American Airlines Opens Largest Catering Kitchen in the US at Dallas Hub

American Airlines has unveiled its new $100 million catering facility at its hub at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which is the largest airline catering kitchen in the US. The facility, which covers 214,000 square feet, can produce nearly 15,000 fresh meals a day for the airline’s customers and crew.

The catering facility features advanced technology and equipment to improve efficiency and quality. For example, an automatic storage and retrieval system transports dishes, plates, and other items on conveyor belts, reducing the time spent by catering teams. A robotic machine loads soft drinks into the drawers of beverage carts, ensuring accuracy and speed. The facility handles about 200,000 beverage cans a day.

The catering facility also incorporates sustainability measures, such as a program that turns organic food waste into compost. The organic waste is collected by a vendor and distributed to farms and compost facilities. The airline is also deploying a new fleet of more than 100 catering trucks to support its hub operation.

The catering facility opened just before the start of the summer travel season and has helped to minimize catering delays at DFW, enhancing the airline’s operation and customer experience. The airline operates more than 800 daily flights from DFW to over 240 destinations in 23 countries.

Brady Byrnes, senior vice president of inflight and premium guest services at American Airlines, said that the new kitchen is an example of the investments the airline is making to deliver a consistent and high-quality service. “From the moment a customer steps into one of our airport lobbies to when they are relaxing with a refreshment at 35,000 feet, we’re always thinking of ways to make their journey even better,” he said.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, aa.com, World Airline News, Forbes.com