Aer Lingus passenger orders sandwich on flight – what arrives leaves him horrified

EXCLUSIVE: Oisín Breen was on a flight from Dublin to Toronto when he was given something he described as “atrocious”, and he is now thinking about avoiding the airline altogether

Matt Davies Trendswatch Reporter

14:56, 13 Jan 2026

Oisín Breen was flying from Dublin, Ireland, to Toronto, Canada, at the time of the incident(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

A furious airline passenger has criticised Aer Lingus following a disappointing in-flight meal experience on a journey from Dublin. Oisín Breen, 40, was en route from Ireland’s capital to Toronto, Canada, on December 26, before connecting onwards to Jamaica the following day to spend time with his fiancée’s relatives.

Approximately five hours into the seven-hour Aer Lingus service, the passenger was presented with his second meal of the journey. Opting for the vegetarian choice – advertised as a cheese and relish sandwich – Oisín was left astounded by what materialised before him.

Images show the “miniature” sarnie was barely longer than his thumb, featuring a meagre slice of cheese with less than a quarter of the bread sporting any relish whatsoever.

The journalist and poet branded the offering “atrocious”, calling it the “worst sandwich [he’d] ever seen in his life”.

Oisín was appalled at the standard and quality of the food he was served(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

Oisín booked the flight through American Airlines but it was operated by Aer Lingus. He claims he complained to the flight attendant about the dish, who agreed that half of the meal was absent.

The incident has prompted the Edinburgh-based traveller to reconsider his future patronage of Aer Lingus after being presented with what he termed a plate of “bilge”.

Oisín remarked: “Frankly, it would have been better not to feed us, just to ditch the in-flight meal concept entirely.

“The sandwich was atrocious, probably the worst I’ve ever seen in my life, but equally, it wasn’t really a sandwich. It lacked the basic quality of what it is to be a sandwich. The bread was miniature and dry as hell.”

Oisín dubbed it the “worst sandwich I’ve ever had”(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

He went on to say: “The relish was spread on one fifth of one side of the bread. Essentially you got a corner of relish and the cheese was unpalatable and just one miniature slice.

“So dry bread, a faint mist of relish, and ghastly cheese. Michael O’Leary wouldn’t ever serve such bilge.”

Oisín revealed that he raised concerns with cabin crew regarding the sandwich, and is now contemplating steering clear of the airline altogether.

He elaborated: “My reaction was laughter, then irritation. It was 100% the worst sandwich I’ve ever had.”

Oisín’s flight experience has left him questioning if he’ll fly with Aer Lingus again(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

Oisín further commented: “It was atrocious. I complained to the air hostess who, at first, thought I was just moaning on but then she laughed and said ‘yeah, I’m sorry about that, you can’t help but think where’s the rest of it gone, right?'”.

“I’m contemplating never flying with them again, largely because I’d appreciate honesty. If they’re still claiming to be a proper carrier, do the job properly.

“World’s worst sandwich is a big claim but it’s up there. It was inedible.”

In response, a spokesperson for Aer Lingus stated: “Customers travelling in the Economy cabin on Aer Lingus’ transatlantic flights to Toronto enjoy two complimentary meal services, along with a range of refreshments throughout the journey.

“The first service includes a hot main course with dessert, salad, and bread, while the second is a lighter option featuring a sandwich and a sweet treat.

“We regret that due to an issue with our catering supplier in late December, our second service offering on this flight was not our usual standard.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused by this temporary issue, which has since been rectified.”