Chapter2
FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
Flight catering is considered as one of the most
complex operational systems in the world
As consistency, quality, and prompt delivery are
some essential features of in–flight catering system ensures
the service at each level of delivery and process.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
In order to understand the importance of airline catering, please note that there can be more than 150
passengers on a small aircraft like Airbus A320. On a larger aircraft like Boeing 777, there can be more than 300
passengers onboard. An Airbus A380 can have more than 500 passengers on board.
These airliners can easily have long haul flights of more than 15 hours flight time. An airline needs to
provide meals and snacks to all passengers and crew remaining onboard for extended periods of time.
Apart from the primary objective of serving in-flight meals, the same catering facility can be used for
serving airport lounges.

According to Business Insider April 2019 Report on Emirates Flight Kitchen in Dubai, it is the world’s
largest catering facility that prepares around 225,000 flight meals a day and 110,000,000 flight meals a year. It
receives 3,000,000 pieces of tableware a day for washing and packaging.
THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
How Flight Catering Facilities & Aircraft Catering Trucks Work (aviationlearnings.com)

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
Airline Catering Supply Chain | Download Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net)

Meals served on the aircraft by the airline are not prepared on board.
There is a facility dedicated for preparation of flight meals called Flight Kitchen that is
located at the airport or its vicinity.
Large flight kitchens can have considerable automation involved including
convey or belts for controlling pace of meal packaging across different sections of a
flight kitchen; automated plastic wrapping of meal packages; automated washing
equipment for catering cutlery and accessories; automatic rail system for traveling of
meal trolleys through different servicing sections.
THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM

1. Flight kitchen receives order of the meals to be served
onboard for forthcoming flights. The order is based on a meal
plan already prepared in advance for the different flights
operating at any given day.
2. Kitchen staff checks the different meals requested on
the menu and prepares a plan for preparing the meals in
advance.
3. Kitchen staff cooks the meals and make portions of the
meal ready to be served to passengers and crew.
THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”

4. This cooked food is generally not sent straight away to the airplane. It is first cooled down at a
storage temperature.
THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”
5. The meals that are now in the form of packages are loaded on
meal trolleys. Several fully loaded meal trolleys become ready to be
transferred to the aircraft and are sent to flight kitchen loading bays.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”
6. All meal trolleys are loaded up into the Aircraft
Catering Truck.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”
7. At this point, the meal trolleys leave the
Flight Kitchen and the Aircraft Catering
Truck travels to reach the aircraft stand
where the respective aircraft is parked. There
are several security checkpoints the truck
goes through before it finally reaches the
aircraft.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”
8. New meal trolleys cannot be loaded
on the aircraft until the existing meal
trolleys whose meal packages have
been consumed on flight are
removed.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”
9. It is the responsibility of Ramp Supervisor and
catering crew to make sure that the offloading
of old catering supplies and meal trolleys is
finished by the time the freshly loaded Aircraft
Catering Truck reaches the aircraft stand. It
requires coordination between ground staff, crew
onboard and flight kitchen.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”
10. Once all of the existing catering supplies (mainly used up meal trolleys) have been loaded up on the
truck, it leaves allowing the freshly loaded truck to engage with the aircraft.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”
11. At this stage, catering crew gets busy transferring all of the meal trolleys from inside the truck
to the aircraft. After all meal trolleys have been transferred into the aircraft, the catering truck is
disengaged and removed from the aircraft. This same catering truck that brought freshly loaded meal
trolleys remains on the area. It is used for offloading consumed meal trolleys from the next flight of the
airline.
12. Meanwhile, the Aircraft Catering Truck that had picked the old meal trolleys returns to the Flight
Kitchen which all the things will offloaded. All contents of the meal are removed and washed.
Once fully serviced, these meal trolley and other equipment will be use for future flight.

THE FLIGHT CATERING SYSTEM
“FLIGHT CATERING PROCESS”

Engineering Design of Aircraft Catering Truck
The aircraft catering truck may
appear like a simple truck from the
outside, however, it is a sophisticated
piece of equipment.
An Aircraft Catering Truck with container raised and adjusted with aircraft
door.
(Source Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Renata3)

Flight catering development is depend on four separate groups can be termed stakeholders. These
four are : Airlines, Passengers, Caterers and Suppliers
ROLE OF STAKE HOLDERS
Airline Catering Supply Chain | Download Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net)

ROLE OF PASSENGERS
Passenger expects the level of service to match the money they have paid. However
server inside the plane must have understanding of human behavior.
Factors that might effect passenger satisfaction :
• The length of flight
• Departure time of flight
• The budget allowed by airline
• The nationality of ethnicity
• The price of food

• The number of cabin crew available to serve food
• The time required to serve the food
• The time needed to consume food
• The time and effort needed to clear an item

Airline is actual customer for caterer. An airline is a customer who
arrange and assembles all the services for the passengers. With increase in
airliners competition. They not only have to provide comfort and safety
inside the plane but others too.
For example, Food Wi–Fi connectivity on–board entertainment
duty–free and in–flight shopping which is gaining popularity. So, It
become a new revenue opportunity for airliner.
ROLE OF AIRLINES

The main role of caterer is to deals with in–flight meals served to the passengers boarding the flight.
These meals are prepared by catering companies and are served to passengers via trolley or tray. Airline
catering agents are key person in making sure every flight is stocked according to specifications of an airline.
Therefore catering agent is responsible for all aspects of catering line operations including upload
and offload catering equipment and supplies, driving large catering trucks and
checking and verifying inventories of supplies and food products.
ROLE OF CATERERS

Getting the right items on the right flight at the right time is a huge challenge, requiring precise
coordination to be received by airline.
ROLE OF SUPPLIER

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