5 Golden Rules About Catering Services Every Flight Attendant Should Keep in Mind

5 Golden Rules About Catering Services Every Flight Attendant Should Keep in Mind

Flight attendants are responsible for managing customer experience while travelers are aboard the plane. One of the most essential parts of that experience is the catering service. Read on to find five golden rules about catering services every flight attendant should keep in mind.

5 Golden Rules About Catering Services Every Flight Attendant Should Keep in Mind

Prioritize Food Safety

The food provided for airlines by companies like Stamford Catering Services must be stored and prepared properly to avoid exposing guests to harmful pathogens or allergens. Flight attendants aren't the only ones responsible for ensuring food safety, but this is an important part of their jobs.

Flight attendants must store, prepare, and serve the food safely, which means they should know about certain potential dangers. Meat, eggs, dairy products, soy products, starch, green vegetables, berries, and mushrooms can all pose a risk to consumers' health if they are not stored and cooked properly.

Only Allow Customers to Drink Alcoholic Beverages Provided by the Airline

It's not uncommon for travelers to purchase duty-free alcoholic beverages at airports, but these cannot be consumed on-board the plane. The FAA mandates that passengers can only drink the alcohol served by flight attendants. Allowing them to bend this rule could wind up losing flight attendants their jobs.

Follow Beverage Charts

The airline should provide a beverage chart for each flight attendant in his or her manual. In some planes, an additional copy may be found in the galley. Pay attention to these charts for a smoother, more efficient beverage service.

Keep beverages in the refrigerator until it is time for the drink service and provide customers with ice for drinks like soda and water. Hot drinks like coffee and tea should always be prepared immediately preceding the beverage service. This ensures that they will still be hot when flight attendants serve them and reduce the chances of accidents.

Keep Foods Refrigerated or Frozen

The meals provided by the airline's catering company will come either refrigerated or frozen. They should be kept that way until they are ready to be served. Use the convection oven to heat hot meals and keep salads in the galley refrigerator until it is time for meal service. This is essential not just to food safety but also to customer satisfaction.

Always Remember Catering Request Forms

At some airlines, flight attendants are responsible for filling out their own catering request forms. They should do this each time they arrive at a new airport, ideally as soon as the plane arrives. It's easier to fill out these forms if flight attendants pay attention to what supplies have run low over the course of their flights.

Most airlines order all of their catering supplies from the same company. These will include everything from snacks and beverages for regional flights to full meals for long-haul flights, although the specifics of what kind of meal options airlines provide vary substantially.

The Bottom Line

Flight attendants have a lot on their plates, but catering service and food safety should always be at the top of their lists. Provide a friendly, professional catering service, but don't let customers bend the rules by drinking their own alcohol. Prepare for food and beverage services in advance and follow all the preparation instructions to a T to avoid contamination issues and ensure a positive customer experience.