Pakistan International Airlines was reported earlier this year to be making a loss, leading to cost-saving exercises like changing the menu (Picture: Anjum Naveed/AP)

A pilot who wasn’t happy with the onboard food menu reportedly delayed his commercial New York-bound flight for two and a half hours because he wanted sandwiches.

Captain Noushad apparently asked the catering department at Pakistan’s Allama Iqbal airport (AIIAP) for his own tailored foodstuffs to take onboard.

When they said they could only provide items that had been pre-approved, they directed him towards a five-star hotel in the city which would have to courier his order over.

Having demanded the sandwiches for his Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight Pk-711, the 6.45am departure had to be revised to 9.15am instead.




The delay to the New York via Manchester flight is likely to have resulted in inconvenience for any passengers needing to change for connecting flights.

As reported by Pakistan’s The Nation newspaper, PIA management changed the menu on international and long-haul flights from November 25 onwards.

It downgraded lunch-time sandwiches to peanuts, crisps and biscuits in a cost-cutting exercise.