In-Flight Services PDF

TH2105 IN-FLIGHT SERVICES In-flight service refers to the services offered by an airline, both free and paid, that add to passengers flying experiences. Such services may include meals, snacks, beverages, duty-free shopping, and in-flight entertainment...

TH2105 IN-FLIGHT SERVICES In-flight service refers to the services offered by an airline, both free and paid, that add to passengers flying experiences. Such services may include meals, snacks, beverages, duty-free shopping, and in-flight entertainment available during a flight for the passengers’ convenience. After an aircraft reaches cruising altitude, the flight attendant begins the in-flight services. Some airlines offer refresher towels to the passengers seated in the economy class cabin at this time. The refresher towels are delivered to the aircraft in packs of non-woven fabric, and the flight attendant will soak them in hot water before offering them to the passengers. This is followed by general in-flight services, including meals, entertainment, and duty-free service (Law, 2019). In-Flight Meal Services Full-service network carriers offer meal services according to the length of the flights. The sequence of meal services and the type of in-flight amenities vary from one airline to another. Many airlines offer limited services on short domestic flights, while full services are offered on international flights. The following are the sequence of in-flight meal services based on the type of flight (Law, 2019): Short-haul Flight Mid-haul Flight Long-haul Flight (under 3 hours) (3-6 hours) (over 6 hours) None (Some airlines like 1. Bar service 1. Bar service Philippine Airlines (PAL) offer 2. Meal service 2. First meal service snacks and beverages, and 3. Snack and juice service 3. Mid-flight service some low-cost airlines like 4. Arrival service AirAsia offer pre-order meals and snacks for passengers’ convenience.) The in-flight meal services are discussed as follows: Bar Service. This includes beverage and snack services that are offered to the passengers on some mid- haul and long-haul flights. Flight attendants may request to see passengers’ identity documents since alcoholic drinks are only served to those over 18 or 21 years old, depending on the country. The service also differs depending on the cabin class, which are as follows: o First and Business Classes A wide selection of drinks, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, are offered to first and business-class passengers. After taking the passengers’ orders, the flight attendant returns to the galley to prepare the drinks. The beverages are served in appropriate glasses such as wine glass, champagne glass, drinking glass, and ceramic cup. Snacks are also served, along with the choice of beverages. The type of snack offered to first and business-class passengers varies with different airlines. Nuts, rice crackers, or pretzels are usually served in ceramic bowls. o Economy Class Due to the larger volume of passengers, beverages and snacks are served using catering carts to speed up the flight attendants' services along the aisle in the economy cabin. The cart is equipped with a step brake that allows the flight attendant to hold the cart's position while serving. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 5  TH2105 Flight attendants prepare the beverage cart by placing the beverages on the topmost surface of the trolley before commencing the service. Beverages placed on the top surface are most often requested by passengers, including soft drinks, water, fruit juice, and wine. Normally, flight attendants work in pairs when offering beverage service to economy class passengers. After returning the beverage cart to the galley when the beverage and snack service is completed, they return to the cabin to collect trash from the passengers. Meal Service. The type of meals offered depends on the flight time. Meals are served based on the local time of the region where the aircraft is cruising, especially for flights that cross time zones. For example, lunch is served on a short-haul flight departing from Singapore to Hong Kong at 1300 hours, while meals are served multiple times on a long-haul flight departing from Hong Kong to San Francisco at 1300 hours. Lunch is served after departing from Hong Kong at 1300 hours, and breakfast is served at 0800 hours before the aircraft arrives in San Francisco. Meals offered to passengers are divided into two (2) main types depending on the duration of the flight: o Snack Box. This is offered by some airlines to economy class passengers who are taking shorter flights. It can be easily served as all food items are placed in a box, and no reheating is required. Most airlines include fruit juice or water, sandwich or cake, candy or biscuits, napkins, and a set of plastic cutleries in a snack box. o Full Meal Set. This consists of appetizers, bread rolls, main course, and dessert. The meal course is offered to first and business-class passengers one-on-one, while economy class passengers are served in batches. Some airlines serve tray meals to first and business-class passengers on shorter routes. First and Business Class Meal Services Economy Class Meal Services ✓ Before the meal service, first and ✓ Flight attendants may sometimes announce business-class passengers are given a through the public announcement system to menu that lists the meal and beverage inform economy class passengers about choices they can choose from. available food choices. Some airlines display ✓ The meal service begins when the flight the meal information on the in-flight attendant places the table linen on the entertainment system. passenger table attached to the seat, ✓ The pre-prepared main dishes are heated cutlery is set in order, and water is placed and are loaded to catering carts. Each pre- at the top right corner of the table. set tray is filled with an appetizer, a dessert, ✓ The flight attendant in the galley is a plastic plate, a plastic cup, a wine glass, responsible for having the food reheated and cutlery. and transferring them from the foil ✓ Meals for passengers with special requests containers to ceramic plates in a pre- are delivered first. Then flight attendants designed layout. position the catering cart in front of the ✓ The meal service is completed once the economy class cabin for the flight attendant collects all cutlery and the commencement of meal service. table linen after passengers finish their ✓ On a full flight, multiple catering carts are meal. deployed to speed up the service. ✓ All used dishes and utensils are stored in ✓ After the meal, the flight attendants collect the catering cart, and the catering the cups to be recycled, and the meal trays department collects them once the stored in the cart are stowed in the galley. aircraft arrives at its destination. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 5  TH2105 Additional Meal Services The following are the additional meal services offered by some airlines depending on the duration of the flight: Mid-haul Flight. Passengers taking first and business class can have their glasses re-filled with water and order other beverages at any time. For economy class, the flight attendant offers water services every 30 minutes. Long-haul Flight. Passengers in the first and business class are given mid-flight snacks on ultra-long-haul flights that exceed 15-hours. This includes sandwiches, cup noodles, fruit, and other finger food. Passengers may also request snacks at any time from the flight attendant. Some airlines offer snack packs to passengers after the first meal, including biscuits, fruit, snack bar, nuts, chips, candy, and a small bottle of water. Economy class passengers are usually given a choice between sandwiches or cup noodles. Arrival Meal Services. A second meal is served approximately one (1) hour and 30 minutes before arrival on long-haul flights. The galley operator prepares the meal in the galley around two (2) hours before the second meal service. The type of meal served is based on the time at the arrival airport. Crew Meal. Catering companies also prepare meals for the flight attendants that are loaded into the food carts. The flight attendants sometimes take their meals after the passengers’ meal services in the galley. Pilots are required to have their meals in the cockpit and are served first before the copilot. Low-Cost Carriers In-Flight Services (Meals for Sale) Some full-service network carriers operating short-haul services and low-cost airlines offer meals for sale services on board. Passengers may purchase food and drinks from the flight attendant or pre-order their meals when purchasing their air tickets. During pre-flight preparation, the flight attendant must ensure that the pre- ordered meals are loaded, and the additional meals are available for sale on the flight. During the meal service, flight attendants first deliver meals to passengers who made their pre-order. They check the passenger’s boarding pass and match the name on the name list before serving the meal. Some airlines also print the meal information on the boarding pass to make the process easier. The flight attendants begin the in-flight meal sales after all the pre-ordered meals are served. Passengers may order from the list of available meals from the food menu placed in the seat pocket. It is common to have one (1) flight attendant handle cash while the other handles the food items due to hygiene issues. The flight attendant responsible for sales services must ensure the change money is correct during the pre-flight preparation period and lock the cash after in-flight sales. In-Flight Entertainment Service The in-flight entertainment services begin at cruising altitude. It consists of audio and video programs. Airlines offer different types of entertainment systems such as the main screen and individual screen. Some airlines use a projector type of entertainment system that operates just like a cinema where all passengers in the cabin watch the same program. The majority of low-cost airlines do not offer in-flight entertainment. Passengers may rent an entertainment device at a price for those airlines that offers it. First and business class passengers often get more entertainment programs on their in-flight entertainment device with its control panel. Today, many airlines have installed the new digital in-flight entertainment system where all programs are stored on a server. Passengers may choose their desired program from their seat and view it through their screen. Some airlines offer a portable entertainment system where passengers can use their own tablets to access the onboard network through the onboard Wi-Fi system. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 5  TH2105 Duty-Free Service The in-flight duty-free service offers passengers the opportunity to purchase merchandise exempted from taxes and duties. It was first offered at Shannon Airport in 1947 to Trans-Atlantic airline passengers traveling between North America and Europe. Duty-free cart o Duty-free products are stored in sealed duty-free carts located in the galley and are only opened after an aircraft takes off for an international flight. A flight attendant is given the key for the cart and must check the items in the cart against the item list. They are also trained with basic knowledge of the items for in-flight sales. o Most airlines stock a wide range of tax-free merchandise on an international flight. The price of these merchandises is often 20-30% cheaper than those sold in regular stores. There are also exclusive items offered by the airline. In-flight retail shop o Some airlines also have a dedicated space on their aircraft that serves as a duty-free store. The store is only available for international flights and is manned by a flight attendant. o Major currencies, such as USD and Euro, are accepted as payment, including the currency of the departure and arrival destinations. Change is kept in the cart for passengers who pay by cash, and flight attendants can refer to the currency list placed in the cart to identify the different exchange rates. o Passengers can also make payments via credit card. The duty-free cart is equipped with a handheld point of service (POS) device. The flight attendant swipes the credit card on the POS, which prints out an official receipt. Customer Service Air travel is becoming more common today, and customers have many choices of airlines. However, a few players dominate the aircraft manufacturing and cabin interior industries, and airlines have no alternative but to offer standardized products. They compete against each other by offering similar products in terms of cabin ambiance, meal service, seat design, in-flight entertainment, and communication technology. To generate competitive advantages, today’s airlines focus on customer services to influence customers’ choice of airline. Airlines have used different strategies to keep their existing customers and attract new ones. Their main objective is to ensure that the customers are happy, so they will return and use their service again. Satisfaction is generated after customers enjoy their journey and feel the money they paid is worth the value. The minimum customer expectation of an airline is supported by three (3) basic elements: safety, timeliness, and price. Safety. This is the number one priority for all airlines. It demonstrates the trustworthiness of the airline’s operations, including aircraft maintenance and security procedures. Customers will choose airlines with the best safety records. Customers can easily access these records via the Internet. Other details customers lookout for include personnel training, aircraft investments, aircraft malfunction rate, airline accident rate, and the airline fatality rate. Timeliness. This is the main reason for customers in deciding to travel by air. Customers expect their flights to depart and arrive on time or reach their destinations in the minimal time needed. As such, an airline’s on-time performance data is an important factor when customers decide on their choice of airline. 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 5  TH2105 Cost. This is another important element that determines customers’ satisfaction, especially for those who travel for leisure, as this category of customers is price sensitive. Customers often seek other alternatives when an airline charges a higher price. Many airlines today offer different pricing schemes to suit the needs of different travelers. For instance, customers taking the same flight on the same service class may not be paying the same price for these tickets due to dissimilar ticket conditions. References: Dileep, M.R. (2019). Tourism, transport, and travel management. Routledge. Law, C. (2018). A practical guide to airline customer service. BrownWalker Press. Retrieved October 3, 2021, from http://www.bookpump.com/bwp/pdf-b/7346937b.pdf Law, C. (2019). Flight attendant’s essential guide: From passenger relations to challenging situations. BrownWalker Press. Retrieved July 2, 2021, from https://rk1bukz.cf/book.php?id=a_ecDwAAQBAJ 05 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 5 of 5  TH2105 IN-FLIGHT SAFETY In-flight safety is a detailed explanation given before take-off to airline passengers about the safety features of an aircraft. It is also referred to as the pre-flight safety demonstration, in-flight safety briefing, or safety instructions. Safety Procedures Onboard The safety procedures onboard typically cover all the following aspects, but not necessarily in such order since each airline has its procedure: a reminder to review the aircraft safety card; the use of the seat belt (some airlines recommend that passengers keep their seat belt fastened at all times in case of unexpected turbulence); the requirement that passengers must comply with lighted signs, posted placards, and crew members instructions; the location and use of emergency exits, evacuation slides, and emergency floor lighting; the use of the oxygen mask; the location and use of life vests, life rafts, and flotation devices (not typically included if the flight does not overfly or fly near vast masses of water); the use of passenger seat cushions as flotation devices (typically only included on aircraft that do not provide life vests); a reminder not to smoke onboard, including the toilets; a reminder not to tamper with or disable lavatory smoke detectors; and the precautions to take before take-off and landing: o to stow luggage under a seat or in an overhead compartment; o to return folding trays and seatbacks to an upright position; and o to turn off most electronic devices (laptops, mobile phones, and tablets). Safety Briefing The safety briefing demonstration and the safety information card provided in front of the seat give vital information on the safety of passengers onboard. Aviation regulations do not state how an airline should deliver the safety briefing, only that the operator of an aircraft shall ensure that all passengers are orally briefed before each take-off. As a result, and depending on the inflight entertainment system in the aircraft and the airline’s policy, airlines may deliver a pre-recorded briefing or provide a live demonstration. A live demonstration is performed by flight attendants standing in the aisles while another flight attendant narrates over the public address system. A pre-recorded briefing may feature audio-only or may take the form of a video. Pre-flight safety briefings typically last two (2) to six (6) minutes. In consideration for travelers not speaking the airline’s official language and for passengers with hearing problems, the video may feature subtitles, an on- screen signer, or may be repeated in another language (Pre-flight safety demonstration, 2019). The following are some aircraft features and their safety regulations onboard: Seat Belts. Flight attendants must advise passengers to keep the seat belt fastened throughout the flight and must do so whenever the "seat belt" sign is on, usually during taxiing, take-off, landing, and occasions of turbulence. Life Vests. An aircraft shall be equipped with one life jacket that complies with the standards for each occupant when the aircraft is over water and shall be stowed at or immediately adjacent to each seat. Sufficient additional life jackets shall also be carried in easily accessible positions to be used by infants or children. 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 1 of 4  TH2105 Portable Electronic Devices. Some airlines allow passengers to use electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and e-readers during the entire flight duration but must be turned to Flight Mode when switched on. However, most international airlines have already equipped some aircraft that allow mobile phone voice calls and texts in-flight. Other aircraft also have Wi-Fi allowing passengers to browse the web while onboard. These airlines have already conducted safety tests to ensure electronic gadgets do not adversely affect aircraft signals. In any case, passengers will always be instructed by the cabin crew as to what electronic devices exactly can be used, and in what mode, at the beginning of a flight. If in any doubt, passengers are also advised to always check with a cabin crew member before using any device. Most airlines also publish details about traveling with portable electronic devices on their websites and in their in-flight magazines. Smoking. All airlines do not permit smoking onboard, including e-cigarettes; therefore, the 'no smoking' signs will remain on throughout the flight. Passengers are also not permitted to smoke inside the toilets as these are fitted with smoke detectors. Tampering with an aircraft smoke detector is a serious offense and may lead to prosecution. Consumption of Alcohol. Alcohol will not be served to passengers under 18 years of age. Consumption of alcoholic beverages brought from outside the aircraft or purchased onboard is against the policy of some airlines. In-flight complimentary drinks are frequently available, but some airlines reserve the right to decline to serve alcoholic drinks at the crew's discretion. Seating. The only regulation on seating guidelines is to ensure that passengers can sit upright with enough legroom, stand easily, and move to the aisle without difficulty. Airlines, therefore, must have a minimum space requirement between seat rows, known as seat pitch. Toilets. Surprising as it may seem, airlines are not required by law to provide toilets. If one or more of the toilets onboard are out of order, there are no regulations under which an airline must compensate passengers for the inconvenience. Safety and Security Safety Compliance Check (SCC). A flight attendant does this by walking through the cabin and verifying that all passengers are seated with their seat belts securely fastened after the captain turns on the “fasten seat belt” sign. The following are the two (2) events requiring the implementation of SCC: When the aircraft encounters turbulence in flight, the captain will require the passengers to return to their seats and fasten their seat belts. During descent and final approach, the pilots provide the cabin crew with three (3) warnings that the aircraft is approaching landing, which are as follows: o The first warning is the illumination of the "fasten seat belt" sign during descent, and it signals the flight attendants to move through the cabin, ensuring that the passengers' seat belts are securely fastened. Then other cabin crews start collecting trash and picking up service items. o The second warning is a chime indicating that the aircraft is passing through 10,000 ft. above sea level. This indicates that a flight attendant will move and walk through the cabin again and repeat the activities performed previously. o On final warning, the captain makes a “prepare for landing” announcement. Each flight attendant must perform the Final Safety Compliance Check (FSCC). The checking will no longer include picking up trashes and service items; instead, the flight attendants should be seated as quickly as possible after completing the FSCC. This is because, during this phase of flight, there 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 2 of 4  TH2105 is a tendency that the aircraft might quickly descend or ascend without warnings. This type of maneuver would only cause a flight attendant to lose his/her balance and will potentially injure himself and the passengers. The following are the procedures in conducting the FSCC: Lavatory Inspections. Flight attendants must check every lavatory at least once every two (2) hours for smoke, foreign objects, and adequate supplies. 15-min Inspections. Each cabin must be inspected at least once every 15 minutes except during the meal, beverage, and selling items services that carts are in aisles. During thisinspection, flight attendants ensure that no objects block the aisles or pose falling hazards and no unsafe activities are occurring. Attended Cabin. At least one flight attendant must be in a position to observe the activity occurring in each cabin at all times. Cockpit Guard. Shortly after the 9/11 incident, airlines began developing procedures to protect access to the cockpit when the pilot leaves for any reason. This is now referred to as the two-man rule, introduced by the Germanwings. The rule ensures that there must always be two (2) people in the aircraft cockpit at all times, where a flight attendant is designated to a position in the cockpit while the pilot is out for a break. Refusal to Carry Passengers Airlines have the right to refuse passengers from entering the aircraft when a considerable potential risk to the safety of the aircraft, cabin crew, and passengers is observed. Passengers may be refused entry to an aircraft if they are: Drunk or under the influence of drugs. Refusing a security check to be carried out on both their body and baggage. Not obeying the instructions of ground staff or a cabin crew member relating to safety or security. Uttering threatening, abusive, or insulting words towards ground staff, another passenger, or any aircraft crew. Deliberately interfering with the performance of the in-flight duties of the cabin crew. Putting the safety of either the aircraft or any person in it in danger. Emergency Procedures An emergency onboard, whether an in-flight fire, malfunctions, medical cases, or even an emergency landing, is a challenging situation for the cabin crew and can occur at any time. Panic is a general response from the passengers onboard, and it is difficult to predict their behavior during an emergency. The cabin crew may become aware of a passenger in medical distress by direct observation. More often, the situation is brought to their attention by the individual, a traveling companion, or another nearby passenger. The first flight attendant at the scene will normally take charge of the patient and alert other cabin crew members. They, in turn, will provide any required assistance, including retrieving any required emergency equipment and advising the Captain of the situation, and progressively keeping him/her informed of any changes in the patient’s status. Flight attendants must be able to perform the following during an emergency: Respond immediately to the emergency to avoid panic; Use the emergency equipment and administer first aid to passengers in distress; 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 3 of 4  TH2105 Give clear and positive instructions to passengers; and Direct and assist passengers in evacuating the plane if necessary. References: Airline safety speech. (n.d.). The Curriculum Center for Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas Tech University. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.dentonisd.org/cms/lib/TX21000245/Centricity/Domain/1712/Airline_Safety_Speech.pdf Dileep, M.R. (2019). Tourism, transport, and travel management. Routledge. Law, C. (2019). Flight attendant’s essential guide: From passenger relations to challenging situations. BrownWalker Press. Retrieved July 2, 2021, from https://rk1bukz.cf/book.php?id=a_ecDwAAQBAJ Medical Emergencies - Guidance for Flight Crew - SKYbrary Aviation Safety. (n.d.). SKYbrary Aviation Safety. Retrieved October 14, 2021, from https://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/Medical_Emergencies_- _Guidance_for_Flight_Crew#Flight_Crew_Response Pre-flight safety demonstration. (2019, May 10). HiSoUR - Hi So You Are. Retrieved October 11, 2021, from https://www.hisour.com/pre-flight-safety-demonstration-38348/ Prokopovič, K. (2017, May 3). More Airlines Relax Two-in-Cockpit Rule. Aviation News - Aviation Voice. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://aviationvoice.com/more-airlines-relax-two-in-cockpit-rule- 2-201705021124/ Visual Flight Rules Guide. (n.d.). Safety equipment | Civil Aviation Safety Authority. Retrieved October 19, 2021, from https://vfrg.casa.gov.au/pre-flight-planning/flights-over-water/safety-equipment/ 06 Handout 1 *Property of STI  [email protected] Page 4 of 4