Around the world in 25 years: Life as an airline caterer

Vaclav Vasek Bodnar - Life as an airline caterer - dnata I grew up between two airports on the outskirts of Prague. I remember staring up at the aircraft that soared over my home, marvelling at the mechanics of these flying machines. I began to craft my own model aeroplanes, spending hours constructing and hand-painting a collection that gradually took over my bedroom. Naturally, the first place I went looking for a job after finishing culinary school was Czech Airlines. The airline catering environment turned out to be very different to the ...

Catering to every palate

The ‘special meal’ is experiencing something of a revolution in the airline industry, as the adoption of a growing number of modern diets ramps up. Once thought of as a lesser quality, ...

Finding work-life balance as a chef

From a young age, I knew I was born to cook. I sat my final school exams at the age of 15, signed out of high school and filled in my culinary apprenticeship papers a few hours later. Within ...

A career of creative fulfilment

I have loved cooking for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Lebanon, I always helped my mother in the kitchen as she prepared food for our large family gatherings. Together we tossed ...

Marketing your buy onboard offering

Airlines looking to introduce inflight retail or scale-up their existing retail offer must consider customer appetite, journey and carefully manage the perception that they’re simply adding ...

The art of Chinese cuisine

China is the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, set to overtake the U.S. as the world’s largest by 2022. Of course, every player in the air travel industry wants a piece of this growing ...

Onboard retail supply chain

Behind the convenience and ease of shopping at cruising altitude lies a vastly complex network of interlocking systems and strategic actions that require precise execution. The onboard retail ...

Product design to survive and thrive

Both in the air and on the ground, consumers are becoming increasingly value-hungry, deal-savvy, and information-soaked by the day and, with that, some inflight retailers and airlines may feel ...