In-flight caterers hit turbulence
Airline caterer Gate Gourmet has declined to reveal how much money it is losing as a result of the airline crisis, but admits it has made 4,000 staff redundant since 11 September.
In-flight caterers have been badly affected by the international airline crisis, with a fall in demand causing job losses. There has been a 25% downturn in global production of airline meals. Last year Gate Gourmet had a turnover of £1.5b.
A spokesman said: "It's been a very bumpy ride, additionally for us with our sister company Swissair going into receivership, which has fuelled uncertainty.
"We are in the process of being sold."
A spokeswoman for Alpha Flight Services, which operates from 48 airports, said it was inevitable that some of its 100 airline clients would collapse.
Increased airport security has led to increased costs. Firms have had to hire more security and make additional checks on employees. Other measures introduced by the Government include the scanning of food trays and a ban on metal cutlery from all flights out of the UK.
Erica Sheward, director of sales for Castle Kitchens, a West Sussex-based caterer for executive jets, called the metal cutlery ban "a ludicrous knee-jerk reaction. You can stab someone with a Biro".
Peter Jones, director of the University of Surrey's travel catering research centre, agreed. "The key issue is to make the cockpit secure," he said.
"When people stand back and make a more rational risk assessment, some of these measures will go."
Due to their reliance on long-haul transpacific flights on which passengers eat up to four meals, Asian production kitchens have been hit the hardest.
by Ben Walker
Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 22-28 November 2001
