Singapore Airlines apologised formally after a Muslim passenger was served a pork appetiser on Flight SQ24 from Singapore to New York on 7 July 2025. The act raised issues regarding the airline’s adherence to dietary restrictions as well as its informing passengers about the nature of meals.
According to reports, the business class passenger, who is a Singapore permanent resident, had asked for the Muslim Meal (MOML) for one of the meal services but opted for a dish from the airline’s “Book the Cook” program for the lunch service. The appetiser provided was a “grilled Mediterranean salad with prosciutto.” Since she was unfamiliar with the word “prosciutto,” she inquired to two flight attendants about the ingredients of the dish. Both attendants had reassured him that it did not contain pork. However, upon consuming the meal, the passenger discovered that prosciutto is indeed made from pork, leading to what he described as a “deep personal and spiritual violation.”
Singapore Airlines officially reacted to the incident by stating: “Singapore Airlines (SIA) deeply regrets that a customer on flight SQ24 from Singapore to New York on 7 July 2025 was served an appetiser that contained pork. We sincerely apologise to the affected customer for the distress this has caused.” The airline further noted that when cabin crew members found out that the customer does not consume pork, they immediately apologised, removed the dish, and offered an alternative.
Following the incident, Singapore Airlines has upgraded its cabin crew training and service procedures with particular emphasis on ingredient familiarity and clear communications with customers regarding food contents.
“SIA remains in direct contact with the affected customer regarding this incident,” the company commented. However, the passenger rejected the airline’s initial compensation offer of a S$150 voucher, which he described as “saddening and insulting.” He also rejected a 15,000 and 30,000 KrisFlyer miles offer. The passenger emphasised that “no person of faith — Muslim, Jew, Hindu, or otherwise — would ever willingly break a sacred dietary law in exchange for 30,000 miles.” He also stated that “this was not a case of a simple service failure,” and that this incident “led to the first violation of [his] religious dietary practice in 30 years.”
“SIA is deeply committed to respecting the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds of all our customers,» the airline stated, further advising customers with special dietary requirements, including religious needs, to pre-book their special meals for all meal services at least 24 hours before flight departure. Singapore Airlines’ special meal choices include the Muslim Meal (MOML), which ensures that no alcohol, pork, pig by-products, ham, or bacon is used in the preparation of the meal.
The incident has raised questions on the importance of clear communication between air carriers and passengers regarding dietary needs and the requirement for proper training of cabin crew to handle such sensitive matters appropriately.
