From delicious to dreadful: airline meals rated, dish by dish to Europe and back

From delicious to dreadful, we put the menu on a low-cost carrier on a trip across the globe to the test - with surprising results.

Flying with a low-cost carrier isn't usually where you expect to find culinary highlights, but on a recent journey with Scoot from Sydney to Vienna, the in-flight meals were an adventure of their own.

As a regular flyer with the Singapore-based airline, I have experienced several versions of their menu over the years - and it's not always been good.

On this journey - Scoot's inaugural trip to Vienna - I put the current Scoot menu to the test - and some of it proved a sky-high surprise!

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On Scoot, you can choose a ticket package where a meal is included, or you can purchase the meals in-flight.

But don't expect a full-service carrier standard of a full tray with lots of side orders around the main meal. Here, you'll get just the dish and, for a few dollars more, the deal with a sweet treat and drink. (Prices listed below are dish only.)

So pull up a tray table for a taste test where I discover the good, the almost-good and the so-bad-I-couldn't-eat it all the way to Europe and back.

(Sydney to Singapore)

The journey gets off to a good start as this signature dish is a winner.

Served 90 minutes into the flight as a late lunch, it's a combination of oven-baked chicken, savoury chestnuts, sausage and mushrooms nestled atop a bed of seasoned rice. With the kick of a thick soy sauce, it's full of flavour and delicious.

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The chestnuts really add to the impact, and it's a generous serving. Rounding off the meal is a chocolate cookie and the choice of soft drink.

Sometimes on Scoot, sticking with the signature dishes is best, and that's definitely the case with this one as it's a treat.

4.5 out of 5 - Full of fabulous flavours ($14.50)

(Singapore to Vienna)

It's a 3am departure for the 12 hour trip to Europe, so not exactly the time when a big meal is in order. But the Scoot Snack Pack hits all the right spots as something to munch on throughout the night and into the early hours. The plastic goodie bag contains Pringles, brownie brittle, Milo and a bottle of water. It has been considerably downsized from previous trips when it was much fuller with heartier fare, but as a grab-bag to satisfy the overnight munchies, it's okay.

3.5 out of 5 - Just right, almost ($17)

(Singapore to Vienna)

Probably the most unusual airline breakfast meal I've ever had, but this is also one of Scoot's best. The Chinese dish features stewed beef brisket complemented by crisp bok choy on wok-fried flat rice noodles, and every mouthful is a delight - even though toast or scrambled eggs would be better at this hour. Chocolate cookies and a lemon iced tea are on the side, but the Pandan Tea Cake is the winner. A Singaporean speciality, the sponge cake with green tea is a good start to the day, just before the plane comes in to land.

4 out of 5 - An unusual breakfast, but the cake is a winner ($14.50)

(Vienna to Singapore)

Dining on the return trip home gets off to a bad start. Ninety minutes after take-off, I watch passengers being served lunch, but nothing arrives on my tray table. After the meal service is cleared away, I ask a crew member what happened to my meal, only to be told that, as I was a "no show" for the flight, mine was cancelled.

I blink in confusion as while she explains that I didn't make the flight, I'm sitting right in front of her.

When I point out I am on the plane and a meal is included in my ticket, another crew member says she'll see what she can find. Almost an hour later she returns with the Ginger Teriyaki Chicken With Rice, but it's stone cold.

This is nothing new - I've been served unheated meals on too many Scoot flights to count. I take the dish into the galley and ask for it to be heated properly.

When it finally arrives, it's warmed-up slush and inedible. I don't finish it.

0 out of 5 - There's no excuse for a meal - or service - this bad. ($14.50)

(Vienna to Singapore)

This snack is always my treat when flying Scoot. It's a deal of Nacho Chips, California Creamery Nacho Cheese Sauce and a lemon iced tea. The chips are crunchy and not too salty, but it's the burst of flavours in the cheese sauce that are the bomb - I have no idea how they get so much flavour into such a small packet, but when combined with the chips, it's delicious. It's so moreish, the biggest challenge is not ordering it again.

5 out of 5 - The guilty pleasure ($13)

(Singapore to Sydney)

It seems they saved the best for last as this is the best meal of the entire journey. It's tender, marinated chicken that's been nicely grilled, and served with green chillies, a boiled egg and a flavourful peanut sauce over hot rice. It's tasty, properly heated and delicious, and even has just enough spice to give it a slight kick without being overpowering. It arrives with a side with a drink and another serving of the Pandan Tea Cake, which is so good, I buy another slice for later.

5 out of 5 - Saved the best for last ($14.50)

Overall, Scoot's food ranged from good to awful, but what was served is a significant step up in standard from the past, with meals like the Oriental Treasure Rice and Chicken Satay being standouts.

But how their serving of unheated meals continues is baffling. No other airline I've travelled with has ever had this problem.

So on Scoot, when in doubt, stick to the signature dishes or just order the Nacho Chips and Cheese Sauce as there's nothing to be disappointed by. Oh, and the Pandan Tea Cake. Actually, order two slices of that.

The writer travelled as a guest of Scoot