On-board meals: Minister directs foreign airlines to patronise local catering for outbound flights

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has directed foreign airlines to patronise local caterers for on-board meals.

Keyamo gave the directive in a letter — signed by H.T. Ejibunu, director overseeing the office of the permanent secretary — to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

In the letter dated October 15, 2024, the ministry said the directive from Keyamo takes effect from January 1.

“I am directed by the Minister of Aviation to convey to you his decision to mandate all outbound flights from Nigeria, especially foreign airlines to patronize local caterers for on-board meals,” the ministry said.

Keyamo with His Excellency Jasim Saif Ahmed Al-Sulati, Minister of Transport and Logistics of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“Consequently, you are hereby directed to convey the decision to all foreign airlines for strict compliance beginning from 1st of January, 2025.”

On May 21, Keyamo asked Qatar Airways to patronise local catering services on its return trips from Nigeria.

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Keyamo, who proposed at the Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said the initiative is consistent with the principles of reciprocity outlined in the bilateral air services agreement (BASA).

The Minister had in May urged Qatar Airways to patronise local catering services on its return trips from Nigeria.

A key proposal made by the Nigeria Aviation Minister involves encouraging Qatar Airways to patronize local catering services on its return trips to Doha from Nigeria

At a stakeholders forum in Lagos shortly after the Minister was appointed in November 2023, he expressed shock that foreign carriers carry two-way meals to Nigeria; a situation, he promised to take into intending to address the ‘anomaly’.

He expressed his surprise after the Chairman, Board of Directors of Sky Chefs Things Remembered Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Adeola Omikunle during her presentation at the stakeholders in Lagos and challenges faced by aviation catering companies in the country.

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While some of the foreign carriers may be doing that to conserve costs, carrying of meals and water for a return journey may constitute additional weight to the aircraft thereby consuming more fuel aside from the fact that the meals may no longer be fresh even when heated up.

While some consider the action a violation of the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), many others that are conversant with the BASA agreements Nigeria has with other countries said there is no BASA on that aspect which opened the eyes of stakeholders calling on the government to insert the clause that foreign airlines wishing to operate to Nigeria must patronize the country’s catering firms that have been certified to be world-class.

Omikunle however stated that many of the foreign operators are her clients because of the satisfaction they have with the meals they serve to their customers; a situation which she said has helped to reduce the costs of the airlines.

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Many have asked how fresh is the food that’s served on flights. It turns out that the answer depends on a lot of factors, including the airline, the length of the flight, and even the time of day.

In general, though, one can expect food on a plane to be less fresh than what you’d find in a restaurant – but it’s not always as bad as one might think.

International food safety standards allow airlines to freeze food for up to five days before serving it to passengers.

Wole Shadare

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