Giant tour operator to scrap free food

Travellers on trips with the UK’s biggest holiday company will have to pay for all airline meals from next summer, it was announced today.

Thomson Holidays is scrapping free food on its packages and passengers wanting a hot meal on both the outward and homeward flights will have to pay.

Those not wanting meals will still have to pay if they want snacks.

Thomson today denied that they were going down the same road as the low-cost carriers which charge for food on board.

A Thomson spokesman said: ‘‘We are offering more choice with this new food regime. We have done a lot of research into this and found that many people do not regard the meal as a big part of their journey.’’

Thomson also pointed out that a number of other charter carriers have scrapped hot meals on flights but that these were being retained at Thomson - albeit at a price.

The paid-for meals are part of the personalised holiday approach by Thomson for next summer.

Passengers can pay for extra leg room, pre-booked seats, extra baggage, luxury coach and taxi transfers to hotels and late hotel check-out.

Thomson Holidays’ managing director, Chris Mottershead, said the 2003 summer package prices would be lower than if the meals and the special airport transfers had remained part of the basic price.