Food & Beverage Gallery

Here we feature some unique and interesting food products acquired by MoMI staff during their travels.

A can of Aloha Iced Tea, brewed in Hawaii. Ingredients include water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sugar, instant tea, citric acid, natural flavors, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). This beverage was acquired during a MoMI donor's trip to Hawaii, circa 2000, and has an interesting tropical, fruity aftertaste.

Airlines Gallery VI: First Class Comfort Packs

When flying first class or over long distances, many airlines offer to passengers thoughtful comfort packs containing personal items intended make these time-consuming flights a little less stressful. The following images depict some comfort packs distributed to first class passengers or those on long-distance flights. Note that certain items, like sleep masks and toothbrushes, are common to all airlines, while other items are unique.

Above: The contents of a comfort pack distributed from the now-defunct Canadian Airlines International, circa 2000. From left to right, the pack contains nylon slippers, a sleep mask, a travel toothbrush and tube of toothpaste, and one-size-fits-all socks for those who like to take their shoes off on long flights.

Above: A comfort pack from Australia's Qantas Airlines, containing a lanyard for hanging the pouch around one' neck, the pouch in which the items are stored, a sleep mask, a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, and a pair of socks. This pack was obtained from a donor who made a Sydney-Los Angeles flight c. mid-2000s.

Above: An economy-class (aka Pacific Voyager class) comfort pack from Fiji's Air Pacific Airlines. This pack, obtained from a Sydney-Los Angeles flight in the mid-2000s, consists of the carrying pouch, a sleep mask, a travel-sized tube of Pepsodent toothpaste (toothbrush not shown), and a pair of onboard socks.

Above: The contents of an Air Canada First Class comfort pack, from a flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. Courtesy of MoMI donor KF. 

Above: The exterior of a metal, flip-top comfort pack from Qatar Airways, obtained on a flight to Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2014. Courtesy of MoMI donor BR.

Above: The contents of the Qatar Airways comfort pack depicted above. Inside the metal tin is a pair of grey socks for use aboard the aircraft, a branded sleep mask, single-use earplugs, and a cello-wrapped toothbrush and tiny tube of toothpaste.

Above: A fabric bag in which various Club World comfort items are given to passengers aboard British Airways flights.  This comfort pack was obtained during a trans-Atlantic flight (BA99) from London Heathrow to Toronto on 5 May 2016.  (Courtesy of MOMI donor ES and DS) 

Below: The front and reverse sides of a card advertising Elemis cosmetics, included in the Club World comfort pack.

Above: Some of the contents of the British Airways Club World comfort pack. Seen here is a toothbrush and toothpaste; a pen; earplugs; and small tubes of Elemis cosmetics, including skin-nourishing hand and body lotion, minty moisture lip balm, and pro-collagen marine cream ultra rich hand cream.

Above: Socks and an eye mask included in the British Airways Club World comfort pack.

Below: Luxury chocolates provided to British Airways Club World passengers. The two-pack comprises a '70% dark chocolate filled with molten caramel and zingy lemon oil and a smooth hazelnut praline sealed in indulgent 65% Supermilk chocolate'. 

Train Souvenirs Gallery

In the golden age of rail travel, trains shuttled across continents providing passengers with good food, stunning views, and comfortable, if bumpy, overnight accommodation. The rise of the commercial aviation industry spelled the demise of mass passenger rail traffic, especially in North America where people soon realised that vast transcontinental distances could be covered in hours via aircraft instead of days via rail.  However, some passenger rail services have survived as tourist attractions and scenic routes, as well as commuter services over shorter distances.  And, in places like Europe, where short distances between population centres and the use of high-speed trains makes rail travel both quick and enjoyable, rail service remains a staple mode of transportation.  Please enjoy these train souvenirs obtained by your MoMI editor and MoMI contributors over the years.

Below: VIA Rail, the Crown corporation providing passenger rail service in Canada, operates all across the country, but its staple service is on the busy Windsor, Ontario-Quebec City, Quebec corridor which mostly caters to commuter and business travellers looking for a cheaper alternative to costly short-hop airline flights.  The items below were acquired in 2008-9 on VIA Rail trips between Ottawa and Toronto.

A VIA Rail beverage napkin.

A VIA Rail paper bag which doubles as a trash bag or motion sickness bag.

One side of an informative double-sided route map provided by VIA Rail Canada to passengers aboard 'The Canadian', VIA's signature trans-continental service from Toronto to Vancouver. (Courtesy of MoMI donor PC, July 2014)

The reverse side of the VIA Rail Canada route map for The Canadian transcontinental train.

European Train Souvenirs Section

A National Rail (UK) ticket from London to Portsmouth, 22 August 2009.

The reverse side of the National Rail (UK) ticket from London to Portsmouth, 22 August 2009.

A National Rail (UK) ticket from Portsmouth to Sherborne, 24 August 2009.

The front of a Swedish Rail ticket envelope, September 2012. (courtesy of MoMI donor PC)

The reverse of a Swedish Rail ticket envelope, September 2012. (courtest of MoMI donor PC) 

A 2nd class Swedish Rail ticket from Koebenhavn (Copenhagen), Denmark to Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden, 4 September 2012. (courtesy of MoMI donor PC)

A return ticket from London Charing Cross Station to Chatham Station, 21 September 2015.

A Standard Class ticket aboard Belgian Rail for transport within Brussels Zone (Evere Station to Schuman Station), 18 October 2016.

A €15.00 second class day ticket on Dutch trains, valid for one person on one day, Monday through Friday during off-peak hours and all day on Saturday and Sunday.  The card is valid from 30 October 2017 to 14 January 2018 and refers to an Albert Heijn promotion, presumably referring to the Netherlands' largest supermarket chain.  (Courtesy of MoMI donor RV)  

The front side of a May 2013 map of the London Underground network.

The reverse side of a May 2013 map of the London Underground network.

The front side of a January 2018 map of the London Underground network.

The reverse side of the January 2018 map of the London Underground network.

National Rail (UK) tickets for travel from St Albans City to London Thameslink on 19 and 21 March 2018, as well as a Standard class Day Travelcard valid for 23 March between St Albans City and London Zones 1-6. (Courtesy of MoMI donor PC)

Front and reverse sides of a debit/credit card sales voucher for the purchase of two National Rail (UK) tickets at Luton Airport, 7 December 2018. (Courtesy of MoMI donor PC)

Postcards Gallery II: Ottawa of Yesteryear

Postcards used to be a principal way of communicating with loved ones back home while on vacation. With the advent of affordable long-distance calls and then the Internet, postcards have become standard souvenirs, often purchased for the enjoyment of the vacationer more than for the purpose of communicating. In this sense they have lost their practical purpose and become little more than a nice photo for posting on the refridgerator at home. Old postcards, however, are often sought after as relics of a bygone age which depict people, a geographical feature, attraction, or event as it used to be. The six postcards below, originally purchased in 1939-1940, feature beautiful watercolour depictions of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The MoMI acquired these postcards in 2003.

The Canadian National War Memorial at the intersection of Elgin and Wellington, unveiled in May 1939.

People enjoying a summer outing on the Rideau River in Ottawa. The caption reads: "Thais I (The Naughty Girl of the Rideau)"

The Canadian Houses of Parliament.

Pretty Garden Scene Along The Dominion Driveway, Ottawa Canada.

A depiction of Rideau Hall, the residence of Canada's Governor-General.

A view of the Chateau Laurier Hotel, looking east along Rideau Street.

An example of the reverse side of the postcards. All cards feature the same writing and layout on their reverse sides.

Airlines Gallery V: Postcards etc.

Postcards depicting the airline's aircraft used to be much more prevalent than today. But, in an age when hundreds of thousands of high-quality images of commercial aircraft are available online, and when people have access to the Internet to communicate with loved ones, the airline postcard is no longer necessary or the best use of scarce company funds. The examples below represent a bygone era of airline postcards.

A postcard from Canadian Airlines International, depicting their Boeing 767-300ER aircraft in flight. Note that the aircraft is painted in the old livery that adorned Canadian's planes from 1987 to 1999:

The reverse side of the above postcard, providing aircraft technical specifications in the bottom left corner:


A postcard from Wardair Canada, a charter airline that was bought by Canadian Airlines International in 1989. Based on the Boeing 747 and the uniforms of the assembled crew, this postcard dates from the mid- to late-1970s:

The reverse side of the above postcard, providing aircraft technical specifications in the upper left side:


While not postcards, the following three items fit best in this gallery.
A bumpersticker depicting the 747-400s flown by Canadian Airlines International in the 1990s.

A promotional photo of a Boeing 767-300ER operated by the now defunct Canadian Airlines International.

A promotional photo of a Boeing 737-200 operated by the now defunct Canadian Airlines International.

Promotional buttons from the now-defunct Canadian Airlines International. The white button reflects the company's ultimately unsuccessful struggle to avoid backruptcy and plays on the "My Canada Includes Quebec" slogan used by federalists in the 1995 Quebec sovereignty referendum.

A deck of playing cards available to passengers on the now-defunct Canadian airline Wardair. A Wardair 747 in flight is depicted on the front side of the cards.

Airlines Gallery IV: Airline Menus and Food

There's nothing quite like enjoying a meal aboard an aircraft flying at 35,000 feet, looking down at the tops of clouds and seeing the world slip by underneath you. In a budget-conscious age, a lot of airlines have cut back on onboard meal and drinks service, yet good food and drink can still be found on some carriers and for business and first class passengers. While flight attendants will definitely question you if you try to save silverware, china, or even plastic dishes as souvenirs of your flight, you can get away with hoarding onboard snack foods using the excuse that you're saving them for later. With a little care, individually-wrapped cookies, crackers, peanuts, brownies, and other such items can be saved as souvenirs of your flight, like the items below. Airline menus can also be a great memento of your airline dining experience.

The front cover of the British Airways menu provided on a Toronto-London flight, c. 1998.

The inside of the above British Airways menu.

The front cover of Canadian Airlines' first class menu, circa 1999-2000, provided aboard a flight from Toronto to Honolulu, Hawaii.  (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS)

Page 1 of Canadian Airlines' first class menu.

Pages 2 and 3 of Canadian Airlines' first class menu.

The last page of Canadian Airlines' first class menu.

The front side of the menu seat card found aboard First Air flights. First Air serves Canada's north, thus the presence of Inuktitut text. (Courtesy of MoMI donor RV)

The inside of the First Air menu card found aboard First Air flights.

A small bag of aircraft-shaped crackers served aboard Southwest Airlines flights. Note the clever name of the snack: 'plane crackers'.  (Courtesy of MoMI donor CS)

An opened bag of Southwest Airlines' 'plane crackers' - delicious!  (Courtesy of MoMI donor CS)

A small bag of salted pretzels served aboard Southwest Airlines.  (Courtesy of MoMI donor CS)

Three satchels of crunchy snack foods served aboard Sunwing Airlines.  (Courtesy of MoMI donor CS)

An individually-wrapped white chocolate brownie from Sunwing Airlines.  (Courtesy of MoMI donor CS)

Salt and pepper shakers obtained during a first class Canadian Airlines flight to Hawaii, circa 2000.

Plastic napkin rings obtained on a Canada 3000 Airlines flight from Toronto to Orlando, Florida, 1997.

An Air Canada First Class dinner menu, photographed during a November 2014 flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. (Courtesy of MoMI donor KF)

An Air Canada First Class snack and breakfast menu, photographed during a November 2014 flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. (Courtesy of MoMI donor KF)

A cheese, cracker, and fruit plate served in First Class aboard an Air Canada flight to Tel Aviv, Israel, November 2014. (Courtesy of MoMI donor KF)

The pre-arrival breakfast served in First Class aboard an Air Canada flight to Tel Aviv, Israel, including omelette with sausage and hashbrowns, muffin, a dish of mixed fruit, a single-serving yoghurt, and coffee. (Courtesy of MoMI donor KF)

Below: A 330ml bottle of water provided aboard Etihad Airways, circa 2014.  A product of the United Arab Emirates, the water is bottled by Al Ain Food and Beverages PJSC (an Agthia Group Company) of Al Ain, UAE. (Courtesy of MoMI donor BR)

A Qantas Airways sugar packet, October 2014. 

An Air Canada salt and pepper packet, October 2014.

The front side of an Air France Economy Class menu, circa March 2015. (Courtesy of MoMI donor PC)

The reverse of an Air France Economy Class menu, circa March 2015. (Courtesy of MoMI donor PC)

The menu provided to Club World passengers aboard British Airways flight BA 99 from London Heathrow to Toronto, 5 May 2016.  (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS)

The front side of the wine list enclosed with the Club World menu aboard British Airways flight BA 99 from London Heathrow to Toronto, 5 May 2016.  (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS)

The reverse side of the wine list enclosed with the Club World menu aboard British Airways flight BA 99 from London Heathrow to Toronto, 5 May 2016. (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS)

A salt and pepper packet from a trans-Atlantic flight in British Airways Club World class, between London Heathrow and Toronto, 5 May 2016.  (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS)

A packet of mixed nuts (dry roasted and salted almonds and cashews) provided to passengers in Club World class aboard British Airways flight BA 99, London Heathrow to Toronto, 5 May 2016.  These nuts are prepared by Kenya Nut Company Ltd. in Nairobi, and imported into the UK by Kings Fine Foods.  Best before date is January 2017.  (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS)

After dinner chocolates provided to passengers in Club Class, British Airways flight BA 99, London Heathrow to Toronto, 5 May 2016.  (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS) 

The reverse side of the box of chocolates given to passengers aboard British Airways flight BA 99 from London Heathrow to Toronto, 5 May 2016.  (Courtesy of MoMI donors ES and DS)

A single serving packet of salt and pepper, obtained in Premium Economy class on Air Canada flight AC 36, Brisbane-Vancouver, 30 November 2016.

The English and French language version of the Premium Economy menu for Air Canada flight AC 832, 7 October 2019.

The Flemish language version of the Premium Economy menu for Air Canada flight AC 832, 7 October 2019.

The Premium Economy dinner menu for Air Canada flight AC 832, Montreal to Brussels, 25 April 2022.

The Premium Economy luncheon menu from Air Canada flight AC 855, London Heathrow to Toronto, 5 May 2022.

The Premium Economy dinner menu from Air Canada flight AC 832, Montreal to Brussels, 15 April 2023.

The Flemish language version of the Premium Economy dinner menu from Air Canada flight AC 832, Montreal to Brussels, 15 April 2023.

The Premium Economy luncheon menu from Air Canada flight AC 833, Brussels to Montreal, 22 April 2023.

The Flemish language version of the Premium Economy luncheon menu from Air Canada flight AC 833, Brussels to Montreal, 22 April 2023.

The Premium Economy dinner menu from Air Canada flight AC 842, Toronto Pearson to Frankfurt, 14 October 2023.

The German language version of the Premium Economy dinner menu from Air Canada flight AC 842, Toronto Pearson to Frankfurt, 14 October 2023.

The Premium Economy luncheon menu from Air Canada flight AC 833, Brussels to Montreal, 28 October 2023.

The Flemish language version of the Premium Economy luncheon menu from Air Canada flight AC 833, Brussels to Montreal, 28 October 2023.

The Premium Economy menu from Air Canada flight AC 1, Toronto Pearson to Tokyo Haneda, 12 January 2024.

The Japanese language side of the Premium Economy menu from Air Canada flight AC 1, Toronto Pearson to Tokyo Haneda, 12 January 2024.

The Premium Economy menu from Air Canada flight AC 62, Seoul Incheon to Toronto Pearson, 19 January 2024.

The Korean language side of the Premium Economy menu from Air Canada flight AC 62, Seoul Incheon to Toronto Pearson, 19 January 2024.