100 Solutions to Pandemic Problems, Part 3: In-Flight Service
Share
In the face of one of the biggest challenges ever to hit the aviation industry, companies responded swiftly. From catering to amenities, in-flight service offerings shifted greatly after the pandemic hit.
View all categories
Albéa Travel Designer – Travel&StaySafe
These PPE kits are customizable for airline branding and available for worldwide delivery, and factor in the health and safety standards and regulatory specificities of each country. They are made to order and can contain any combination of masks, hand sanitizer, gloves and more.
Buzz – Clean Products and Wellness Kits
Operating under the assumption that travelers will value amenities from trusted brands now more than ever, Buzz is supplying airlines in Europe and the US with wellness kits from names such as Murchison-Hume, C.O. Bigelow, Rohr Remedy and Aromatherapy Associates.
Buzz – MicrobeBarrier Snood
Worn around the neck like a scarf, Buzz’s stretchy snood features an antimicrobial fabric treatment and is designed to be pulled up to cover the mouth and nose when in close proximity to others. Etihad Airways began handing them out to its first- and business-class passengers in August.
deSter – Hygienic Packs
In May, Gategroup company deSter announced it was expanding its range of hygienic products for the COVID-19 era to include packs with items like wipes, masks and disinfectant gels that are made in-house. Airlines can customize the packs based on their needs.
Do & Co – Boxed Lunch
To reduce contact between passengers and crew, British Airways began serving meals in boxes in June. Created by Do & Co, they each contain a meal and a bottle of water.
Duty Free Innovation – FlySafe
The FlySafe Travel Kit, designed to be sold by airport retailers, contains a reusable face mask, three pairs of biodegradable gloves, a pack of three biodegradable sanitizing wipes and a safe-travel information card. It comes in compostable packaging made from cornstarch material.
En Route International – Light-Touch
Travel catering solutions provider En Route International designed a range of meal boxes to support efficient crew service that requires minimal customer contact. The company credits research published by APEX and IFSA – which found that in-flight food safety has become a key concern – for inspiring the product.
Foodcase International BV – The Butler
This meal box is divided into two sections. One is prepacked with items that need to be kept cold. During service, crew slide a hot meal into the adjacent section. The boxes are made of recyclable materials and increase trolley capacity by 15 percent.
Formia – Clean Kit
Formia’s basic PPE kit contains a flexible plastic pouch, an EVA foam mask, sanitizing wipe packet and gloves. Premium options include a cotton or jersey mask, a sanitizing gel tube or spray and a sustainable pouch made of washable kraft paper.
Gategroup – EPax
This passenger-facing platform enables shopping in online and offline cabin environments and features digitized menus and catalogues. A partnership with Black Swan Data allows the platform to forecast consumer preferences based on passenger data. ePax accepts digital payments.
Honeywell – Safety Pack
After conducting an informal survey that asked travelers what PPE they desired most, Honeywell released resealable safety packs containing a mask, latex-free gloves and hand wipes. Crew versions can be ordered with safety glasses and a mask with an interchangeable filter.
Kaelis – Self-Protective Pocket Pouch (SP.3)
This PPE amenity kit features a pouch that can be customized for airline branding. It includes a mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and alcohol wipes. The pouch can also include more products from Kaelis’ range of PPE products. The company is also offering eco-friendly, biodegradable and washable pouches.
Keyvan Aviation – Airline Crew Antibacterial Uniform
Head-to-toe antibacterial protection for crewmembers is simplified thanks to this uniform with silver ion technology embedded into the fabric, which is 97-percent cotton. The uniforms are suitable for sensitive skin, and the fabric won’t pile.
LSG Group – Comprehensive Prevention Plan
All of LSG’s US facilities saw the implementation of this prevention plan, which includes an LSG Sky Chefs training program based on CDC recommendations, a digital health self-screening questionnaire for employees to take before leaving home and a web, e-mail and SMS coronavirus communication campaign.
Monty’s Bakehouse – Snack in Pack
Monty’s has developed a range of sealed, prepacked food boxes. The Snack in Pack has room for a snack and water bottle, while the half-sized tray box has various compartments, including a space for crew to slide in hot meals.
Novel Foods – #indulge Snack Pack
This snack box contains exotic dips paired with either corn snacks or crackers. The snacks are certified vegan, nut-free and gluten-free.
Plusgrade – Dynamic Seat Blocker
Airlines can offer travelers the option to block seats around them with Plusgrade’s offering. An algorithm determines the price of the seat based on parameters set by the airline and targets customers who are most likely to purchase ancillaries.
Retail InMotion – OBR Lite
Retail inMotion’s new approach to onboard retail can be implemented in eight to 10 weeks. It launched in June in partnership with an airline that transitioned from complimentary to retail thanks to the company’s pricing and product-range recommendations.
Skysupply – PPE Portfolio
Airlines can order Skysupply’s kraft paper PPE kits in three sizes. The Small Hygiene Kit contains one disposable face mask and three sanitizer wipes, while the Medium Hygiene Kit includes two disposable masks, hand sanitizer and one pair of nitrile gloves. The Large adds a pack of
10 sanitizer wipes.
Spiriant – #flysafe Amenity Kits
In May, Spiriant revealed three PPE kit concepts. The Standard kit includes a non-woven face mask, a small bottle of hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes. A brown-and-green Eco Warriors kit is made of sustainable materials and includes a reusable face mask. The Fashionista offers various design options for the 100-percent cotton mask.
Tangerine – Hidden Gems
To reduce the amount of time passengers have their masks off during food service, Tangerine devised this all-in-one meal box concept filled with bite-sized goods. It contains separate compartments for savory and sweet food for travelers to discover at their own pace.
WKT – Meal Box
WK Thomas’ meal boxes can house a sealed hot entrée, cutlery, a drink and dessert. Customers can order the boxes preassembled for additional assurance of cleanliness. The boxes are made of sustainable materials.
“100 Solutions to Pandemic Problems” was originally published in the 10.4 November/December issue of APEX Experience magazine.