Learning Objectives

• Identify the different types of uplift

• Examine staff capacity in matching the complexity of dispatch

• Discuss the issues of loading

Introduction

This chapter describes the processes and procedures by which supplies, or 'catering uplift', are transported to and from the aircraft, and how they are loaded and unloaded. It concentrates on the technical aspects of these transportation movements and operational activities, as also discusses the control mechanisms that can be used to ensure the satisfactory completion of the task. There are a number of safety and security issues related to transportation and loading, as well as implications for logistics, profitability, contractual and legal liability, and strategic issues.

The organisation of the transportation and loading and the equipment used in the process depends on a number of factors. These include the nature of the contractual relationship between the caterer and the airline; the type of aircraft and its configuration; the airport at which this activity is being carried out; and the route the aircraft is flying. In some cases, an airline may have its own production unit located close to its own dedicated airport terminal, operating a fleet of aircraft with a standard configuration, into and out of destinations with similar facilities. This tends to be the case for 'national' airlines flying out of their home base, such as Singapore International Airlines in Singapore, or for airlines flying out of their 'hubs'. On the other hand, a flight caterer may be contracted to load a wide range of dissimilar...