Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and halal meals: what the airline lists

What SAS currently lists

SAS's food and drink page lists these special meals: lactose-free, gluten-free, vegetarian lacto-ovo, vegan, a kids' meal, an Asian vegetarian meal and a Vegetarian Jain meal. The last two are shown for flights to North America and Asia only. The page does not mention a halal or Muslim meal (the MOML code used by many airlines).

For a Muslim traveller, that is the key finding: at the time we read it, the published list did not include a halal option. Older third-party websites, forum posts and booking-agent descriptions may say otherwise, but the airline's own current list should come first. If your decision depends on a halal meal, ask SAS directly and keep the reply.

Which cabins and routes qualify for special meals

SAS ties special meals to services where a meal is included. According to its page, special meals are available in Business on international flights longer than 80 minutes, and in all cabins on flights to North America and Asia. Kids' meals follow a similar pattern, with Business on international flights over 80 minutes and all cabins on flights to and from Asia and North America.

This matters because an Economy ticket on a short European sector may not include a meal at all. The same page describes Economy pre-orders on Scandinavia-Europe flights over 80 minutes, which is a separate purchased-meal service rather than a dietary request. Check your exact cabin and sector before assuming any special-meal option applies.

Request deadlines and how to ask

SAS says special meals can be requested at booking or up to 24 hours before departure, through My trips or the SAS app. Kids' meals also need to be ordered at least 24 hours before departure.

Business meal pre-selection

For flights to Asia or North America, Business passengers can pre-select a main meal. The page states this opens 10 days before departure and closes 24 hours before, and that a choice cannot be changed once made. Pre-selection is a menu choice, not a dietary or religious request.

A note on other deadlines

Some older descriptions quote different cut-offs for ordinary meal pre-orders and for special meals. We could not retrieve the pre-order page to confirm any separate figure, so use the deadline shown for your own booking in My trips, and treat that as the one that counts.

If you consider the vegan or vegetarian option

Many Muslim travellers choose a vegan or vegetarian meal when no halal meal is offered, because it avoids meat sourcing questions. It is a reasonable approach, but it is not a halal certification, and SAS does not present it as one.

• Vegan meals exclude animal products but can still include sauces, flavourings or dressings that need checking against your own standards, for example alcohol-based flavourings.
• Vegetarian lacto-ovo meals include dairy and eggs, and cheese may use animal rennet.
• Ask the cabin crew for the ingredient list if you are unsure, and be prepared to leave an item you cannot confirm.

Whether such a meal is acceptable for you is a matter for your own conscience and, if you want a ruling, a qualified scholar.

Rebooking cancels your request

One detail catches many passengers. SAS states that special-meal requests are automatically cancelled if the flight is changed, cancelled or rebooked, or if the name on the ticket changes. Its advice is to make a new request to be sure the meal is available. Pre-selected Business meals do not carry over to a new flight either, so the choice has to be made again.

After any change, open the booking again and re-enter the meal for each new flight. Do not assume that an earlier confirmation covers the replacement departure.

When there is no halal option to request

If SAS cannot confirm a Muslim meal for your flight, you have three practical choices. You can choose the closest special meal and check its ingredients, buy or pre-order a regular meal where that service exists and read the details, or bring food of your own within airport security rules.

Ask the airline a precise question: is a halal or Muslim meal available on this flight number on this date, and in this cabin? A general query about the airline's policy is less useful than a specific one. Keep the answer, with the date and channel, in case you need to show it at the airport.

If a halal meal is essential and SAS cannot supply one, consider whether another carrier on the same route lists MOML in its own published rules. That is a decision for before you buy, as changing airlines after booking is usually costly.

Carrying your own food

Bringing a meal is common practice and often the most dependable solution on short and medium flights. Security rules differ by airport, and liquids, gels and soft spreads are commonly limited, so check your departure airport's guidance. Dry, sealed items such as sandwiches, wraps, dates, nuts and fruit usually travel well. If you cross a border, also check whether meat or dairy products may be imported into the destination country.

Checklist for your SAS journey

1. Look at your booking in My trips or the SAS app and see whether a special-meal option appears for each flight.
2. Check that your cabin and route are among those listed as eligible.
3. Submit any request at booking or at least 24 hours before departure.
4. Contact SAS customer service to ask about a Muslim meal and save the reply.
5. Re-enter your meal after any change, cancellation or name correction.
6. Pack a back-up meal and confirm security rules at your departure airport.

If the meal does not arrive

Tell the cabin crew politely, ask what else is on board, and eat your own food. Report the problem to SAS after the flight with your booking reference and a copy of any earlier confirmation.

Frequently asked questions