gluten-Free Meals: 

Throughout the flight, we were served two gluten-free meals. one snack-type meal and one proper main course.

The first gluten-free meal served was a beef, pepper, and onion pie. It's not every day you get to enjoy a nice hot pie at 40,000 feet. The pie itself was warm and tasted great.

A gluten-free pie at 40,000ft

A little while later, our second and last gluten-free meal was served - the main meal of the flight. Again, dietary meals were served first. This meal consisted of lamb with beans, peas and rice accompanied by a small salad, some fruit ,and a bread roll. That's right - even at 40,000 feet, you can still get a gluten-free bread roll! The meal was delicious and satisfying.

The main course

To top it all off, shortly after the main course, the flight attendants handed out little tubs of chocolate ice cream- which, to my delight, were gluten free. As an avid ice cream enthusiast, this was the perfect way to round off the meal.

The chocolate ice cream

Throughout the flight, small snacks (i.e. crackers) were handed out.  Do be aware that these are not necessarily gluten free. None of the ones I took (I didn’t take all) were gluten free, and no gluten-free alternatives were provided. This is far from a deal breaker but just remember to bring your own snacks if you get peckish easily. Also, note the flight attendants would offer these to everyone, so don’t presume they are gluten free.

Conclusion:

Overall, the service and gluten-free food onboard Singapore Airlines were terrific. The gluten-free meals did not disappoint, and I was pleasantly surprised by their quality. The flight attendants provided first class service, making us feel safe and comfortable. Perhaps, most importantly, I had no reaction to the food, and it tasted great. What more can you ask for - especially when you are up at 40,000ft.

This article was correct at time of writing in January 2025.

For the most accurate and up-to-date visit the special dietary page on Singapore Airlines Website: Special Meals | Singapore Airlines | Singapore Airlines

Other Airline Reviews:

Singapore Airlines Singapore - Seattle: https://www.travellingcoeliactales.com/post/being-gluten-free-on-a-long-haul-flight-a-singapore-airlines-gluten-free-review

Virgin Australia Melbourne - Cairns: Gluten-Free Flying: Virgin Australia Melbourne to Cairns Review