November 2, 2024, 6:47 am | Read time: 3 minutes
The job of the pilot and co-pilot is of the utmost importance for flight operations, and so in turn is the catering. There are various rules concerning food in the cockpit. TRAVELBOOK gives an overview.
TRAVELBOOK has uncovered a few peculiarities within the pilot’s cabin of an airplane. For example, it is known that the pilot and co-pilot are not allowed to chat with each other during take-off and landing. This is due to the need for utmost concentration during these critical phases of flight. Not only are pilots permitted, but they are also required to eat, all while adhering to specific guidelines.
Overview
The cabin crew ‘must’ eat
Were you aware that it’s a standard requirement for pilots at most airlines to eat regularly? And not just them: “We are all supposed to eat, and this is always announced again before departure.” A flight attendant who wishes to remain anonymous confirmed this when asked by TRAVELBOOK. This is about the energy supply. The entire cabin crew must remain alert and ready to respond, necessitating a steady supply of energy.
What do the pilot and co-pilot eat on the plane?
Flight attendants usually bring their own food. As the insider reports, leftovers from the predetermined menus are not a reliable source of sustenance. Especially as some passengers like to ask for seconds.
On the other hand, pilot and co-pilot meals are provided by the cabin service. Aviation expert Heinrich Grossbongardt knows more about this. “They both get the Business Class meal. And if there is a First Class, the captain takes the First Class meal, and his colleague takes the Business Class meal.”
‘Never the same thing’
Thus, while pilots consume the same types of meals as passengers, they never eat the exact same dish. The reason for this is not so that they can taste each other’s food. Rather, the aim is to make the unlikely event of food poisoning even less likely. “If, despite the very strict hygiene measures in the catering establishments, it should happen that a meal contains pathogens or is spoiled, this ensures that both pilots are not out of action at the same time,” says Heinrich Grossbongardt.
The expert has no knowledge of any incidents that have triggered such concerns. “But it is a precautionary measure.” The risks were greater 30 or 40 years ago. The regulation still applies today – and incidentally, it also applies to food intake outside the cockpit, for example during layovers. Flight attendants also adhere to the rule, even if it is no longer communicated. “However, we know that we are advised to eat differently,” reveals our informant.
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Basically, almost everything is allowed
There is no inspection of the meals or snacks that pilots choose to bring aboard. According to Grossbongardt, they are basically allowed to eat anything – “except, of course, food that contains alcohol,” he admits. If, for example, the cabin catering includes desserts “spiced up” with liqueurs, such as tiramisu, then these will not reach the cockpit. It is in this area that pilots and co-pilots consume their meals. Of course, caution is required, as they are surrounded by sensitive equipment. And when do they eat? “When it’s convenient,” says the expert, “but always after the passengers.”