In-flight caterers braced for the worst

Mumbai: The airline industry worldwide ran into rough weather a few years ago. Now, it’s India’s turn.
Companies that have ruled the Indian hospitality industry are trusted names in inflight catering as well. The market is led by the Taj Group of Hotels which runs TajSATS in association with the Singapore Airport Terminal Services. Like the flight kitchen run by Ambassador Sky Chef, it is located near the international airport in Andheri.
One of these catering firms had listed expansion plans for Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Cochin and Calicut on its website before the downturn.
TajSATS’s international clients include British Airways, Air India, Indian Airlines, Emirates, Qantas, Delta, Cathay Pacific, American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and other airlines headquartered in the Middle East and domestic clients include Alliance Air, Air India again, Indigo, Spice Jet, Paramount and Jet as well as Kingfisher operations.
Many of these airlines have indicated that sectors would be "rationalised" and flights reduced. But neither TajSATS nor Ambassador Sky Chef was officially speculating on its own losses or that of the industry.
“It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that ancillary industries will suffer," a TajSATS official said. “The question is how much and we say it is too early to gauge," he added.
17/10/08 Bella Jaisinghani/Economic Times

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Oct 2008