dnata to Serve 18 Million Festive Meals for Airline Passengers Worldwide This December
- Favourite traditional roast turkey meals to be served to airline customers
- Special dietary dishes make up 45% of all meals delivered
- Desserts biggest difference between passengers in celebrating countries
(IN SHORT) dnata, a global leader in air services, will prepare 18 million festive meals for its airline partners this December, including traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings. Special meals account for 45% of the total, catering to Halal and vegetarian diets. Regional dessert variations will include mince pies in the UK, fruit pudding in Australia, and pumpkin pie in the US. dnata also uses predictive analytics to reduce food waste and fuel consumption, while sourcing ingredients locally to minimize environmental impact. Their catering teams have already served over 50 million meals in the first half of the 2024-25 financial year.
(PRESS RELEASE) Dubai, UAE, 2024-Dec-12 — /Travel PR News/ — dnata, a leading provider of global air and travel services, is set to prepare 18 million meals for its airline partners this December, ensuring a luxurious and festive culinary experience for passengers worldwide.
From mid-December, dnata’s team of award-winning chefs will begin crafting the iconic holiday favorite—traditional roast turkey. Accompanied by a selection of appetizers like prawn cocktail or mixed grain and cranberry salad, the festive meals will feature essential sides including sage and onion stuffing, crispy roast potatoes, and Brussels sprouts. With a total of 6.9 tonnes of turkey set to be served, passengers can look forward to a hearty and satisfying meal.
Global Variations in Festive Menus
While the turkey dinner will be the star of the show, dessert options will vary by region, reflecting the different culinary traditions of each country. Passengers departing from the UK will enjoy mince pies, Christmas cake, and festive-themed chocolates, while Australian travelers can indulge in warm fruit pudding, Christmas pudding cheesecake, or gingerbread-spiced crumble topped mousse. In the US, desserts such as pumpkin pie with spiced mascarpone or pumpkin cheesecake with stewed apples are popular choices.
Robin Padgett, Divisional Senior Vice President for Catering and Retail at dnata, shares insights into the festive menu planning process: “Airlines plan their menus for the year ahead, with many adopting seasonal changes. Festive menus are finalized in November after being developed by our talented chefs. We create recipes and detailed guides for all our stations, ensuring consistency and quality across the globe.”
Special Meals for All Passengers
In addition to the traditional festive offerings, dnata ensures that special dietary requirements are met. Halal-prepared meat and vegetarian options are available, and special meals account for 45% of the total meals provided to dnata’s major airline clients. The airline’s retail partners are also catered for, with festive sandwiches featuring turkey, cranberry, and stuffing, as well as mince pies available for purchase during flights.
Innovation for Sustainability
dnata’s catering teams work closely with airline partners to analyze consumption patterns and use predictive analytics to optimize food and beverage loading. This not only reduces waste but also helps lower fuel consumption by minimizing excess weight. Furthermore, dnata makes efforts to source ingredients locally whenever possible, reducing the environmental impact associated with food miles.
“We are proud of the trust our global clients place in us to deliver exceptional, locally sourced meals for their passengers,” Robin concludes.
dnata’s catering division remains one of the world’s top inflight hospitality providers. In the first half of the 2024-25 financial year, dnata’s customer-focused teams produced over 50 million meals, serving both full-service and low-cost carriers across more than 60 locations.
Media Contact:
dnata Public Relations
public.relations@dnata.com
Source: dnata
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