Airport Food Hits New Level of Questionable Quality and Cost (Opinions)

Opinions

"Airport Food: Just because you can get away with it, doesn’t mean you should do it." 

Disappointment lingered in the air at the Delta terminal at Los Angeles Airport. 

I was waiting for my flight, after sitting in three hours of stopped traffic to get to the infamous LAX airport, followed by an hour of waiting in security lines and then coming into contact with whatever fungal diseases are on that mat you are forced to walk on without any shoes, right before stepping into the radiation tubular space machine that no one really understands how it works. After all of that, this hypoglycemic needed sustenance. Clearly, not in the best mood.


A Sad and Expensive Selection  @ Homeboy Cafe | LAX Airport

Unfortunately, there were only three options anywhere near my terminal.  I went back and forth per restaurant to find something customizable and reasonable in price. I settled here at the Homeboy Cafe and Bakery.


I stood in a long line of people, disappointed with quality, prices, and selection (or lack thereof). The gentleman in front of me exclaimed about the price, turning to his partner in dispair and justifying his actions for buying a sandwich, saying, “I just couldn’t wait [to eat] any longer, bro”. 


My depressing $16.95 sandwich (not including tax) | LAX Airport

This sandwich….egg cheese and maybe four(?) sun-dried tomatoes, was my pick- it sadly stared at me like that "meh" emoji (😑) as I sat down to fuel my blood sugar. How can they get away with charging almost $20 for this?


Okay, enough complaining for now. 


Fact: LAX is the fourth business airport in the world and the second busiest airport in the country (LAWA, 2024). 

Airports are known to overcharge because, well, they can. The options are limited; once you are all checked in through security and have a lot of time to wait. California strives to provide programs like Cal Fresh for low-budget/healthy eating accessibility (although you cannot use the EBT card at the airport) and has improved by installing water refill stations, yet it appears to still lack reasonable options when it comes to stocking the busiest place in the world with decent quality and affordable foods. It still seems like travel is considered a "luxury", and caters accordingly.


There is only so much food you can pack to sustain yourself traveling. We have the option to play video games in the airport and purchase every variety of soda; why not have the option to access some healthy source of food for fuel rather than packaged and preserved foods that cost over 40% of their value?  It would not hurt this global 841.5 billion-dollar airline industry (Rosen Aviation, 2024) to consider more reasonable options for their patrons, especially for one of the most strenuous activities one can take on: traveling. 


Refillable Water Stations (Elkay), Los Angeles Airport

On the upside, it’s always nice to enjoy the benefits of clean water as long as you remember a water bottle or container. Be sure to empty the reusable drinkware before going through security. In case you were wondering, the TSA implemented the "3-1-1" rule in 2006 when a terrorist attempted to use explosive liquids to dismantle a plane (the story is pretty interesting, and similar situations have happened on other occasions; read more here). These accessible water-refill ports are found by most restrooms and provide an easy and convenient method to stay hydrated. In fact, Asia and the South Pacific consume more than 700 million water bottles per day, so this new relationship in airport terminals with reusable water stations is a great start (Elkay).




Bottom line: you can depend on clean (free) water during your travel, but bring something to eat. Periodt.


Location: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA

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