International air travel for new diabetic

Janet Wilder · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 230

AKT wrote:
> I am flying US -> India (15 hours nonstop), staying a couple weeks
> there, then flying back. Any special advice about:
>
> 1. Air travel (should I try to order "diabetic" meal on the flight)?
> 2. Food in India (staying with vegetarian families mostly)?
>
> Thanks.

We are going to travel to Australia next month. DH is Diabetic. I
ordered a "low-carb" meal for him.

Unfortunately, airlines think a "diabetic" meal is a regular
carbohydrate-laden meal with an artificially sweetened dessert. *Don't*
order the Diabetic meal if you want to eat during the 12 hour flight.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Archived from group: alt>food>diabetic

AKT · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 2

I am flying US -> India (15 hours nonstop), staying a couple weeks
there, then flying back. Any special advice about:

1. Air travel (should I try to order "diabetic" meal on the flight)?
2. Food in India (staying with vegetarian families mostly)?

Thanks.

Janet Wilder · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 230

Alan S wrote:
> On Mon, 03 Sep 2007 14:11:47 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:
>
>> We are going to travel to Australia next month. DH is Diabetic. I
>> ordered a "low-carb" meal for him.
>
> Interesting; that wasn't an option on any of the airlines I
> flew on. Nice change. Which airline?
>

I think it will be United. Not sure yet as the Travel Agent hasn't
gotten the info yet from the cruise line. If not United it will be Qantas.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

Alan S · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 134

On Mon, 03 Sep 2007 18:42:12 GMT, AKT wrote:

>I am flying US -> India (15 hours nonstop), staying a couple weeks
>there, then flying back. Any special advice about:
>
>1. Air travel (should I try to order "diabetic" meal on the flight)?
>2. Food in India (staying with vegetarian families mostly)?
>
>Thanks.

Can't answer about food in India; I'll be finding that out
myself next year (so please give us a trip report when you
return:-)

However, on "diabetic" meals, only order those if your
regimen requires a meal composed of an appetiser of starch,
followed by a main of starch, followed by a low-sugar but
high-carb dessert with a bread roll on the side and washed
down by fruit juice. Airline diabetic meals take the ADA
high-carb guidelines to extremes; it can be difficult to
find any fat or protein at all:-)

My standard procedure on long flights is to contact the
senior steward as soon as is reasonably possible after
boarding and let them know I am diabetic, patiently and
politely wait through the "you should have advised us"
lecture and then ask if I could see the menu in advance. I
then choose the "least bad" option; usually it's not too bad
and I can leave the rice/potatoes/stodge and get an
acceptable meal from what is left. This has the added
advantage of getting the meal you prefer rather than finding
that you were the last served and there is no longer a
choice. Often I was the first served as a consequence.

I've done a bit of travelling since diagnosis (see blog).
That has worked very well using Qantas, BA, Aer Lingus, Gulf
Air and Iberian over various long haul flights. On the one
occasion where that didn't work because the Air New Zealand
flight from Brisbane to Auckland had only a choice of thick
Pannini with different fillings, the senior steward arranged
for one of the Business Class smoked salmon dinners to be
sent back to me:-)

And, if all else fails, I usually have a standby snack in my
carry-on.

Cheers, Alan, Australia

d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: Slovenia
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com

Alan S · Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 134

On Mon, 03 Sep 2007 14:11:47 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:

>We are going to travel to Australia next month. DH is Diabetic. I
>ordered a "low-carb" meal for him.

Interesting; that wasn't an option on any of the airlines I
flew on. Nice change. Which airline?

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
d&e, metformin 1500mg, ezetrol 10mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
--
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com