Flygande mat - kabinpersonals måltidssituation

Abstract

Introduction The cabin crew profession is characterized by a spririt of service and responsibility for the safety of passengers. The work environment involves certain physical strain such as cabin pressure and lack of oxygen. Meals are consumed during different times of the day and rarely occur at normal meal times. The meals of the cabin crew are regulated by guidelines, agreements and policies regarding working hours. Purpose This study was conducted to investigate the cabin crew meals during working hours, with focus on guidelines and policies and how the cabin employees experience the food and the meal environment. Methodology After an initial literature review, a personel manager of a Swedish airline company and the CEO of the food company that provides the airline company with food, were interviewed using semi-structured inteviews. Then a survey was conducted among cabin crew in Scandinavia. Results The study showed that food and meals were of great importance for the work of the cabin crew and for their well-being. There was an intention, from the airline company and the food company, to provide the cabin crew with time enough to eat and with a well-balanced diet based on union agreements on hot food. The interviews revealed that the crew food was not nutrition calculated. The survey indicated that the liking of the provided crew food was low, hence the cabin crew bring their own food. Many of the participants experienced food guidelines and policies as unclear and in some cases as non-existing. Conclusion There were few guidelines and policies for the cabin crew food and meal situation. However informal guidelines balanced the absence of formal regulations. The meal environment was perceived as stressful and few experienced that the crew food met their needs, neither sensory or nutritionally. Even so, many wanted the employer to regularly provide crew food.