jimntx
Veteran
A flight attendant briefing sent to me by a friend.
Gate Gourmet Suspends Catering Service for Delta Flights
September 21, 2004
Background
• Gate Gourmet, Delta's primary food service caterer, advised us
earlier today, with just hours of notice, of its intention to suspend
providing products and services to Delta.
• Through midnight Thursday, Sept. 23, Gate Gourmet will only provide
water and trash removal on the affected flights. Delta will provide
box lunches on international flights today, Sept. 21. Every station
is attempting to find alternative vendors and suppliers. We will
continue to keep you updated as we learn more.
• Effective tomorrow, Delta will discontinue food available for
purchase on all domestic flights.
• Our focus now is to mitigate service disruption, inform our
customers of the service disruption and arm our frontline employees
with information and updates.
• We know this is an extremely unfortunate and regrettable situation.
It is important that all of us demonstrate professionalism and
patience. Our focus and attention must be in assisting our customers.
Affected Cities
The following stations are impacted:
• AMS, ATL, BCN, BDL, BOS, CCS, CDG, CMH, CVG, DEN, DFW, DTW, EWR,
FLL, FRA, GRU, HNL,
IAD, IAH, IND, IST, JAX, JFK, LAS, LAX, QBS, QNY, LGA, LGW, LIM, MAD,
MCO, MEM, MEX, MIA,
MSY, MUC, MXP, OGG, ORD, PBI, PDX, PHL, PHX, SAN, SAT, SEA, SFO, STR,
TPA, VCE, ZRH
In addition to the above cities these stations will be impacted due
to the suspension of Food Available for Purchase:
• DCA, OAK, ONT, SJC, SLC, SMF and SNA.
In-Flight Service
OnBoard Leader action needed:
• Please make the following suggested onboard PA:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome on board. Regrettably, we are unable
to provide the scheduled (meal/beverage/snack) service on today's
flight. We hope that you had an opportunity to use the airport
concessions prior to boarding. We sincerely apologize for this
service disruption and thank you for your patience and understanding.
• Offer assistance to the gate agent if your flight is above minimum
staffing.
• Some airplanes may have dirty equipment on board. We are aware this
may be a possibility, and it will be removed at the earliest
opportunity.
• Local stations are looking for solutions through local vendors to
provide food and beverage options.
Food Available For Purchase:
Sep. 21 Flights
• For any flights on Tuesday, Sep 21 with food available for
purchase, if not met upon arrival by a Delta representative, the
OnBoard Leader must retain possession of the sealed revenue envelope
and Abanco/ROGR devices until able to provide to an In-Flight Service
Duty Desk during or at the end of the rotation.
• Upon completion of all onboard sales, discard all unsold perishable
food items in waste containers and waste carts. It may be necessary
to remove some items from their packaging to conserve trash space.
Empty packaging may be returned to the original product carts. Note:
Unsold non-perishable snack items are not to be discarded and must
be consolidated and sealed inside a single cart prior to arrival.
Sep. 22 and Beyond Flights
• Food Available for Purchase will be suspended from all domestic
locations beginning Wednesday, Sep. 22. In addition, no Abanco/ROGR
devices will be boarded.
• Make onboard PA announcement regarding changes in meal service as
appropriate.
• A complete beverage service with complimentary snack items, if
available, should be provided to all customers. (There is a
possibility that snack items will not be available.)
• Any alcohol and/or headsets sales and coupons should be collected
and deposited in the liquor drop locations using the regular non-food
available for purchase flight process and liquor envelope.
General flights:
• Due to health and food safety issues, do not consume, distribute or
sell any food available for purchase product or meal flight that may
have remained onboard from a previous food available for purchase
flight. These items should be discarded in an available waste
location.
• Any non-perishable snack items that may have remained onboard from
a previous food available for purchase flight must remain sealed and
secured inside a cart to be removed for reuse at the earliest
possible opportunity.
• For Remain Over Night flights, please follow this process: "All old
catering food should be thrown in the trash. All equipment should
remain on the aircraft, including dishware."
ACS
• ACS will advise OnBoard Leaders of flights affected by Gate Gourmet
catering.
• ACS gate agents will make appropriate PAs in the gate house prior
to boarding.
• ACS may provide customers with food coupon/vouchers as appropriate.
Res
• Res will begin calling all premium passengers flying out of CVG,
JFK and ATL who are traveling within the next 12 hours to advise them
no food or beverage service will be available on their affected
flight. We will continue to evaluate this situation to notify our
customers.
Questions and Answers
Why is Delta not offering food on this flight when it was previously
offered?
• Delta's primary caterer notified us just today of its intention to
discontinue service, which did not allow, in some cases, for
alternative arrangements.
• Delta was surprised and saddened that a long time supplier and
partner made this decision on such notice. Delta is diligently
pursuing alternate plans to prevent any further customer service
disruptions.
• Delta is in negotiation and will begin mediation to resolve this
issue, which many result in legal action.
Why is Gate Gourmet refusing to cater our flights?
. Gate Gourmet feels that Delta's financial situation may place them
at risk for future payment and is attempting to change the
contractual arrangements, including demanding prepayment. Delta has
honored its contractual obligations with them and all other vendors.
How long will this catering situation last?
• We are working to resolve the catering issues and pursue alternate
plans to mitigate future service disruption. This may include
obtaining alternate suppliers. We will keep you advised as we have
more information.
If I have an irate customer, what should I do?
• Please handle the customer with sensitivity, professionalism and
diplomacy. Listen to their needs and apologize sincerely for any
inconvenience. Customers expect to receive, at a minimum, a beverage
service, so they will be understandably upset. Please be empathetic
and helpful. Attendants may also suggest customers complete the
customer comment card located in Sky magazine or refer them to
delta.com.
Are we offering our customers a food voucher?
• We are exploring all our options and alternatives which may include
vouchers and the use of alternate suppliers in local markets.
LSG Sky Chefs recently also stopped providing food on some Delta
flights. Are our caterers doing this because Delta has not paid them?
• No. Delta is current on all payments to its caterers.
Gate Gourmet Suspends Catering Service for Delta Flights
September 21, 2004
Background
• Gate Gourmet, Delta's primary food service caterer, advised us
earlier today, with just hours of notice, of its intention to suspend
providing products and services to Delta.
• Through midnight Thursday, Sept. 23, Gate Gourmet will only provide
water and trash removal on the affected flights. Delta will provide
box lunches on international flights today, Sept. 21. Every station
is attempting to find alternative vendors and suppliers. We will
continue to keep you updated as we learn more.
• Effective tomorrow, Delta will discontinue food available for
purchase on all domestic flights.
• Our focus now is to mitigate service disruption, inform our
customers of the service disruption and arm our frontline employees
with information and updates.
• We know this is an extremely unfortunate and regrettable situation.
It is important that all of us demonstrate professionalism and
patience. Our focus and attention must be in assisting our customers.
Affected Cities
The following stations are impacted:
• AMS, ATL, BCN, BDL, BOS, CCS, CDG, CMH, CVG, DEN, DFW, DTW, EWR,
FLL, FRA, GRU, HNL,
IAD, IAH, IND, IST, JAX, JFK, LAS, LAX, QBS, QNY, LGA, LGW, LIM, MAD,
MCO, MEM, MEX, MIA,
MSY, MUC, MXP, OGG, ORD, PBI, PDX, PHL, PHX, SAN, SAT, SEA, SFO, STR,
TPA, VCE, ZRH
In addition to the above cities these stations will be impacted due
to the suspension of Food Available for Purchase:
• DCA, OAK, ONT, SJC, SLC, SMF and SNA.
In-Flight Service
OnBoard Leader action needed:
• Please make the following suggested onboard PA:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome on board. Regrettably, we are unable
to provide the scheduled (meal/beverage/snack) service on today's
flight. We hope that you had an opportunity to use the airport
concessions prior to boarding. We sincerely apologize for this
service disruption and thank you for your patience and understanding.
• Offer assistance to the gate agent if your flight is above minimum
staffing.
• Some airplanes may have dirty equipment on board. We are aware this
may be a possibility, and it will be removed at the earliest
opportunity.
• Local stations are looking for solutions through local vendors to
provide food and beverage options.
Food Available For Purchase:
Sep. 21 Flights
• For any flights on Tuesday, Sep 21 with food available for
purchase, if not met upon arrival by a Delta representative, the
OnBoard Leader must retain possession of the sealed revenue envelope
and Abanco/ROGR devices until able to provide to an In-Flight Service
Duty Desk during or at the end of the rotation.
• Upon completion of all onboard sales, discard all unsold perishable
food items in waste containers and waste carts. It may be necessary
to remove some items from their packaging to conserve trash space.
Empty packaging may be returned to the original product carts. Note:
Unsold non-perishable snack items are not to be discarded and must
be consolidated and sealed inside a single cart prior to arrival.
Sep. 22 and Beyond Flights
• Food Available for Purchase will be suspended from all domestic
locations beginning Wednesday, Sep. 22. In addition, no Abanco/ROGR
devices will be boarded.
• Make onboard PA announcement regarding changes in meal service as
appropriate.
• A complete beverage service with complimentary snack items, if
available, should be provided to all customers. (There is a
possibility that snack items will not be available.)
• Any alcohol and/or headsets sales and coupons should be collected
and deposited in the liquor drop locations using the regular non-food
available for purchase flight process and liquor envelope.
General flights:
• Due to health and food safety issues, do not consume, distribute or
sell any food available for purchase product or meal flight that may
have remained onboard from a previous food available for purchase
flight. These items should be discarded in an available waste
location.
• Any non-perishable snack items that may have remained onboard from
a previous food available for purchase flight must remain sealed and
secured inside a cart to be removed for reuse at the earliest
possible opportunity.
• For Remain Over Night flights, please follow this process: "All old
catering food should be thrown in the trash. All equipment should
remain on the aircraft, including dishware."
ACS
• ACS will advise OnBoard Leaders of flights affected by Gate Gourmet
catering.
• ACS gate agents will make appropriate PAs in the gate house prior
to boarding.
• ACS may provide customers with food coupon/vouchers as appropriate.
Res
• Res will begin calling all premium passengers flying out of CVG,
JFK and ATL who are traveling within the next 12 hours to advise them
no food or beverage service will be available on their affected
flight. We will continue to evaluate this situation to notify our
customers.
Questions and Answers
Why is Delta not offering food on this flight when it was previously
offered?
• Delta's primary caterer notified us just today of its intention to
discontinue service, which did not allow, in some cases, for
alternative arrangements.
• Delta was surprised and saddened that a long time supplier and
partner made this decision on such notice. Delta is diligently
pursuing alternate plans to prevent any further customer service
disruptions.
• Delta is in negotiation and will begin mediation to resolve this
issue, which many result in legal action.
Why is Gate Gourmet refusing to cater our flights?
. Gate Gourmet feels that Delta's financial situation may place them
at risk for future payment and is attempting to change the
contractual arrangements, including demanding prepayment. Delta has
honored its contractual obligations with them and all other vendors.
How long will this catering situation last?
• We are working to resolve the catering issues and pursue alternate
plans to mitigate future service disruption. This may include
obtaining alternate suppliers. We will keep you advised as we have
more information.
If I have an irate customer, what should I do?
• Please handle the customer with sensitivity, professionalism and
diplomacy. Listen to their needs and apologize sincerely for any
inconvenience. Customers expect to receive, at a minimum, a beverage
service, so they will be understandably upset. Please be empathetic
and helpful. Attendants may also suggest customers complete the
customer comment card located in Sky magazine or refer them to
delta.com.
Are we offering our customers a food voucher?
• We are exploring all our options and alternatives which may include
vouchers and the use of alternate suppliers in local markets.
LSG Sky Chefs recently also stopped providing food on some Delta
flights. Are our caterers doing this because Delta has not paid them?
• No. Delta is current on all payments to its caterers.
