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TRENDS IN TRANSPORT
CATERING
FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES
MAYUR VYANKAT BHOKARE
TYBSCHS
INTRODUCTION
THERE ARE DIFFERENT REASONS FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR HOUSES. WITH
THEINCREASE IN URBANIZATION, INDUSTRIALIZATION AND TOURISM, MORE AND MORE
PEOPLE HAVE LEARNTTO MOVE OUT OF THEIR HOUSES. WE CAN CATEGORIZE THEM
INTO FIVE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
1.TOURISM & TRAVEL
2.EDUCATION
3.EMPLOYMENT
4.SOCIAL OBLIGATION
5.MEDICAL GROUND
CONSIDERING THE ABOVE GROUPS, WE CAN THEN BREAK EACH OF THESE INTO
SMALLER UNITS WHICHGIVE RISE TO VOLUME FEEDING IN SOME WAY OR THE OTHER.
THE ONLY THING THAT IS COMMON INALL THE ABOVE GROUPS IS THAT IT REQUIRES
FEEDING SMALLER OR LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE READY TOEAT FOOD IN A SHORT
TIME.
• TOURISM & TRAVEL:
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARRIVING IN THE COUNTRY AS TOURISTS AND
EVENDOMESTIC TOURISM IS ON THE INCREASE, WHICH RESULT IN PEOPLE
COMMUTING FROM ONE PLACE OR ONE COUNTRY TO OTHER AND HENCE THE NEED
TO FEED.
EDUCATION:
THIS GROUP INCLUDES SCHOOLS, INSTITUTIONS, COLLEGES, AND MAY BE HOSTELS.
HEREONE HAS TO FULFILL THE DIETARY NEEDS OF SCHOOL GOING CHILDREN OR
EVEN COLLEGE GOINGYOUNGSTERS.
EMPLOYMENT:
EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THE COURSE OF HIS NORMAL EMPLOYMENT HAS TO HAVE
ATLEAST ONE OF HIS MEALS OUTSIDE HIS HOME AND AS HIS PLACE OF WORK WHICH
GIVE RISE TO INDUSTRIAL CANTEEN, OFFICE CANTEEN OR MESS, TIFFIN OR LUNCH
BOX PROVISIONS OR EVEN FAST FOODOR READY TO EAT MEALS IN A SHORT PERIOD
OF TIME.
GROUPING OF TRANSPORT CATERING
• PEOPLE IN TRANSIT GIVE RISE TO TRANSPORT CATERING
THAT CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAJOR GROUPS-
A)RAILWAY CATERING
B)SHIPPING CATERING
C)AIRLINE CATERING
AIRLINE CANTERING
THE HISTORY OF AIRLINE CATERING IN INDIACIVIL AVIATION PROGRESSED RAPIDLY AFTER THE
SECOND WORLD WAR WHEN LARGE NUMBERS OF SURPLUS DC-3 & C-47 AIRCRAFT WERE
AVAILABLE FOR DISPOSAL. FROM 1946 PRIVATE COMMERCIAL AIRLINES BEGAN THE SUBSEQUENT
FOOD REQUIREMENTS. INITIALLY FOOD WAS PROVIDED IN BOXES, PRE-PACKED AS THE MAJORITY
OF AIRCRAFT WERE WITHOUT FACILITIES OF IN-FLIGHT CATERING SERVICES. AT THAT TIME THE
INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS OPERATING THROUGH INDIA HAD NO FLIGHT KITCHENS, NOR WERE
THERE ANY PUBLIC/PRIVATE FLIGHT KITCHENS, THEY LARGELY DEPENDED ON AIRPORT
RESTAURANTS OR HOTELS SITUATED IN NEARBY CITIES TO CATER TO THEIR REQUIREMENTS.THIS
SYSTEM WAS CONTINUED UNTIL THE INDUSTRY WAS NATIONALIZED AND WAS FORMED INTO
SEPARATE CORPORATIONS; ONE FOR DOMESTIC ROUTES AND THE OTHERS FOR INTERNATIONAL
FLIGHTS. (INDIAN AIRLINES & AIR INDIA).
MODERNIZATION AND EXPANSION OF THE FLEETS INCREASED THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE
PASSENGERS IN BOTH THE AIRLINES. IT WAS NECESSARY TO IMPROVE & EXPAND THE CATERING
SERVICES TO PROVIDE PASSENGERS WITH A SERVICE COMPATIBLE WITH THE COST OF THE AIRLINE
TICKET.SEVERAL FLIGHT KITCHENS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN DELHI, MUMBAI & KOLKATA TO
COPE WITH THE NEEDS OF INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS. AIR INDIA FLOATED A SUBSIDIARY COMPANY
KNOWN AS HCI (HOTEL CORPORATION OF INDIA) WITH A VIEW TO OPERATE FLIGHT KITCHENS
KNOWN AS CHEF AIR AND ALSO TO ACCOMMODATE TRAVELLERS IN FIVE STAR CATEGORY HOTELS
AT MAJOR AIRPORTS(THE CENTAURE GROUP OF HOTELS)INDIAN AIRLINES HAS ALSO LAUNCHED A
SUBSIDIARY COMPANY KNOWN AS ALLIED SERVICES IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH FLIGHT KITCHEN AT
AIRPORTS WHERE THERE ARE NO HCI FLIGHT CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS.
• QUALITY-
THE QUALITY OF AIRLINE MEALS VARIES FROM ONE AIRLINE TO ANOTHER. PRICES CHARGED TO THE PASSENGERS FOR FOOD
ONBOARD THE FLIGHT RANGES IN PRICE FROM FREE (MANY AIRLINES, ESPECIALLYTHOSE IN ASIA AND ALL AIRLINES ON
LONG HAUL FLIGHTS OFFER COMPLIMENTARY MEALS) TO AS MUCHAS TEN DOLLARS (MIDWEST AIRLINES). QUALITY MAY
ALSO FLUCTUATE DUE TO SHIFTS IN THEECONOMICS OF THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY. ON THE LONGEST FLIGHTS INFIRST
CLASSAND BUSINESS CLASS,MOST ASIAN AND EUROPEAN AIRLINES SERVE MULTICOURSE GOURMET MEALS, WHILE AIRLINES
BASEDIN THE US TEND TO SERVE LARGE, HEARTY, HIGH QUALITY MEALS INCLUDING A LARGE SALAD, STEAK OR CHICKEN,
POTATOES, AND ICE CREAM.THE LOW TASTE OF AIRLINE FOOD CAN BE ATTRIBUTED LARGELY TO A CONSEQUENCE OF THE
LIMITEDSPACE AVAILABLE ON AIRCRAFT, AND THE PRESSURE ON AIRLINES TO KEEP COSTS LOW. MEALS MUSTGENERALLY
BEFROZENAND HEATED ON THE GROUND BEFORE TAKEOFF, RATHER THAN PREPARED FRESH. ITHAS ALSO BEEN SUGGESTED
THAT THETASTE BUDSARE LESS SENSITIVE AT HIGHER ALTITUDES, MAKINGEVERYTHING TASTE BLAND.HOWEVER, MOST
AIRLINE MEALS ARE BLAND BEAUSE THEY ARE DESIGNED TO BE THAT WAY. THEY ARESO DESIGNED BECAUSE OF TWO
FACTORS: FOOD SAFETY AND PASSENGER COMFORT.
• CUTLERY-
INITIALLY FIRST-CLASS PASSENGERS WERE OFTEN PROVIDED WITH FULL SETS OF METAL CUTLERY. BUTNOW BOTH FIRST-
CLASS AND COACH-CLASS PASSENGERS ARE PROVIDED WITH PLASTIC FLATWARE.
BREAKFAST-
DURING MORNING FLIGHTS, A SMALLER, CONTINENTAL-STYLE OR 'HOT' BREAKFAST MAY BE SERVEDINSTEAD. FOR THE
CONTINENTAL-STYLE BREAKFAST, THIS MAY INCLUDE A MINIATURE BOX OF BREAKFAST CEREAL, CUTFRUITS, AMUFFINOR
PASTRY. SOME AIRLINES OFFER THE CHOICE OF 'HOT' BREAKFAST MEALS TO THE PASSENGERS (USUALLY ON LONG HAUL
FLIGHTS, OR SHORT/MEDIUM HAUL FLIGHTS WITHINASIA), WHICH INCLUDES ANENTRÉEOF PANCAKES OR EGGS, AND THERE
AREMUFFINSOR PASTRY,FRUITS AND BREAKFAST CEREALON THE SIDE.COFFEEANDTEAARE OFFERED AS WELL, AND
SOMETIMESHOT CHOCOLATE.
FOOD SAFETY AND HYGIENE-