North America Inflight Catering Market - Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

Market Overview

The North America Inflight Catering Market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 3% during the forecast period.

• The intense competitive scenario in the aviation sector has encouraged the airline operators to create their unique brand identity. Inflight catering has emerged as a prime criterion for differentiating the quality of services provided by different airlines and helps to create an outlook of the passengers towards perceiving an airline. The realization of this fact has encouraged the North American airlines to invest significant resources to develop a profitable inflight catering service, that serves the tastes of the passengers, and safeguards the market share of the airlines.
• The inflight catering business has witnessed a radical transformation during the past decade. Though North American airlines are not completely encouraging the BYOF (Bring-Your-Own-Food) on international flights, passengers are permitted to carry their eatables on several domestic routes in the region, especially in the US. The penetration of BYOF may pose a threat to the market in focus in the future.
• The lucrative nature of the inflight catering business has encouraged the entry of several global brands that are well-equipped to conform to the high quality and safety regulations of the aviation industry. The entry of new market players and the advent of e-ordering services is expected to radically transform the prevalent practice of long-term association of airlines with their catering partners and is expected to provide both the airlines and the passengers with a plethora of choices.

Scope of the Report

Inflight food is the food served to passengers onboard a commercial airliner. Specialist airline catering services prepare these meals and usually serve to passengers using an airline service trolley.

• Premium economy class has been covered under the economy class segment.
• Additionally, the study covers the different service levels offered by the airlines and draws specific points of differentiation between the inflight options available for all travel classes, such as economy class, business class, and first-class.
• The study also encompasses the different market variables that affect the business model of low-cost carriers (LCCs) and full-service carriers (FSCs) pertaining to their decision to integrate inflight catering services to their domestic and international offerings.

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Key Market Trends

Increasing Competition Driving Improvements in the Inflight Dining Experience

The enhanced competition amongst the airlines has encouraged them to adopt certain strategies aimed at elevating the customer perception of the inflight dining experience. To comply with hybrid operational scenarios while providing service to the customers, airlines are using different service strategies on different classes on the same flight. For instance, while providing quality services at a premium price to high-value customers (in business and first-class), airlines are also offering lower price alternatives to passengers in economy class, thereby, establishing tier-based complimentary onboard services. The market is expected to witness impressive levels of growth, as North American carriers consider options to improve the quality of food served on their fleet. The diversified cuisine and dietary choices of the passengers have encouraged airlines to serve different meals on special routes. For instance, Delta Airlines has different partners providing authentic regional dishes on select routes, both domestic and international. While Atlanta-based Linton Hopkins dishes up menus inspired by artisan foods of the American South on flights from Atlanta to Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Munich, Paris, Rome or Stuttgart, passengers on the flights to and from China and Japan, enjoy menus created by Chef Jereme Leung (China) and Chef Norio Ueno (Japan).

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