<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> I will be traveling with Northwest Airlines in September; Sunday afternoon I called them to request seat assignments and gluten-free meal. The rep told me that they had discontinued the gluten-free meals, so after I expressed my dismay and after we discussed my remaining options, I requested a fruit plate. All seemed more or less okay as we hung up. Then last night, the very next day, an agent from Northwest called (at least they did that much!) to tell me that they would no longer have the fruit plate. After September first, she said, the only options will be the following: Vegetarian, Hindu, Muslim, and Kosher. After I expressed much greater dismay, in that the remaining choices seem to be mainly religious and take no account of very real health needs of many passengers, I settled on vegetarian. THen she told me that there are actually three options within vegetarian--dairy, non-dairy, and one other whose name I didn't get (she seemed to think it would be spicy)! And she said that "other airlines" are also cutting back on special menus--and suggested I carry my own food. (I didn't say that I would be doing that in any event or ask her if they would take a dollar or two off my ticket price since I wouldn't be eating their food!) What a bummer--and a real step backward. Cheers--Mary Jean Mary Jean DeMarr Terre Haute,Indiana [log in to unmask]