Austrian Airlines special meals for Muslim travellers

MOML on Austrian Airlines: what the category means

Austrian Airlines' pre-order page lists a meal without pork, pork products or alcohol under the code MOML, the standard airline code for a Muslim meal. That published definition is the starting point for a religious diet on Austrian flights.

It has limits. The page does not name a halal certifier, and it does not claim that every ordinary menu item is prepared in the same way. A traveller who needs a named certificate should ask Austrian before departure, and one who follows a stricter standard on slaughter or shared equipment should treat the meal as a pork-free, alcohol-free option rather than a certified one.

The rest of this page deals with when the meal is available, how the two timings stated on Austrian's pages fit together and what to do when plans change. The Austrian pages could not be opened by the research tools used for this guide, so every Austrian detail below comes from the earlier version of this page and should be re-read on the airline's site.

Does your flight include a meal?

The special-meal programme applies to flights on which a meal is included. That is the first check, and it is often where confusion starts.

Melangerie on short and medium-haul Economy

On short- and medium-haul Economy, Austrian runs a buy-on-board service called Melangerie. Its sandwiches and hot dishes are purchased, so they are not an accepted MOML request. The choice you make at the counter on board is a retail purchase with ingredients you must read yourself.

Flights with an included meal

On flights where food is part of the fare, the special-meal list applies. Look at your booking and the airline's description of the service for your cabin and route. If no meal is included, there is nothing for a special meal to replace, and you should bring food or plan to buy from the on-board menu.

Resolving the 24-hour and 48-hour statements

Austrian's detailed pre-order page states 24 hours for special meals, while its culinary overview contains a 48-hour instruction. Both were present on the airline's pages at the time this guide was prepared.

When two official statements differ, the safer choice is the longer one. Submit the request at least 48 hours before departure where possible. If you are inside 48 hours but outside 24, try anyway, and then contact Austrian to ask whether your specific flight can still accept the request.

How to confirm

• Open the pre-order page when you manage your booking and read the cutoff shown for your flight.
• Ask Austrian's service centre which of the two deadlines applies, and note the name or reference of the agent.
• Keep any written answer with your booking confirmation.

Ordering: special meal, Melangerie and Business selection

Austrian's pre-order page separates three products, and picking the wrong one is the most common error.

• Special meals, including MOML, for religious, medical or dietary needs on flights with an included meal.
• Melangerie, a purchase for short- and medium-haul Economy.
• Main-course selection in long-haul Business Class, where passengers choose among regular dishes.

Choosing a favourite main course in Business does not apply the MOML exclusions to that recipe. If you want the Muslim meal, select the special-meal option, not the main course menu. Check whether both can be combined, and ask Austrian if the booking tool does not make that clear.

A preselected regular dish is a menu choice. A MOML request is a dietary category. They are recorded differently, and only the second carries the pork and alcohol exclusions.

What MOML does and does not guarantee

Understanding the scope helps avoid disappointment on board.

What is stated

No pork, no pork products, no alcohol. These are the exclusions the pre-order page attaches to the code.

What is not stated

• A named halal certifier.
• The method of slaughter for meat.
• Whether kitchens are separated from non-halal food.
• Whether sauces, desserts and bread are certified.

Scholars differ on how to treat these points, and many travellers accept a pork-free, alcohol-free meal as sufficient while others look for certification. Which standard applies to you is a question for a qualified scholar. If you need more detail, write to Austrian and ask for the catering supplier's information for your route.

After a disruption or rebooking

Austrian's disruption guidance explains that changes to a flight may be communicated through its usual contact channels, such as the details left in the booking. After a delay, cancellation or rebooking, the catering context can change.

When you are moved, check these points on the new itinerary:

• The operating airline and whether Austrian still runs the flight.
• The cabin, since a different cabin may mean a different meal service.
• The departure time and date, as the deadline restarts from the new departure.
• Whether a replacement flight includes a meal at all.

Ask Austrian whether the special meal is still accepted, and request it again if the system dropped it. A replacement without an included meal means your MOML request no longer has anything to attach to, so buy or carry food.

Backup food and ingredient questions on board

Even with a confirmed request, a backup plan costs little. Dried fruit, nuts, dates, sealed bakery items and a sandwich with fillings you trust travel well. Check the rules of your destination for meat and dairy, and follow airport screening rules for liquids and spreads.

On board, the crew can usually read the catering label. Politely ask whether a dish contains pork, gelatin or alcohol, especially for desserts and sauces. If you are buying from the Melangerie range, read the ingredient list yourself, because those items are not covered by the MOML definition.

If something is wrong with the meal, avoid arguing about certification in flight. Eat your own food, make a note of the flight number and details, and raise the matter with Austrian afterwards.

Checklist and what to do if the meal is missing

1. Confirm your flight includes a meal in the fare.
2. Choose the special-meal option, not Melangerie or the main-course menu.
3. Order at least 48 hours ahead.
4. Check the booking shows MOML and screenshot it.
5. After any rebooking, review the operator, cabin and times, then ask whether the meal is still accepted.
6. Pack a backup meal for the whole journey.
7. Re-read Austrian's pages before travelling, because deadlines can change.

If it goes wrong

Tell the cabin crew at once, show your confirmation and ask what is available without pork or alcohol. If nothing suits, use your own food. After the flight, contact Austrian's customer service with the flight number, date and a screenshot, asking for the record to be corrected and for an explanation.

Frequently asked questions