Preflight Meal

“Would you like to have chicken, or fish?” asked one of the stewardess. I was on board Batik Air’s flight from Jakarta to Medan when I was offered some dishes by the cabin crew. It was a long flight, almost three hours, and I definitely wouldn’t want to miss on any free food. Unlike Air Asia, where the passengers have to actually pay to get a decent in-flight meals, Batik Air serves food to their passengers inclusively. “Chicken, please,” I replied. 

My food was served on a tray. It was a complete full-course meal with beverage and dessert. My main course consisted of a block of white rice with seasoned chicken, heated frozen veggies, and a bit of stir-fried tempeh. I had the opportunity to chose what I wanted to drink, so I opted for a glass of juice and a glass of water. The dessert, though it wasn’t ice cream, nor fruit, was acceptable as they gave me a solid chocolate muffin. It wasn’t that much of a feast, but it was definitely fulfilling. 

The rice and side dishes ratio was a bit off, I have to admit. The rice was a bit too much for me and I ended up finishing the side dishes first before I could finish the rice. Although in flight, the food was quite flavorful to please my taste buds. 

Of course, my favorite was the chocolate muffin. It wasn’t the slightest bit dry when I expected it to be. I guess the stewardess had the opportunity to heat it up a little bit as it was warm when it was served to me. The insides of the muffin was moist and quite fluffy, and it had this slight stickiness, which I approved. 

I managed to finish my meal and finish a couple episodes of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. before the plane landed at Kuala Namu International Airport. Soon after I got off the plane, I was escorted by an Air Asia staff to my aircraft, which was parked adjacent to where the Batik Air’s airplane parked, and I flew straight to Kuala Lumpur.