Requesting a Muslim meal on Ethiopian Airlines, step by step

What Ethiopian Airlines offers Muslim passengers

Ethiopian Airlines names Muslim meals in its passenger guidance, in a list of special meals that also covers vegetarian, fasting, medical and baby food. The airline says the request should be made when booking the flight or purchasing the ticket, and that it should be made early. In other words, the Muslim meal is a category you ask for, not something you can assume from the standard tray.

The pages reviewed for this guide do not set out a detailed ingredient specification for the Muslim meal, and they do not name a halal certification body. What they do establish is the process: a named meal category, a request through the booking, and a cut-off time. Everything else in this guide builds on those three points.

Why the category matters

Standard meals may contain meat, gelatine or flavourings prepared without regard to halal requirements. Asking for the Muslim meal category tells the catering team that you need a different meal. If you assume the ordinary option will do, you may find that the choice on board is limited to whatever is left.

Where and when to make the request

There are two moments to think about. The first is booking, when the airline's own guidance says to request the special meal. The second is the selection window in Manage My Trips, which the airline's FAQ describes as open until 24 hours before departure.

The Manage My Trips route

According to the airline's FAQ, you open Manage My Trips on the website or in the app, go to Passenger information, then Meal selection, and choose to add a meal and special request. The FAQ states that no fee is payable when meals are selected through Manage Booking.

The 24-hour limit

Special meals can be selected up to 24 hours before departure, and a selection can be changed up to the same point. Treat that as the last possible moment, not a target. Requests made the day before leave no room to fix a mistake, so submit as soon as the ticket is issued.

If you travel through Addis Ababa on a multi-sector ticket, each flight has its own departure time and therefore its own deadline. Check every sector rather than relying on the first one.

Bookings that cannot take a meal selection

The FAQ lists situations in which pre-selection is not possible. Knowing them saves time, because the Manage My Trips option will simply not work in these cases.

• Waitlisted or merely reserved bookings. Selection is available only for confirmed flight bookings.
• Departures under 24 hours away. The window has closed.
• Flights operated by another airline. Ethiopian can only handle meals on flights it operates itself.
• Flights under 2 hours. The FAQ lists these as ineligible.

If your journey falls into one of these groups, contact the airline or the operating carrier and ask what can be done. Do not assume a note on the booking will be acted on.

Codeshare and partner flights

Many itineraries carry an Ethiopian flight number on a seat that another airline operates. The FAQ is direct about this: meals can be pre-selected on codeshare flights only where Ethiopian itself is the operator. If a partner flies the sector, Ethiopian's meal selection will not reach that aircraft.

What to do instead

1. Find the operating carrier in your booking confirmation or e-ticket.
2. Open that airline's own special-meal page, or contact it, and ask for a Muslim meal on that flight.
3. Keep the reply, and check again close to departure.

This is a common reason for a missing meal. The marketing code on the ticket and the airline that cooks the meal are not always the same.

If you do not pre-select a meal

The FAQ says passengers who do not pre-select can still choose from the flight's menu on board, subject to availability. For a traveller who needs halal food that is a weak position: availability is not guaranteed, and the menu may not carry the same assurance as a requested Muslim meal.

If you find yourself on a flight without a request, speak to the cabin crew politely at the start of the service, before the carts are far down the aisle. Ask what is suitable and ask to see the ingredients if you have doubts. Where the answer is uncertain, a vegetarian or fish-free-of-doubt alternative may be the safer choice for you, but that is your decision and, for questions of religious acceptability, one for a qualified scholar.

Allergies and medical meals are a separate process

Ethiopian's allergy policy sits apart from the Muslim meal request, and the timings differ. The policy says the airline cannot guarantee an allergen-free cabin because flights are open to the public. Passengers with a severe allergy must submit a Medical Information Form (MEDIF) at booking or at least 48 hours before departure, and may be asked to sign a liability waiver.

The same page says special meals for medical conditions, such as gluten-friendly and low-lactose meals, must be pre-ordered at least 48 hours before departure. That is earlier than the 24-hour limit for ordinary meal selection.

If you have both needs

A Muslim meal and an allergy are two requests. Tell the airline about both, early, and do not rely on one code to carry the other. If the airline cannot combine them, ask what it can offer and plan a backup.

Bringing your own food

The allergy policy states that passengers may bring their own food, with limits: the airline cannot refrigerate or heat it, and it should not have a strong smell. The page also warns that some countries' quarantine rules require food brought on board to be eaten or left on the aircraft.

• Choose food that is safe at room temperature for the whole journey.
• Avoid strong-smelling items that may bother neighbours.
• Check the arrival country's rules on meat, dairy and fresh produce before you pack.
• Pack a spoon or fork and a napkin, because you cannot count on being given them.

For wider advice on packing food, the site's guide to bringing your own halal food covers security and customs in more detail.

Checklist and what to do if the meal does not arrive

Before you fly

1. Request the Muslim meal when booking, or as soon as the ticket is issued.
2. Confirm that your booking is confirmed, not waitlisted.
3. Check who operates each sector.
4. Open Manage My Trips and look at the meal selection for every passenger.
5. Do it no later than 24 hours before departure, earlier for medical needs.
6. Pack a suitable snack as a backup.

If the meal does not arrive

• Tell the cabin crew at once and show your booking if you have it on your phone.
• Ask what else on board is suitable and read any ingredient information available.
• Eat your own food if you brought some.
• Afterwards, write to the airline's customer relations team with your flight number, date and seat, and keep a copy.

Frequently asked questions