Airlines face food supply headache over strike threat

Some international airlines plying the Nairobi route have been forced to look for alternative catering following threats of supply disruption by a Nairobi firm.

The Nairobi Airport Services (NAS), which serves operators from Nairobi and Mombasa, warned the airlines last week of a possible industrial action by its employees.

Those running daily flights from Nairobi told Business Daily on Monday they opted for return services, where they carry enough food and refreshments from their hubs to cover both ways.

Although the firms did not give figures, this means they were going to spend more on fuel due to increased weight and food preservation.

“The company informed us last week about the situation and we decided to carry food from London,” said Mr George Mawadri, the British Airways commercial manager in Kenya, adding that the decision was made as “a matter of safety and precaution.”

A statement from the Belgium-based Brussels Airline said that the airline was re-evaluating the situation. It does not operate daily on the Nairobi route.

Dubai-based airline Emirates and Kenya Airways continue to use the local caterer.

Kenya Airways is NAS’s biggest client. The company caters for all KQ flights at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The airlines were reluctant to give details on how much more they would incur on operating costs, linked to weight and cargo space.

“We have to accommodate the extra weight when flying into Nairobi but cannot say how much it is right now,” Mr Mawadri said.

If the staff eventually acted, the action was expected to have a major impact on NAS’s business that has been thriving as Nairobi grows as a major aviation hub in East Africa and entire continent mainly driven by the expansion of Kenya Airways.

Efforts to get comments from the catering group did not bear fruits as the firm had not responded to requests by the time we went to press.

NAS mainly serves the country’s two major airports where it manages restaurants and lounges.

The growth of Nairobi as a major aviation hub has seen the business grow and the company has a meals capacity of about 15,000 with over 800 staff.

Airlines are taking no chances on customer service, especially when the industry is in the middle of high travel season.