Mum-of-4 blasts ‘outrageously expensive’ airport food, sparks online pizza order controversy

An Oregon mother of four is going viral after she revealed how she avoided overpriced airport food during a flight delay – which supporters say is “smart” as critics call it “crude” and “inconsiderate.”

Ali Van De Graaff, who shares family travel tips on her Instagram account “Twin Passport Tales,” has received more than 13 million views after posting a video of herself picking up two freshly delivered pizzas outside Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Medford, Oregon, before turning back due to security.

Van De Graaff was traveling to Mexico earlier this month with her husband and their four children – two sets of twins, Jimmy and Natalie, 11, and Sloane and Riv, 6 – when they learned their flight had been delayed.

The small regional airport has limited food, and he knew he didn’t want to buy food for six people there.

“Food at the airport is very expensive,” he told Fox News Digital.

Then her husband had an idea.

“He was like, ‘We’ve got time — let’s get Domino’s,'” she said.

Using the app, they were able to order two pies and track the delivery to the gate.

Van De Graaff took the two children, left their bags with her husband and went to get food.

“Then we went back with security,” he said. “We have TSA PreCheck, so we knew it would be fast.”

They shove the pizza boxes onto the conveyor belt and pass without a problem.

“The TSA guy was like, ‘I’m jealous. That’s so smart,'” he recalled.

When they hear that their flight delay has been reduced, they board the plane with their tasty treats.

“The kids had never eaten pizza on a plane before,” Van De Graaff said. “They thought it was great.”

“The flight attendant was like, ‘I’ve never seen that before. That’s brilliant,'” Van De Graaff said.

While some people on the Internet called it “the most ingenious parenting crime,” not everyone was as enthusiastic.

The video quickly sparked debate online with some saying the smell of pizza could disturb other passengers.

“Bringing food on a plane like this is stupid as hell,” commented one woman.

“I used to cry when someone ordered pizza and I had to sit next to them and sniff the whole time,” said another.

Another woman who wrote that she is an airline worker, said that it is good if you eat before boarding.

“It will stink the plane and many of those boxes are difficult to throw on the plane because they take up a lot of space,” he said.

Jacqueline Whitmore, a Florida-based ethics expert and former flight attendant, agreed that passengers should consider the size and disposal methods they bring on board.

“A full-size pizza box can be cumbersome and cause unnecessary inconvenience to workers,” he told Fox News Digital.

Still, Whitmore encouraged many travelers to consider bringing their own food.

“Many airlines no longer provide enough food, and during a delay or long tarmac wait, having food and drink can make a stressful situation more manageable,” she said.

Whitmore also recommends foods that don’t have strong odors.

“My advice is simple,” he said. “If you bring food on the plane, choose items that are compact, easy to store under your seat, dirty and easy to dispose of.”

Many people online saw no problem with what the family was doing – and admitted there was a bad smell.

“Why do people complain about the smell of pizza?” said one.

Van De Graaff, who also runs the Disney travel account @momsmeetmagic with her sister, agreed.

“I’ve seen boiled eggs or canned tuna,” he said. “It could be worse.”

He added, “I support my children. I do what I have to do.”

He doesn’t regret the decision. He was even reminded why he did it when he returned to the US when six slices of airport pizza cost about $80.

“If I can avoid it, I avoid it,” he said.

Domino took his side, too.

Rate it with this video review: “Flying is just fun.”