Air India has announced it will stop serving non-vegetarian meals in economy class on its shortest domestic flights.
According to the airline, the change is intended to reduce food waste, cut costs and improve catering reliability. The policy applies only to economy-class passengers on short domestic sectors; executive class and longer domestic flights (those over 90 minutes) as well as international services will continue to receive non-vegetarian options. The status of eggs in economy meals has not been clarified.
An Air India spokesperson said the move will also reduce the risk of mistakes in catering, such as non-vegetarian meals being accidentally served to vegetarian passengers, a problem the carrier says has occurred on occasion.
The announcement drew mixed reactions. Supporters note that India has a large vegetarian population, while critics argue the change could disadvantage passengers who eat meat and raised concerns about potential religious or cultural bias. Some commentators framed the decision in the context of broader political debates in India, though the airline presented it as a cost- and waste-reduction measure rather than a policy motivated by ideology.
Operationally, the change affects roughly the shorter sectors of Air India’s domestic network; about 70 percent of the airline’s flights are domestic. Non-vegetarian meals will remain available on international routes and on domestic flights exceeding the 90-minute threshold.
Air India has faced long-standing financial challenges, including a government bailout in 2012 and substantial debt. The carrier says the catering adjustment is part of wider efforts to streamline operations and limit unnecessary expense while improving service consistency for passengers.
The airline did not provide a definitive timeline for implementation in all markets, and passengers booked on economy-class short domestic flights should check their booking details or contact the carrier for information about meal provisions on specific sectors.