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How Caterers are Serving up Safety
News Source/Courtesy: www.aviationpros.com

As with other ground service providers, the COVID-19 global pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to catering companies.

During the last year, the health and safety standards in the catering cycle tightened – from food preparation to the delivery, and on the aircraft itself. The personnel involved in catering operations had to raise efficiency to the highest levels. Even contact points in the catering kitchen were minimized or eliminated.

The Effects of the Pandemic

In-flight catering companies adapted to challenges posed by the pandemic by providing enhanced hygiene procedures and modified staffing levels to meet the demand.

“Hours of operations were modified, certain service requests were not able to be completed due to circumstances outside of their control, e.g., supply chain issues. Constant communication with the customers was required to keep abreast on the ever-changing landscape of travel restrictions,” says Paul Schweitzer, senior vice president of global sales and marketing at Air Culinaire Worldwide.

When the pandemic first started, orders were smaller in size and scope due to the uncertainty of the situation. The sharing concept of trays in an open cabin quickly became a concern and stopped entirely. Individual orders became the norm, observes Schweitzer.

“Presently, we are seeing larger orders and the resumption of restaurant facilitations. There is more confidence with passengers and flight crews that serving catering is safe, so we are seeing sales increase consistent with the increase in flight volumes,” he says.

In recent months, most major carriers have switched back to normal catering as it was before the pandemic, according to Carlos Schattenkirchner, China regional director at UAS International Trip Support.

“As one of the promises of business aviation is that flying private reduces contact points massively, procedures onboard the aircraft became even more complex. Travelers are now more cautious of packaging and how their food is presented to them. Therefore, catering companies are making sure that the boxes and cutlery are well packaged, protected and safe,” he says. “Meals and meal types have not changed a lot, and various protocols were put in force to eliminate the risk of transmission through handling these items.”

Hygiene and safety are the main requirements of air operators and air travelers.

“There is an expectation that food products remain wholesome and tasty, while also adhering to the safety-focused restrictions and expectations that COVID-19 has presented. Travelers initially experienced a reduced service on-board, but the expectation of normalcy is coming back, and airlines are returning to a full service on-board,” says Hiranjan Aloysius, chief executive officer (CEO) of dnata catering Australia.

“Food safety standards have always been high in inflight catering and, with precautions like distancing and temperature testing added in our units, we are very confident the risks presented by inflight catering are extremely low,” Aloysius continues. “Coping with change over the past year has been less a safety challenge, as we know we can exceed safety requirements, and instead been more a resourcing and planning challenge. Fluctuations in border openings and service levels have presented the most significant planning, resourcing and cost-management challenges we have ever seen.”

Pre-pack Meals

According to Schweitzer, individual meal boxes have always been a top item, so there were more sold than normal on flights where a shared tray would have been ordered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There have always been healthy meals offered, so that has not changed,” he says.

While menus have not changed a lot and meals have remained unchanged, pre-pack meals have become a defining feature of air travel during the pandemic.

“Most meals are now required to be pre-packed to limit the chances of transmission through many people handling the food items. For example, crew meals for most operators are required to be boxed instead of being plated on meal trays,” says Schattenkirchner. “Some companies struggled a lot trying to adapt with the new protocols in place as well as the limited flights. It is hugely important now to make sure that the catering and cutleries are well and neatly packaged.”

Indeed, the move to wrapped or packaged products was to minimize the need to double-handle goods or expose them to the virus.

“We have worked with airlines to maintain a healthy, desirable product, albeit presented in a different way. It has restricted variety on-board, but we are seeing this come back quickly,” says Aloysius.

Precautions in Food Preparation

Temperature testing, minimization of visitors, distancing within work areas, enhanced personal protective equipment (PPE) and an increased frequency of cleaning schedules were all quickly implemented across dnata catering Australia’s network.

“These measures have complemented the rigorous general standards that already existed. We have adopted the Airline Catering Association/International Flight Services Association guidelines, too, which provide guidance linked to four important pillars: people; premises; policies, processes and ramp; procedures and procurement,” says Aloysius.

Safety protocols have been implemented and shared with a vast number of catering companies in all regions of the world.

“Not all locations are the same in size, workflow or government oversight, so these protocols are recommended but not enforced,” observes Schweitzer.

Adhering to strict sanitation guidelines and wearing the necessary PPE such as face masks and gloves were already standard for everyone involved in the production and delivery cycle of catering.

“Access to the kitchen is limited to only those involved in production and delivery. The catering rooms are disinfected as well. This level of sanitation is maintained throughout the transportation process also; high loaders and trollies are disinfected for every flight, catering personnel are requested to wear their gloves, PPE and face shields for every flight,” says Schattenkirchner. “The key objective is to ensure workplaces are sanitized and maintained to the highest standards and staff wellness is given top priority with customer health and safety. Team members working on the frontline are being vaccinated and swabs are conducted regularly.”

Back to Normal

As it is a changing landscape, it is difficult to say if there is any normalcy being experienced in the catering world.

“The vaccine is being distributed globally and case counts seem to be dropping weekly, so optimism is present everywhere and the thought is that this fall will be the resumption of normal travel behavior. Without a doubt, some changes are here to stay – less travel is the number one change,” says Schweitzer. “People will still travel to build and maintain relationships, but many companies found out that it is possible manage without the heavy travel schedules and are budgeting accordingly. The other train of thought is – take something away from me unexpectedly and I will want to do it twice as often when I can do it again. We expect pent up demand in 2022.”

Currently, vaccine rollouts have not led to a relaxation of airport or inflight safety processes.

“Whether airlines propose proof-of-vaccination as a requirement to board will be key to the recovery in travel and will have an impact on any changes that may be more permanent. We would expect some of the simple hygiene practices to remain in the short-term – sanitizers, a level of distancing in airports, etc. – both driven by businesses but also a continued cautious approach by consumers,” says Aloysius.

According to Schattenkirchner, a slow return to normal with the lessening of restrictions and lockdown rules globally is being experienced.

“Vaccine distribution is still in its infancy, but we are moving in the right direction. The procedural changes implemented to minimize points of contact are now standard practice so likely to remain. Airside staff also have access to the production and delivery pipelines, from catering kitchens to the aircraft, which is important for accountability and transparency,” he concludes.

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