Customers flying with Japan Airlines have the option of skipping meals, which the airline frames as a “ethical” option.

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One passenger posted an email they got from the airline inviting them to skip their meal so they could get a restful night’s sleep on the flight. “JAL Ethical Choice MealSkip Option,” it said, “is a new option that we would like to offer to you. You can cancel your meals while reservation to enjoy your sleep during the flight.”

An interesting concept for charity, but I cannot see planefood lovers opting for it ? pic.twitter.com/YQYAdgDLb3

— Wayne Kwong @[email protected] (@waynewykwong) January 3, 2023

The email featured a link to a page on the Japan Airlines website that advised customers to select “No Meal” in advance if they wanted to “have a decent rest on the flight or if you would want to help us reduce food waste.”

With some specific exceptions, JAL will now offer the service for the first main meal on all of its international routes after testing it out at the end of 2020 on the overnight Bangkok to Tokyo Haneda trip.

I quite like the idea of having the option to eliminate waste. If I know I'm eating onboard, I don't eat in the airport, but if I can opt out on board and am departing from an airport with good food, I'd probably eat there and sleep more!

— Gabriella (@gabrielladriver) January 3, 2023

one user (Tw : @Gabriella) wrote: “I quite like the idea of having the option to eliminate waste. If I know I’m eating onboard, I don’t eat in the airport, but if I can opt-out on board and am departing from an airport with good food, I’d probably eat there and sleep more! ”

JAL will donate “a specific sum” to the TABLE FOR TWO Program, which manages school lunch programs for kids in underdeveloped nations, for each customer who chooses this service. The choice must be chosen 25 hours before the scheduled departure time of the overseas flight, just like any special meal order. If you skipped your main meal but were still peckish, you could still get other drinks and snacks if you asked for them.

If that's the case, call me a very "unethical person"; precisely, the meal service is one of the reasons we choose business class, and a great portion of the fare we pay is because of that, we have flown JAL, Turkish Airlines, KAL and ANA Airlines. No way!

— el mexicano (@DarioCa01123199) January 7, 2023

One more user (el mexicana) wrote: “If that’s the case, call me a very “unethical person”; precisely, the meal service is one of the reasons we choose business class, and a great portion of the fare we pay is because of that, we have flown JAL, Turkish Airlines, KAL and ANA Airlines. No way! ”

Some people, according to comments on Wayne Kwong’s tweet, think JAL’s new service is largely about raising profit rather than minimizing food waste. One individual said, “That seems more like shaming to save the airline money.” Another person commented, “More profit.”

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