BreninTW From Taiwan, joined Jul 2006, 1446 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (4 months 1 week 1 hour ago) and read 9954 times:
I know CX used to cater both legs on its HKG - MNL flights from HKG. Caused some issues when my return flight MNL - HKG was delayed for four hours due to an engine issue.
We cleaned out the food and drink on board before we'd even left the gate ... CX bought in whatever they could from the airport and surrounds, and even that wasn't enough.
I don't remember if they brought in catering on the flight that also brought in the required engine parts ... I don't think so though.
I'm tired of the A vs. B sniping. Neither make planes that shed wings randomly!
YXD172 From Canada, joined Feb 2008, 426 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (4 months 1 week ago) and read 9846 times:
Talking to an FA, I learned that AC stocks its YUL-ANU flight for the return, so I assume the same is done for much of the Caribbean. Unfortunately in our case, they were flying home empty that day and so few 'healthy options' seemed to be on board!
Radial engines don't leak oil, they are just marking their territory!
1337Delta764 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 5758 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (4 months 1 week ago) and read 9739 times:
ABQ no longer has any airline catering companies operating there; LSG Sky Chefs pulled out in 2009. I know DL's flights between ABQ and ATL are now catered roundtrip.
The Pink Delta 767-400ER - The most beautiful aircraft in the sky
chepos From Puerto Rico, joined Dec 2000, 5968 posts, RR: 12 Reply 4, posted (4 months 1 week ago) and read 9703 times:
Double provisioning is a pain in the rear end, due to cost many of the airlines double provision flights to the lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. In Hawaii for example - KOA and LIH are very expensive so some airlines double provision, KOA or LIH I can't remember only has a hotel who provisions meals and they charge a whole lot of dough. Unless they have recently changed one of those two do not have a catering company.
justinlee From China, joined Aug 2012, 305 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (4 months 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 9397 times:
Many of the airports in Tibet don't have fuel, catering or snow removal equipment. Planes need to carry return fuel and catering. Sometimes the check-in agents will let all the passengers to go outside and remove the snow on the runway. Very tough job !
david21487 From United States of America, joined Oct 2006, 228 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (4 months 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 9210 times:
Quoting chepos (Reply 4): Double provisioning is a pain in the rear end
It certainly is.
I've been in situations before where I've originated in an outstation only to find out that the F meals for the morning departure were never catered the night before. I also once worked a morning flight that was supposed to have a breakfast service in F. When I opened the cart, it was full of dirty meal trays. The cart was clearly marked with a bright orange "downline service" sticker, but the inbound F/A's served the BREAKFAST on the inbound flight the night before.
Quoting 1337Delta764 (Reply 3): I know DL's flights between ABQ and ATL are now catered roundtrip.
The coach supplies are round tripped, but the meals for F are provided by one of the airport restaurants. It's that way in TUS and ELP as well.
debonair From Germany, joined Jan 2004, 2098 posts, RR: 4 Reply 9, posted (4 months 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 9034 times:
Quoting bobbydgg (Thread starter): What destinations require airlines to stock outbound flights with return catering?
Normally, at least for German airlines, all destinations without proper catering will see return catering. Some airports/countries are "black-listed", as these doesn't offer catering to international hygienic standards- like Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Cuba etc.!
vhtje From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2009, 306 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (4 months 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 8964 times:
What an interesting topic - thanks for posting.
As a passenger I have often wondered about this. BA is the only airline I fly with enough frequency to give me authority to comment on this topic as a passenger. I've noticed that BA's meals on long haul flights can be very, very variable depending upon if I am outbound or inbound to LHR. The last flight I took on BA was from SYD to SIN in J - the food was actually inedible (some fish coconut curry thing which had curdled). On the other hand, I have had absolutely wonderful fresh vegetarian pasta dishes for luncheon in W flying LHR to ORD.
I have always assumed this variance was due to the quality of the caterers at the destination point. But how can BA allow such a vast variance in the quality of the meals they serve? Do they not have stringent quality controls and quality standards built into their contracts with the caterers?
Tristarsteve From Sweden, joined Nov 2005, 3692 posts, RR: 34 Reply 11, posted (4 months 6 days 17 hours ago) and read 8889 times:
Quoting AIR MALTA (Reply 8): I think most of BA shorhaul is catered for roundtrips... All the waraps and sandwiches served are supplied in London.
Nearly all food on BA European is prepared and cooked in LON.
Nearly all meals are round trip catered from LON.
Breakfast service is loaded abroad, but the meals are supplied frozen from LON.
Outstation caterers hold a stock of meals in the freezer in case they are required.
The main driver for all this was the cost of driving a delivery truck out to each aircraft turnround.
It is cheaper to overcater the aircraft from LON.
Spot on, with the exception of the longer Euro destinations (known as Band 4), where hot meals are served in both cabins.
Meals are loaded in ATH, IST, KBP, LCA, LED, SOF & TIP for the return sector to LHR. AGA is another Band 4 station; however there is currently no suitable airline caterer there, so flights are return catered from LHR, with standard Band 4 service in Club Europe, and Band 3 double wraps in Euro Traveller. Due to stowage limitations there is also no inflight retail to/from AGA.
Worked on - Caravelle Mercure A300 A320 F27 SD3-60 BAe146 747-100/200/400 DC10-30 767 777 737-400 757 A319 A321
neutrino From Singapore, joined May 2012, 349 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (4 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 8801 times:
I have long noticed that on the regional flights I have been on of up to 210mins to and from SIN (about twenty-odd LCC & legacy airlines), the food are almost without exception sourced from the airlines' home countries.
For longer trips (Australia, Europe & USA), the catering are only outbound from what I experienced.
Can't recall much of the medium hauls as I have not been on many of those.
jamesontheroad From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 518 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (4 months 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 8737 times:
Someone else will be able to provide more details than I can, but I recall that one of the first major British charter airlines launched sunshine flights from the UK in 1960s with outbound and inbound meals/snacks loaded into compartments in the seat backs. The stewardesses would pass through the cabin on the turn around unlocking the second compartment so that return passengers could serve themselves.
I believed it worked ok until outbound passengers realised they could help themselves to another sandwich by forcing the compartment open
Cricket From India, joined Aug 2005, 2936 posts, RR: 7 Reply 16, posted (4 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 8685 times:
in India, airlines often do return catering on flights to airports with limited connectivity - Bhuj for example. Also, LCC's such as Indigo and SpiceJet which offer rather extensive BOB options usually only cater from large bases such as DEL, BOM, MAA, BLR, HYD and CCU due to quality control issues and the fact that they usually only have one maybe two catering suppliers. That said, Taj Catering has a rather extensive reach inside India thanks to all their hotels all over the country.
jayeshrulz From India, joined Apr 2007, 1000 posts, RR: 4 Reply 17, posted (4 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 8596 times:
Turkish Airlines brings Catering from IST on its BOM flight. Ambassador's Sky Chef provides them food on demand though. (Quite a long flight, isn't it? )
Also, even Emirates carriers return catering for flights upto 3 hours 50 minutes. They have contract with TajSATS in India for FOD.
Gulf Air Carriers Return food for most of their destinations (Except for flights beyond 5 hours)
Oman Air carries return catering on all their 737 flights.
QR carries return catering in its flights upto 2 hours for quicker turn around times.
Air India carries return catering on its JED and RUH flights from BOM and DEL/HYD respectively.
So this is the little detail which I am aware of that I could provide
BAeRJ100 From Australia, joined Nov 2011, 43 posts, RR: 0 Reply 19, posted (4 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 8531 times:
Virtually all of the FIFO (Fly-in Fly-Out) flights operated in Western Australia have return catering loaded along with the outbound in PER, and it's the cabin crew's responsibility to get it all sorted out on the other end - the airline I work for does complete hot meal services on almost all their flights and luckily we have enough stowage space on our aircraft for both outbound and return catering carts. On the other hand there is one particular aircraft that is a real pain in the butt, it has been configured with only 4 half-cart spaces and limited overhead locker stowage, meaning on turnaround the crew spend all their time disposing of the meals from the previous sector and loading meal trays directly from a dry-iced box brought up from the cargo hold!
AIR MALTA From Malta, joined Sep 2001, 2364 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (4 months 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 8506 times:
Quoting edina (Reply 12): AGA is another Band 4 station; however there is currently no suitable airline caterer there, so flights are return catered from LHR, with standard Band 4 service in Club Europe, and Band 3 double wraps in Euro Traveller.
Why can't be freeze the meals for the return trip and heat them up in Economy class.
plateman From United States of America, joined May 2007, 904 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (4 months 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 8313 times:
I learned (surpringsly) that Aruban catering is done at AUA and the company is owned by an American. Was actually one of the best meals I have ever had on a flight despite the delivery truck looking filthy.
Seats would need to be taken out, and additional trolley stowages fitted to achieve this too....
Worked on - Caravelle Mercure A300 A320 F27 SD3-60 BAe146 747-100/200/400 DC10-30 767 777 737-400 757 A319 A321
25 bastew: Some BA longhaul flights are return catered as well - LHR-LUN-LHR and LHR-DAR-LHR spring to mind.
26 TVNWZ: Everytime I fly out of TUS (to MSP and ATL) the catering flew in with the plane. Coach and first.
27 RKSofACinUSA: AC return caters most flights to the eastern US (mostly Florida) in addition to much of the Caribbean.
28 sdak74: I believe when I flew AF from CDG to DLA and back the catering was brought along from Paris for the return trip. Wonder if this is the case for many E
29 ckfred: When AA went to rolling hubs, it shortened up turnaround times at spoke cities. By this point, AA had done away with meal service in coach, although I
30 LHRBFSTrident: I just flew DAR-IST on TK's 737-900ER in J and it was clearly return catered from IST - the meal and selection were home-base quality and much better
31 dabpit: DL and US flights into DAB are catered for rountrip flights including flights when the aircrafts stay over night in DAB
32 LXA340: SWISS had a case some time ago where the crew had a feeling that the catering on an ex NBO flight was not hygienically fresh and no meal service coul
33 panpan: Thanks so much for posting such an interesting topic! How do they store perishable and heatable food for the return on long haul flights? I didn't thi
34 1337Delta764: I think they are stored in dry ice, however, I could be wrong.
35 FWAERJ: When two-class service returns to FWA (not a matter of if but when - I expect DL and ATL/MSP first with the new 9E pilot contract), if they serve meal
36 AR385: I used to fly a lot IAH-MGA-IAH and on the return, MGA-IAH, the F meals were catered by the Camino Real hotel, which is right across the street from t
37 jetstar: I was on a Delta LGA-TPA flight on time which returns back to LGA, I asked the FA if they take on any catering in TPA because I never see a catering t
38 1337Delta764: Looking at LSG Sky Chefs' website, DL isn't listed as one of their customers at TPA. Gate Gourmet also has ops at TPA, however, they don't list their
39 LHRBFSTrident: interesting question - on a UA 744 from SFO-HKG the rear Y galley had a row of carts with what appeared to be power supply cables plugged into them.
40 Fabo: Power supply into carts? Never heard of it. Usually dry ice is used for cooling.
41 AR385: Yes it is. The FA on an LH flight, in F, put my insuline over dry ice, to keep it "refrigerated". Can´t blame her, but the insuline was destroyed on
42 Fabo: Damn. That is not a nice flight to get your insuline destroyed. She surely meant well, but I would have made sure that the patient, who would know be
43 Viscount724: Probably cheaper than paying European caterers for Kosher meals.[Edited 2013-01-16 16:56:29]
44 AR385: When I asked her to please put it in cold storage (the ice packs on my cooler had melted) I assumed the 747 had refrigerators. They don´t, they carr
45 Fabo: Oh well, that explains it. Mental note: always explain to pax there is dry ice, but not a fridge onboard....
46 prflyer: Use a flexpen insulin. It can be carried around in room temperature. No refrigeration needed.
47 AR385: Now I do. Back then they were not available here.
48 FlyboyOz: I remember when there was a catering and cleaning that were on strike in Australia. Cathay Pacific had to bring outbound and inbound meals. Also cabin
49 JAGflyer: I don't think short/medium range aircraft (Boeing 757s and smaller) have refrigeration systems (chillers) in the galleys but the larger planes can be
50 TravelsUK: I used to work for a major UK tour operator with Boeing 767 flights to Brazil, East Africa, Florida, Mexico etc. The aircraft on long haul flights wou
51 Starlionblue: It may actually have been a cosmetic thing. Green salad items rapidly look spoiled while pasta can last much longer.
52 JarradS: I don't know how EK works with their meals/pre-prepped stuff, but, for PER at least, they seem to send at least 1x 40ft sea container a week with thei
53 azncsa4qf744er: That cable cord you see is use to head up food. If you notice the food tray served in Y on UA B744s is different than those of B777s or B763s. Not su
54 LHRBFSTrident: Ah - ok: I would never have guessed no ovens on a UA 744 in Y... I guess it can now take the 'ghetto-bird' moniker from the 763s now that the latter
55 bwaflyer: BA and former BD A32X aircraft have cart chillers in the rear galley. BD A320 and A321 aircraft also have fridges (A321 fwd galley, A320 rear galley)
56 FlyDeltaJets: LSG is the largest caterer in JFK they have kitchens dedicated to AA and DL. I believe the DL kitchen does serve other airlines as well. Flying Food
57 Alasizon: For AS, from SEA, PDX and LAX, all of their flights to pretty much every station besides ANC, HNL, LAX, SEA, PDX (and I believe SNA as well although I
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