MODULE 10
FOOD TRANSPORTATION AND LOADING
Introduction
This chapter describes the processes and procedures by which supplies, or ‘catering
uplift’, are transported to and from the aircraft, and how they are loaded and unloaded.
It concentrates on the technical aspects of these transportation movements and
operational activities, as also discusses the control mechanisms that can be used to
ensure the satisfactory completion of the task. There are a number of safety and security
issues related to transportation and loading, as well as implications for logistics,
profitability, contractual and legal liability, and strategic issues. The organization of the
transportation and loading and the equipment used in the process depends on a number
of factors. These include the nature of the contractual relationship between the caterer
and the airline; the type of aircraft and its configuration; the airport at which this activity
is being carried out; and the route the aircraft is flying. In some cases, an airline may
have its own production unit located close to its own dedicated airport terminal,
operating a fleet of aircraft with a standard configuration, into and out of destinations
with similar facilities.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of each chapter, the students should be able to:
•
•
•
Identify the different types of uplift
Explain staff capacity in matching the complexity of dispatch
Discuss the issues of loading
Learning Outcomes
Topic 1
Topic 2
Topic 3
Types of uplift (long & short haul)
Transportation vehicles, control, and staffing
Operational Issue
TYPES OF UPLIFT
Loading and unloading procedures vary, depending upon the contract that the
caterer has with the airline. The minimum procedure is to attend to the aircraft and
make sure that the cabin crew do not require any top-up supplies, of such things as
coffee, soft drinks, and so on. On some small aircraft a supply of hot water may be
required. The other extreme is the full service procedure, which entails a full strip down
and resupply of all cabin service items. The strip down and resupply may be done during
the same trip to the aircraft, or it may involve two separate trips. The Figure below is
the basic representation of the product flow in a loading and transportation system. It
is important to recognize that other systems are also involved and must be integrated
with this. For example, the meal production and assembly systems and the number and
location of aircraft galleys are intricately connected with loading and transportation.
Flight Catering Transportation and Loading System
LONG HAUL
Full uplift. It involves loading all the food and catering equipment and usually includes
a complete new cabin as well, e.g. blankets, pillows, headrest covers, seat-pocket
supply, and toilet items. Cabin refurbishments are seldom done by caterers, but by
service companies or the departments affiliated to the airports. However, the caterers,
even through outsourcing, may provide services such as laundry.
Full galley uplift. It includes an exchange of meals, beverages and dry goods, but no
cabin supplies, and this is performed mainly at stopovers. As long-haul flights are
becoming increasingly non-stop, galley uplifts have diminished.
Return catering. May exist in two different ways. One way is to provide the complete
load, where all food and beverage items are loaded in the hold, sometimes in LD3
containers with cooling facilities. The loaded items are offloaded at the destination and
taken to the flight production unit to be processed and are then returned to the aircraft.
This method takes less space as items can be packed in bulk. The other possibility is
the return load on a second leg (short, 1–3 hours), where no further processing is wanted
or needed at the turnaround port and items are simply moved from one location on the
aircraft to another. The reasons for this could be quality, cost (price level, double
transport, and loading), or logistics.
Top-up service. It might take place when the actual passenger number exceeds the
amount of return meals loaded. In this case a limited amount of equipment might be
stocked.
SHORT HAUL
Full uplift. It includes cabin items, and usually takes place for the first departure after
the night stop. Beverages, dry goods, and other standard loads are often designed to
last several legs.
Food or meals only. It is then uplifted at subsequent destinations, with top-up items
loaded subject to requests from the cabin crew (e.g. soft drinks or ice cubes during the
summer). In addition to the general loading, some airlines require availability of last
minute adjustments of meal numbers. This can be achieved by providing a small
refrigerated vehicle with a variety of meals on the apron. Meals can then be transferred
from this buffer stock to the aircraft up to the time that the doors are closed. Each type
of uplift would usually be accompanied by the equivalent amount of strip down. This is
an important part of ensuring that adequate supplies of company-specific, nonconsumable equipment is maintained. Another aspect of this would be that a
considerable amount of ‘dead-heading’ occurs to ensure equipment ‘balance’
TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES AND STAFFING
Loading is usually carried out using high-lift vehicles or high-loaders, although typical
commercial trucks are also used in some circumstances. These comprise a rear storage
compartment which can be hydraulically raised to the level of the aircraft to a maximum
height of 6 metres, along with a loading platform over the cab of the vehicle which serves
as a ‘ramp’ to the aircraft, as shown in Figure. This allows trolleys to be wheeled directly
from the vehicle onto and off aircraft. In addition, a ‘loading bridge’ consisting of a bridge
type piece made of steel which allows trolleys to go over the rubber protection of the
truck platform and the bottom frame of the aircraft door without shock or damage to
both. Various types of high-lift vehicle are available, but they generally fall into two
categories relating to the height off the ground of the aircraft. ‘Universal’ trucks have a
low-level cab for the servicing of smaller to medium sized aircraft, while ‘jumbo’ trucks,
as their name implies, have a standard cab for use with the larger aircraft. The number
of trucks needed by a production unit to transport their meals varies quite widely at
different airports, as it is affected by the location and proximity of the production unit
to the airport apron, aircraft turnaround times, flight time slots, and the types of truck
available. Vehicles are normally crewed by a driver and a loader. In many operations,
the crew take the assembled load from the loading dock and secure it in the vehicle,
transport this load from the central production unit to the aircraft on the apron, and
unload the supplies onto the aircraft securing them in the respective galley
compartments. In some cases the vehicle crew can collect their loads from the
assembly/dispatch area in the production unit. The representative or agent is
responsible for checking that the load is correct and has been correctly loaded, and for
signing it over to a member of the cabin crew representing the airline. This person may
also be responsible for meeting any last minute supply requests from the cabin crew
and where appropriate arranging for meals for passengers checking in late.
Photo of High Loader
TRANSPORTATION CONTROL AND STAFFING
Transportation control is normally carried out from a loading control room or
dispatch office located near to the loading dock. This is typically equipped with a
computerized materials handling system, as well as information systems related to
aircraft arrivals and departures. In addition to the information typically shown to
passengers in the airport terminals, these handling agent systems also identify aircraft
stands, estimated times of arrivals, and so on. These same displays are also fed to the
caterer’s central production units and utilized by the dispatchers. The control office will
also have radio links with each of the vehicle crews, as well as a video and intercom link
with the loading dock. The number of staff engaged in transportation control will vary
widely according to the number of meals produced and vehicles used for transportation.
For instance, ALPHA Flight Services at London Gatwick have a dispatcher along with
two operations clerks, when handling a peak of around 14,000 meals a day, and 15
trucks. An important part of the control system is that which allocates the various loads
to the vehicles and staff. A forward plan is produced using provisional data supplied by
the airline(s). This plan allocates vehicle crews to service specific flights at specific times
on a daily basis. If computerized, this scheduling system permits the effective allocation
of shift times and staff breaks, as well as calculating the efficiency or productivity of
each of the vehicle crews.
Loading and unloading of vehicles. Vehicles are operated on a cyclic basis. A typical
system would be that the loading crew collects the appropriate load from the loading
bay according to the allocated worksheet. The load is ‘handed on’ to them by the
dispatcher or load supervisor. Any additional load items are collected as required as
noted on the worksheet. This typically would be the bar-trolleys and duty-free items,
which may be located in a bonded store in another location. Worksheets can be made
out for each loading crew and vehicle which provide the relevant information on the type
of aircraft and its registration, flight number, destination or origination, and stand
number. As this information would usually appear on the label on each item of the
uplift, it allows the loading crew to check to reduce errors. The order in which the items
are put onto the loading vehicle correspond to the aircraft design, access arrangements,
and galley and hold configurations. There are few set procedures for loading, each crew
tending to use its own way of working: • For very large aircraft, with sufficient
turnaround time, the aircraft may be stripped down on to one truck and then loaded up
from another • For larger aircraft with short on-ground time, it may be necessary to
replace trolleys on a one-for-one basis, that is remove a returning trolley from the
aircraft and replace it with a new one • For smaller aircraft, it is usual to load the truck
with the supplies at the front, and keep space for the returning trolleys and stock at the
rear. The aircraft would then be stripped down completely before the new load is put on
board.
Correct location of load. There is a detailed load plan which is followed by the loading
crew. This loading plan varies for different aircraft and can vary with different flights
and different airlines. Aircraft are often constructed in several configurations according
to the wishes of the original purchasing airline and the date of manufacture. Some
airlines may have a mixture of these various configurations in their fleet. This may
extend to having similar aircraft needing differing types of trolleys or carts. Although
this is primarily an issue for the load assembly area, it can also affect the way in which
the aircraft is loaded.
OPERATIONAL ISSUES
The key issues that face flight caterers supplying aircraft are responding to aircraft
delays, changes to aircraft type, microbial safety, and security.
Example of a Galley Loading Plan
Delays. Every effort is made to prevent delays in view of the cost and loss of goodwill
that can result. If a delay does occur, it is necessary to pinpoint the cause; hence careful
record-keeping is important. A note is made by the loading crew of the time of arrival
and departure from the dispatch area, and of other relevant times such as completion
of loading. Other significant factors are also noted. These include whether any other
ground services were still attending the aircraft, and whether any of these services
delayed loading, such as baggage handling or cleaning. Also important is if any loading
delay did actually hold up the aircraft or if, for instance, refueling or maintenance was
still taking place.
Aircraft changes. The impact of a change in aircraft depends upon the change that is
made and when it occurs. A substitute of the same type of aircraft before loading would
normally cause no problems. If the substitution is made after loading, it would require
a crew and vehicle to download the original aircraft and reload on to the new one.
Temperature checks may be necessary to ensure that the delay has not compromised
the microbiological integrity of the food.
Microbial safety. Microbial safety is of great importance in relation to transporting and
loading perishable food items, especially in view of the inevitable time delay between
production and consumption. The person responsible for assembling the load should
ensure that the food is at the correct temperature and should arrange for appropriate
procedures to be carried out. Since neither loading vehicles nor galley compartments on
aircraft are usually refrigerated, it is usually trolleys which are cooled to a temperature
of below 5°C. This is achieved by either dry ice packs stored in a compartment in the
top of the trolley or a blast from a carbon dioxide ‘snow gun. ’
Security. In view of the considerable amount of vehicle movement on the airport apron
and the direct access to aircraft, catering has to operate systems which conform to an
acceptable standard of security. Regulations are imposed by the airport authorities and
additional procedures may be required by various airlines. In addition, bonded stores
may be subject to regulation by the customs authorities. After assembly some airlines
require that all trolleys are visibly sealed. This is achieved by a variety of plastic seals
designed so that tampering would be evident. A person is made responsible for checking
and sealing the trolleys.
TEACHING AND LEARNING ACTIVITIES
GENERAL INSTRUCTION: Answers may be written on a sheet/s of paper/s for pick-up on
agreed place and date or it can be scanned/pictured/encoded and submit it online through our
virtual classroom.
Activity 1
Case Study
There is one potential development that may greatly affect how aircraft are loaded,
especially where flight production units are outside the perimeter of the airport. Air
Fayre at London Heathrow have developed an approach to loading based on having a
low cost ‘assembly facility’ off airport and a logistics holding facility, for completed flights
‘air side’ on the apron. The advantages of this style of operation are that flight uplifts
can be transferred in larger numbers from the main unit to the forward holding facility.
The completed uplifts are customized at the forwarding unit to ensure that they
accurately reflect the number of passengers travelling and the individual requirements
of the uplift. The tangible benefits from this style of operation are as follows:
• Lower unit operating costs at the assembly facility
• Greater efficiency in transportation between the assembly unit and the airside logistics
facility, particularly the avoidance of traffic congestion, which is an increasing problem
around airport approach roads
• Reduction of wastage levels for the airline, as flights are managed and coordinated
much closer to departure time and can be matched to the fluctuating passenger
requirements of short-haul airlines
• Increased accuracy of uplift
• Improved punctuality performance, due to the greater flexibility and proximity to the
aircraft stands for delivering the final uplift
• Integrity of the Chill Chain for food products, right through to final departure
The approach is unique in its simplicity and looks set to lead the way in which shorthaul airlines are handled in the future, in an environment of ever increasing cost
pressures and the requirement of flexibility.
Questions:
1. Analyze the case and interpret it.
2. What do you infer from the given case study?
RECOMMENDED LEARNING MATERIALS
AND RESOURCES FOR SUPPLEMENTARY
READING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiooibPuxLc
https://www.sats.com.sg/services/details/aviation-catering
https://www.transpoco.com/blog/demand-for-airport-catering-trucks-to-surpass-3billion-units-by-2028