Deportation Flight to Pakistan Offered Pork Sausages as In-Flight Food

Change in In-Flight Meals for Deportation Flights

An air charter company has been asked to alter its meal offerings after serving what was deemed an “inappropriate” traditional sausage breakfast on a deportation flight returning 24 men to Pakistan.

The flight, which took 24 men from the Republic of Ireland back to Pakistan in September 2025, had a reported cost of €473,000 ($550,000, £410,000). Human rights monitors noted the meal served was a full Irish breakfast. Following this, the government released internal documents concerning the flights, indicating shortcomings in the service provided by the state and its private associates.

The document detailed that deportees are escorted by police officers while human rights monitors observe the conditions during the flight. In a separate incident, it was noted that some deportees who chose not to leave were forcibly put on the plane.

A notable incident involved a Pakistani man who refused deportation, citing the lack of a mobile phone, which he had packed away in his checked baggage.

Regarding the September breakfast, the report highlighted that three of the deported individuals were previously detained as “high risk.” It criticized the food’s quality, stating it was not up to standard and that serving pork sausages was inappropriate, especially since Pakistan is a predominantly Muslim country, where halal food would be expected.

The airline has since revised its in-flight catering policies following the criticism.

Full breakfasts, like the Full English or Full Irish, are integral to the culinary traditions of the British Isles. These meals typically include items like pork sausage, bacon, fried eggs, and more. Over time, additions like baked beans have emerged, a nod to the rationing during World War II when canned goods became common.

While meal choices might seem trivial, they can hold significant weight in immigration contexts. There was a case in 2020 when a Sudanese migrant attacked another in a government-funded asylum accommodation in Glasgow due to dissatisfaction with the food provided, highlighting the importance of culturally appropriate meals. Reports indicated that the environment was tense as individuals were provided repetitive meals that did not align with their cultural expectations, leading to significant unrest.