it turns out, those meals come at a price. Everyone on board — including White House staff traveling on official business — must personally cover the cost of them.
...
the meal charges are a widespread source of annoyance for many of the younger staffers, especially lower-paid press assistants (also known as “wranglers”) whose jobs require them to frequently travel with the president.
There’s no real way to avoid the charge. Staffers don’t know ahead of time what will be served or how much it will cost. And there isn’t a system in place to let aides opt-out of in-flight meal fees and bring their own food.
A natural inferiority complex can come when one works for the vice president. For starters, you’re not in the inner circle. You often get assigned the most politically fraught policy issues. And you’re stuck trying to figure out how to elevate your boss without stepping on the president’s toes.
But you also don’t always get the same perks as those working in the West Wing. And for some, the Air Force Two experience is just another reminder of that dynamic.
“Everything sucks compared to AF-1,” said a second former vice presidential staffer.