Inflight catering tips from the experts

Around the world, supply chain shortages are creating massive challenges for sourcing ingredients and supplies, and providers are struggling to staff at levels needed to meet the demand. Hours of operation among providers are also continually changing, highlighting the importance of ample lead time for orders to ensure that the caterer is open and available.

Below are some tips from the experts when planning for inflight catering:

●      Always plan ahead and avoid last minute orders and changes. Order at least two full days in advance (local time) for domestic flights and five full days in advance for international flights.

●      Manage your pax (passenger) expectations by proposing them a menu based on cuisines that are commonly available in that area and keep your orders simple. Avoid ordering off-menu, last-minute, hard-to-find items, as this will lead to the delays in confirming the order.

●      If you are ordering from restaurants, stay conscious as it adds complexity to the service delivery. For example, you will need to be aware of food safety and packaging to ensure that it is suitable for in-flight. More time is also needed when ordering from restaurants to ensure that they understand your requests and are able to meet the in-flight requirements. Even if your order is through your caterer, this could lead to delays as the caterer will need to pick up the food, chill and repackage the order to maintain proper food temperatures.

●      Limit the use of food delivery services. These systems were designed for individual use, not commercial use. They do not deliver consistently and have no means to advise when an order will not be delivered, which happens frequently.