In: Operations Management
1. Factors and Issues that may affect the success of an airline catering operation -
a. Production Process
In a production system, the final receivers of products are general consumers.
However, when receiving products, consumers usually do not possess professional
knowledge, it is very difficult to determine the quality of products, such as hygiene of
food and utensils. The operation of catering begins with menu design, procurement,
acceptance, storage, shipping, and ends with production preparation to use successful
promotion skills to deliver services of outstanding cuisines to customers
b. Marketing
Kotler (2000) indicated that, marketing is an art that attracts and maintains
consumers. All of the marketing activities are intended to develop and maintain a
successful relationship with consumers to exchange for higher commitment and trust,
as well as to reduce their intention to leave. Consumers are the main source of profit of enterprises, and the new era of customer power has arrived, which has forced enterprises to strengthen relationship marketing and endeavor to develop and adopt marketing strategies to retain consumers .
c. Professional Abilities
The success of menu design can be accessed from multiple perspectives, such
as employees, customers, divided chefs’ competencies into two categories competencies for research focused chefs competencies for management focused chefs.
d. Cost
During menu design, the selection of dishes has to take into account
restaurant cost, procurement, menu pricing, and other financial and marketing
situations. In addition to determining the types of meals to be offered, menu design should prioritize the price determination .
e. Quality, Safety, and Hygiene
Catering quality is the most important part of dining experiences. Apparently, quality is one of the factors to which consumers attach the highest importance to.
f. Consumers’ Perception
Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard (1995) suggested that, consumers’ belief and
feeling have a certain influence on overall assessment and attitude toward a certain
target, and their attitude will determine their behavioral intention and further affect
their subsequent final behaviors. Consumers’ decision-making process and outcomes
are affected by the difference in information conveyance method .
One of the important factors affecting consumers’ choice of airline companies
is perceived value, which directly affects consumers’ satisfaction
g. Trust and Loyalty
The nature of services is mainly experiences and trust. Therefore, consumers’
trust in products has a significant influence on their decision-making process . Many studies all attached importance to trust, such as customer loyalty. Morgan and Hunt (1994) suggested that: the necessity of
trust and commitment is a very important indicator. The empirical study by Reichheld
and Schefter (2000) also indicated that: in order to win customers’ loyalty, the priority
is to win customers’ trust.
2. Diversity of airline passengers
Students
Businessman
Travellers
Workers
Sportsmen
Employees
Etc.
Reasons for travelling -
People are travelling in other states and other countries of the world. Some people travel to join for jobs, some people travel for the educations, some people travel to attend official meetings and conferences.
One of the most common reason due to which people travel is for holidays. People with their families and children travel to different states and different countries to spend time and enjoy with each other.
3. Flight Catering Logistics
Logistics is concerned with adding value and reducing waste across the whole flight
catering system. It is particularly concerned with non-consumable or non-disposable
stock items (crockery, glassware, trays, etc.), although increasingly it is addressing
other types of inventory too (particularly alcoholic beverages and duty free items). In
order to use these stocks effectively and efficiently, logistics is concerned with:
• material demand forecasting
• equipment sector (or shelf) life
• sourcing of products
• contracting suppliers
• managing purchase contracts
• transportation of stocks
• warehousing of stocks
• inventory management of stocks and ‘dwell time’ (time not in use)
• stock balancing across the network
• galley and trolley planning
The principal objectives of a logistics system are based around getting the right
products/materials to the right place(s) at the right time and at least cost. The
logistics issues of flight catering are affected by a number of important features of the
airline industry, the most important being the basic features of the business, the
specifics of route scheduling, the impact of actual passenger loadings, and the
'product' mix.
The basic features of the industry are that it has global dimensions, is highly
competitive and profitability depends largely on maximising revenue in the face of
variable demand. The airline business is increasingly competitive and most airlines in
considering their competitive edge take account of the quality of the 'service package'
offered to customers. For instance, there are strong pressures in some cases to use
quality non-disposable items rather than cheaper disposables, such as china
crockery, rather than disposable equivalents. The reinforcement of brand image also
causes most to require that several items bear the company livery and logo. This has
strong implications for the logistics problem since it could prevent local supply of
these items.
4. How are plane meals prepared?
Meals are usually prepared on the ground in catering facilities close to the airport, and are then transported to the aircraft and placed in refrigerators for flight attendants to heat and serve on board. The caterers are more like the middlemen that help airlines mass-produce thousands of meals a day; the airline’s catering team is usually responsible for menu design.
5. Menu planning -
The type of food varies depending upon the airline company and class of travel. Meals may be served on one tray or in multiple courses with no tray and with a tablecloth, metal cutlery, and glassware (generally in first and business classes). Often the food is reflective of the culture of the country the airline is based in or the country that the airplane is destined for (e.g. Indian, Japanese, Chinese, or Western meals).
The airline dinner typically includes meat (most commonly chicken or beef), fish, or pasta; a salad or vegetable; a small bread roll (with butter); and a dessert. Condiments (typically salt, pepper, and sugar) are supplied in small sachets or shakers.
Caterers usually produce alternative meals for passengers with restrictive diets. These must usually be ordered at least 24 hours in advance, sometimes when buying the ticket. Some of the more common examples include:
Cultural diets, such as Turkish, French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Indian style.
Infant and baby meals. Some airlines also offer children's meals, containing foods that children will enjoy such as baked beans, mini-hamburgers, and hot dogs.
Medical diets, including low/high fiber, low fat/cholesterol, diabetic, peanut free, non-lactose, low salt/sodium, low-purine, low-calorie, low-protein, bland (non-spicy), and gluten-free meals.
Religious diets, including kosher, halal, and Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain vegetarian.
6. Preparation of food -
Meals must generally be prepared on the ground before takeoff. Guillaume de Syon, a history professor at Albright College who wrote about the history of airline meals, said that the higher altitudes alter the taste of the food and the function of the taste buds; according to de Syon the food may taste "dry and flavorless" as a result of the pressurization and passengers, feeling thirsty due to pressurization, may drink alcohol when they ought to drink water. Tests have shown that the perception of saltiness and sweetness drops 30% at high altitudes. The low humidity in airline cabins also dries out the nose which decreases olfactory sensors which are essential for tasting flavor in dishes.
Vegetarian meals, typically further defined as either lacto-ovo or vegan meals. These meals may follow a particular cuisine such as Asian cuisine or Western cuisine.
7. Airline food and environment -
Whether for its taste or otherwise, airplane food is wasted every day. In 2016, the International Air Transport Association estimated that airlines produced 5.2 million tons of waste, the Guardian reported. Nearly all of this waste, which included partially eaten food, single-use plastics and mini liquor bottles — as well as inevitable things like toilet waste — was incinerated or left in landfills. Neither disposal practice does any good for the environment.
With these calculations, the airline figured out that it has been wasting approximately 800,000 fresh food items per year, which equates to millions of dollars.
Many countries are taking initiatives regarding this -
American Airlines announced in July that it would be doing away with plastic straws and stirrers in both its lounges and flights, replacing them with biodegradable, eco-friendly straws and wood stirrers. The brand said it will also begin transitioning to more sustainable cutlery in its lounges. According to a press release, the swaps will eliminate more than 71,000 pounds of plastic annually.
Delta Airlines announced similar news in October. It is removing stir sticks, wrappers, utensils and straws from its aircraft and Delta Sky Clubs. The company said it expects to eliminate more than 300,000 pounds in plastic waste a year.
8. Difficulties and factors that may affect the effectiveness and efficiency of an airline catering operation -
a. Production Process
In a production system, the final receivers of products are general consumers.
However, when receiving products, consumers usually do not possess professional
knowledge, it is very difficult to determine the quality of products, such as hygiene of
food and utensils. The operation of catering begins with menu design, procurement,
acceptance, storage, shipping, and ends with production preparation to use successful
promotion skills to deliver services of outstanding cuisines to customers
b. Marketing
Kotler (2000) indicated that, marketing is an art that attracts and maintains
consumers. All of the marketing activities are intended to develop and maintain a
successful relationship with consumers to exchange for higher commitment and trust,
as well as to reduce their intention to leave. Consumers are the main source of profit of enterprises, and the new era of customer power has arrived, which has forced enterprises to strengthen relationship marketing and endeavor to develop and adopt marketing strategies to retain consumers .
c. Professional Abilities
The success of menu design can be accessed from multiple perspectives, such
as employees, customers, divided chefs’ competencies into two categories competencies for research focused chefs competencies for management focused chefs.
d. Cost
During menu design, the selection of dishes has to take into account
restaurant cost, procurement, menu pricing, and other financial and marketing
situations. In addition to determining the types of meals to be offered, menu design should prioritize the price determination .
e. Quality, Safety, and Hygiene
Catering quality is the most important part of dining experiences. Apparently, quality is one of the factors to which consumers attach the highest importance to.
f. Consumers’ Perception
Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard (1995) suggested that, consumers’ belief and
feeling have a certain influence on overall assessment and attitude toward a certain
target, and their attitude will determine their behavioral intention and further affect
their subsequent final behaviors. Consumers’ decision-making process and outcomes
are affected by the difference in information conveyance method .
One of the important factors affecting consumers’ choice of airline companies
is perceived value, which directly affects consumers’ satisfaction
g. Trust and Loyalty
The nature of services is mainly experiences and trust. Therefore, consumers’
trust in products has a significant influence on their decision-making process . Many studies all attached importance to trust, such as customer loyalty. Morgan and Hunt (1994) suggested that: the necessity of
trust and commitment is a very important indicator. The empirical study by Reichheld
and Schefter (2000) also indicated that: in order to win customers’ loyalty, the priority
is to win customers’ trust.