Gate Gourment moving to D.C.
Gate Gourmet announced to its employees today that it will relocate its Divisions America headquarters from Memphis to Washington, D.C. beginning this month .
Memphis Business Journal
AirlineMeals.net news overview related to inflight catering
| 2004 |
18 December
American Airlines To Sell Food In
Main Cabins
Dallas (AP) — American Airlines says it will begin selling $3 snack boxes
in the main cabins of long U.S. flights beginning Feb. 1
TheDay.com
15 December
Emirates Flight Catering Co. honoured
by Air France
Emirates Flight Catering Co. L.L.C. has been honoured by Air France for its
service delivery excellence, coming Runner-up in the Best Worldwide Caterer
Awards
Strategiy.com
8 November
Giving Air Travelers a Meal Upgrade
With airlines cutting food service, SkyMeals has seen rising demand for its
upscale, gourmet offerings for jet-setters.
Business
Week
6 November
Alaska Air to try pay food
Passengers will soon have a new dining option on certain Alaska Airlines flights
to Mexico, when the carrier begins selling meals early next year.
Seattlepi.com
4 November
Gate Gourment moving to D.C.
Gate Gourmet announced to its employees today that it will relocate its Divisions
America headquarters from Memphis to Washington, D.C. beginning this month .
Memphis
Business Journal
21 October
In-flight lizard meal lands in airline
soup
NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — The lizard biryani served on a Jet Airways flight
in India proved just too spicy for a startled passenger who is taking the private
carrier to court.
USA
Today
21 October
Cathay Pacific to buy stake in Air China
Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. plans to buy a 9.9 percent stake in Air China as
part of a new partnership that will give Cathay a bigger presence in the booming
mainland market that has opened only partially to the Hong Kong carrier. They
plan to cooperate in engineering, ground handling, catering, cargo services,
information technology, purchasing, safety and security.
Forbes
9 October
Blair's airliner made 1,450-mile trip
to fetch gourmet meal
It must be one of the longest-distance takeaway orders in history. A British
Airways jet carrying Tony Blair back from his whirlwind diplomatic trip to Africa
made a 1,450-mile round trip to stock up on prawn risotto, asparagus mousse
and cheesecake.
The
Independent
5 October
United Airlines' Ted to sell `SnackBoxes'
Ted, United Airlines' low-cost carrier, said it will begin selling four new
''TedSelect SnackBoxes'' on Thursday.
The SnackBoxes have names: JumpStart, MiniMeal, QuickPick and FunPack, which
includes a Pez dispenser. Each box costs $5 and contains six to eight brand-name
snack items.
Miami
Herald
30 September
Airline caterers to strike after mediation
fails
More than 400 union members at airline catering company LSG Skychefs will strike
for eight hours or refuse overtime over the next week after mediation failed
to settle a wage dispute.
New
Zealand Herald
26 September
In-flight caterers streamline as struggling
airlines cut services
These days, the airline-food business is worrying less about food and more about
business. Struggling airlines have cut all kinds of services once seen as fundamental
to the onboard experience, including the infamous meal. To survive, this $12
billion industry has thrown out cooking methods redolent of a low-end dining
hall and introduced exacting procedures that wouldn't be out of place in a semiconductor
factory
charleston.net
24 September
Delta's Food Fight, Twinkie Trouble
For scores of Delta passengers, it was a scramble Wednesday to purchase food
prior to their flight after the airline's primary food provider discontinued
service in a contract dispute.
11alive.com
23 September
Judge: Resume catering service on Delta
flights
A judge in Georgia Wednesday ordered an in-flight catering company to resume
service on Delta Air Lines.
Gate Gourmet, which provides catering service for Delta at roughly 50 airports
including Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, stopped delivering food
and beverages to the airline Tuesday after a contract dispute.
Delta, which operates its second-largest hub at CVG, didn't reveal the cause
of the dispute and Gate Gourmet didn't answer calls for comment.
Some observers speculated the dispute stemmed from a demand for prepayment,
in the face of Delta's possible bankruptcy.
enquirer.com
23 September
DELTA: Disruption in Catering Service
* update
"We are beginning to resume catering on most flights that were affected
by a recent disruption in service. We are working quickly to resume full catering
operations, and we appreciate your patience during this time.
We regret any inconvenience this has caused our customers."
DELTA.com
Thanks to Jeremy, Yev
22 September
DELTA: Disruption in Catering Service
"We are currently experiencing a problem with service on many of our flights
that offer meals serviced by one of our caterers. This may also affect beverages
and snacks. We regret any inconvenience this causes our customers.
While we are working to resolve this matter as soon as possible, we are also providing alternate solutions to minimize the impact to your travel experience. These solutions may vary depending on your flight's destination or duration, and are outlined below.
International Flights
Check with a Delta agent when you arrive at your gate. If meal service will
not be provided on your flight, you will be given a voucher to cover the cost
of a meal in the airport. You may want to arrive early to allow time for retrieving
your voucher and purchasing your meal.
Flights within the U.S. (over 1,550 Miles)
First Class
We are attempting to provide dining options for flights we normally serve meals
in First Class. If meal service will not be provided on your flight, you will
be given a voucher to cover the cost of a meal in the airport. You may want
to arrive early to allow time for retrieving your voucher and purchasing your
meal.
Coach Class
Food for purchase will be discontinued temporarily.
Flights within the U.S. (1,550 Miles or Less)
Beverage service will temporarily replace all normally scheduled meal service.
Meal vouchers will not be provided.
Check back here for the latest information."
DELTA.com
Thanks to Jeremy, Yev
12 September
Latest mystery about airline food is
if you'll get any
Figuring out what and even whether you'll be fed on a flight is becoming almost
impossible because the rules are complicated -- and constantly shifting. Even
airlines have trouble keeping up. [...]
StarTribune.com
27 August
AA passengers can chew on this offer
Got the munchies at 30,000 feet but don't care for the typical "complimentary"
airline food? You don't need to bail out on the eats much longer - more and
more airlines are grounding such chow. [...]
Newsday.com
25 August
Airline meals soar upscale
Passengers travelling to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific flights through Oct. 31
will enjoy a selection of dishes from the famous Peninsula Hong Kong hotel.
[...]
London Free Press
11 August
SINGAPORE AIRLINES at the core of yet
another innovation
As the world’s leading airline, Singapore Airlines also prides itself
for its high quality in flight meals and is in fact have been given numerous
accolades in this field. On a recent trip to Singapore, SIA invited a group
of media practitioners representing its main routes to a tour of the SATS Inflight
Catering Centre. [...]
Manilla Bulletin Online
1 August
Cooking up ideas for inflight meals
The “Yediot Ahronot” Hebrew daily reports that Dutch airline Transavia
has decided to discontinue the use of meal vouchers on its flights to Israel,
after Israeli passengers began misbehaving on flights, harassing the stewardesses,
and trying to transfer food coupons from one passenger to another. [...]
Business Times Asia
22 July
Dutch airline cancels meal vouchers
because of unruly Israelis
The “Yediot Ahronot” Hebrew daily reports that Dutch airline Transavia
has decided to discontinue the use of meal vouchers on its flights to Israel,
after Israeli passengers began misbehaving on flights, harassing the stewardesses,
and trying to transfer food coupons from one passenger to another. [...]
Globes Online
22 July
Dining in the friendly skies
Passenger surveys tell Northwest Airlines to keep in-flight food simple and
healthy. [...]
Business World Online / PDF
version
17 July
Fast food at a great height
If airline food is to cuisine as the Central Intelligence Agency is to intelligence
(we found many shell casings, but strangely no one was about), it isn't all
the airline's fault. [...]
thestandard.com.hk
14 July
e-gatematrix acquires CAlibre Airline
Services
London, July 14 -- e-gatematrix, a division of Gate Gourmet, announces the purchase
of 100 percent of the shares in CAlibre Airline Services Ltd., including 20
per cent held by Alpha Catering Services. [...]
gate gourmet press release
11 July
Singapore Airlines goes above and beyond
to make top meals
Giant kitchens, computer databases full of recipes, hundreds of menus -- this
is what it takes to feed 62,000 passengers a day. [...]
oregonlive.com
7 July
Axe airline food for savings call
More than 60% of readers of a magazine have said in a survey that airlines should
scrap in-flight food - rated as "poor" by almost a third - and pass
on the savings in the form of cheaper fares. [...]
north wales weekly news
1 July
Air Chef takes off to new areas with expansions
Food tastes different at high altitudes. And it's the job of Paul Higgins to
make sure it tastes right 41,000 feet above sea level. Higgins leads a culinary
team for Air Chef, a local company that provides catering services to the private
airline industry. [...]
thisweeknews.com
22 June
Gulf Air now flying from Dubai to London
Onboard services include the airline's five star in-flight chef service in the
First Class cabin, the equivalent of a first class menu for Business Class passengers,
and the Sky Nanny in all cabins. [...]
AME Info
8 June
Gate Gourmet names David N. Siegel Chairman
and CEO
Zurich – Gate Gourmet Group, Inc.'s board of directors today named David
N. Siegel chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the company.
[...]
Investors.com
7 June
Song adds low-carb options to menu
Song, Delta Air Lines' low-cost carrier, has joined the low-carb bandwagon.
The airline, which sells food onboard its flights from Fort Lauderdale, said
it is adding an array of low-carb options and low-carb cocktails to its in-flight
menu. [...]
Miami Herald
1 June
Acquisition of IberSwiss finalized
Zurich – Gate Gourmet and Iberia have signed the contract for the purchase
of the remaining 70 percent of the shares of the Spanish airline catering company
IberSwiss, as announced in December last year. The value of the sale amounts
to 23.5 million Euro . [...]
Gate Gourmet
28 May
New flight kitchen for BIA
The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new Flight Kitchen Project
of SriLankan Airlines estimated to cost US $ 25 million was held yesterday at
Katunayake. [...]
Daily News
4 May
Live frog found in airline salad
A passenger on a Qantas flight received a nasty shock when she took the lid
off her inflight salad to find a live frog on top of the cucumber. [...]
The New Zealand Herald
3 May
Two bids for Singapore airport ground handling
license
SINGAPORE -- Singapore's tender for a third airport ground handling license
drew two bids while a flight catering tender drew just one [...]
Yahoo! Finance
28 Apr
BAS pulls out of catering business
Bermuda Aviation Services (BAS) is pulling out of the airline catering business
after 57 years.
Struggling airlines have been drastically cutting back on food for passengers
for the past decade and BAS now feels it is no longer profitable [...]
The Royal Gazette
26 Apr
SIA faces tough choices on SATS
SINGAPORE Airlines and its subsidiary SATS have been in the news after Senior
Minister Lee Kuan Yew suggested SIA may have to restructure its business in
the face of increasing uncertainty and cut-throat competition [...]
The Business Times
22 Apr
Gate Gourmet Begins Service to American Airlines
in Chicago
MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Gate Gourmet begins providing foodservice for American
Airlines’ 317 daily flights out of Chicago [...]
Gate Gourmet press release
21 Apr
Lufthansa Outlines 3-yr India Strategy
NEW DELHI - Lufthansa has chalked out a three-year India strategy. The airline
is planning to expand its air catering arm LSG Sky Chefs in India, open a fifth
point of call in south India, enhance capacity by [...]
The Financial Express
8 Apr
US Airways offers T.G.I. Fridays in-flight café
meals for sale
US Airways is now offering T.G.I. Friday’s ® "On the Fly"
signature menu items on its In-flight Café-designated flights. Breakfast
meals are available for $7. [...]
TravelVideo.tv
6 Apr
SIA urged to outsource, divest as recast looms
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will outsource some basic services and may divest key
units as part of a major restructuring that the nation’s political power
broker, Lee Kuan Yew, has ordered. [...]
The Financial Express
30 Mar
Food flight: Airline caterers team with brand
names
Thirty months and 20,000 lost jobs after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the
top in-flight catering companies are trying a comeback with a new approach:
selling food to passengers in flight. [...]
USA Today
18 Mar
Sale could save airline food jobs
Leading ready meals manufacturer CFH Limited has acquired the trade and assets
of Wrexham-based Delta Dailyfood (UK), a major supplier of frozen airline food.
[...]
Daily Post
15 Mar
Frontier creates DIA catering facilities
DENVER -- Denver based Frontier Airlines today announced that it has established
its own catering facilities at Denver International Airport in a move expected
to provide "considerable annual savings," according to company officials.
[...]
Denver Business Journals
12 Mar
Weiss Kosher Cuisine to service kosher airline
meals
CHICAGO - Cuisine Innovations, LLC (formerly part of Tyson Foods, TSN) has entered
into a strategic partnership with Weiss Kosher Cuisine to transition the servicing
of our Kosher Airline Meal Business. [...]
Yahoo! Finance
10 Mar
Frontier Airlines Creates In-House Catering
Program
DENVER - Frontier Airlines today announced that it has established its own catering
operation to stock both mainline and Frontier JetExpress aircraft with food
and beverages. [...]
Yahoo! Finance
9 Mar
Jacko's Jet Juice
LOS ANGELES - Finicky flier Wacko Jacko demands his "Jesus juice"
in Diet Coke cans and gobbles hoards of KFC chicken every time he takes to the
air, according to new travel records detailing the troubled singer's bizarre
habits. [...]
New York Post
9 Mar
American Airlines to cut back on coach meals,
expand First-Class fare
New on board KLM flights longer than eight hours, is the introduction of a meal
box. The quality of the meals has improved greatly, offering passengers the
freshest possible produce and leading brand products. [...]
Miami Herald.com
1 Mar
KLM * New in Economy Class: meal box with hot
snack
New on board KLM flights longer than eight hours, is the introduction of a meal
box. The quality of the meals has improved greatly, offering passengers the
freshest possible produce and leading brand products. [...]
KLM.com
29 Feb
SN Brussels Airlines is investing in in-flight
catering and service
Whilst other airlines are cancelling the free meals and service on board their
planes SN Brussels Airlines is investing in in-flight products. As from 1st
March SN Brussels Airlines will offer a new and trendy “Brussels Bistro”
meal in economy class. As from April the service in the long haul business class
will radically change. Quality has never been more important. [...]
SN Brussels Airlines website
28 Feb
When airline food is heavenly!
Tourists and travelers often dread the thought of flying not just because of
the fear of a possible crash but the horrifying “synthetic” taste
of the meals being served inflight. Continental Airlines and Miascor Catering
have a solution to the problem, which insures a better quality of food and service
for air passengers. Now, people can enjoy sumptuous meals especially prepared
for them as they fly 30,000 feet above the ground. [...]
The Manila Bulletin Online
25 Feb
Catering arm drags down Lufthansa
German airline Lufthansa has reported a 980m euro (£657m) loss for 2003,
after the carrier struggled with tough competition in the aviation sector. [...]
BBC News
24 Feb
Struggling to survive
The common flight attendant mantra at mealtime once was "chicken or pasta?"
Since the terrorist attacks of 2001, the choices aren't that simple anymore
and it is shaking a once thriving local in-flight food industry to its roots.
[...]
Chicago Daily Herald
22 Feb
Qantas policy confirmed: hungry passengers go
without
Qantas passengers who want a $20 meal instead of a regular tray on the plane
need only sit up the back on full economy class flights. Travellers who have
been missing out on meals as part of the airline's cost-cutting campaign and
receiving peanuts or cheese and crackers instead, can claim a $20 meal voucher
to make up for their lost lunches, breakfasts and dinners. [...]
Sydney Morning Herald
18 Feb
Flying high
The sky's the limit when it comes to preparing meals for airline passengers,
unless you are in economy class. [...]
Sydney Morning Herald
14 Feb
We're
sorry, sir, but your in-flight meal is pie in the sky
The Flying Kangaroo has been accused of feeding its passengers peanuts and crackers
for lunch to help cut costs. Economy-class passengers sitting in the back rows
of a Qantas flight have been told by cabin crew there is not enough food on
board some flights because of an "under-catering" directive from management.
[...]
The Sun-Herald & Sydney Morning Herald
13 Feb
PIA
bans chicken food
KARACHI - The Pakistan Internal Airlines (PIA) banned chicken food items on
all its international and domestic flights from Thursday after passengers refused
to eat food prepared from chicken [...]
The Daily Times, Pakistan
8 Feb
If
bird flu affects supply... Can this replace this?
Packaged liquid eggs and frozen omelettes may be the answer for Singaporeans
in case of such an eventuality [...]
The Straits Times, Singapore
4 Feb
Virgin
Atlantic to offer upper class passengers square pie in the sky
LONDON -- Virgin Atlantic is delighted to announce that it will be offering
its Upper Class passengers freshly baked pies from London’s finest pie
company, Square Pie. The lamb and rosemary Square Pie will be exclusively available
for Upper Class passengers on all routes departing the UK from 4 February. [...]
Virgin Atlantic press release
29 Jan
Singapore
Air, others take chicken off inflight menus
SINGAPORE (Dow Jones) - Singapore Airlines Ltd. and other carriers have taken
chicken meals off some of their in-flight menus amid growing concerns over the
bird-flu outbreak in Asia. [...]
Yahoo!news Asia
27 Jan
America
West and LSG Sky Chefs launch food for sale on flights
PHOENIX -- America West Airlines and LSG Sky Chefs announced today that they
will begin offering food for sale on select flights on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004.
America West was the first airline to test the concept of selling food on flights
in January 2003. [...]
Yahoo!finance
27 Jan
In-Flight
meals safe, says Thai Airways
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - As the bird flu disease is rapidly spreading across the
region and even to South Asia, the Thai Airways International Public Company
Limited yesterday tried to calm down fears over the health safety standards
of its in-flight meals[...]
BruneiDirect.com
12 Jan
Air-India
offers meals of choice
MUSCAT — Air-India, India’s national carrier, yesterday presented
its onboard menu to travel agents and corporate clients here [...]
Times of Oman