<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Hello I recently travelled to Portugal on Monarch Airlines and was very pleasantly suprised by their attitude. On boarding a message was put out for a list of passengers to identify themselves by putting on their overhead light. Each of us was approached and asked which preference for special meal was required. We were served first before everyone else. On the outward journey I had a breakfast of bacon, mushrooms, chips, scrambled egg and tomato, fruit salad, GF bread roll with butter and coffee. The same procedure was followed on the return flight, with a dinner of mackerel salad, steamed chicken and veg (beautifully presented), GF roll and butter, followed by strawberry yogurt and coffee. The Monarch staff said they often provided speciality meals and that they were happy to do so. I was very impressed and said so. I think they appreciated the thanks. I had two 'lapses' in Portugal, mainly because the restaurant staff did not understand (or care) about the importance of my avoiding gluten. Most of the time, while in Portugal, I felt better than I have for years, because I have been gluten free for about 4 weeks now. I still have many aches and pains, but the diarrhea and stomach cramps have gone completely and the arthritis seemed to fade to almost nothing. At least until my last night there, when the waiter told me the icecream was gluten free (shoot that waiter!!!) I was up all night - never again will I assume that a food is GF. The Portugese hotels and restaurants also serve oven chips (frites) as GF when I suspect they are dusted with wheat to make them crispy. So beware of the fries if you go to Europe! They also do not list ingredients in English as they are told to do by the European Union and rarely note any wheat or gluten content. Sheila (Stockport, England)