Focus on…Finding a Voice for the Industry and Establishing New Standards

For decades, airline catering and logistics suppliers were underrepresented in a heavily regulated industry. Laws and regulations were continually passed with limited to no understanding by the various authorities of the challenges faced by suppliers to the aviation industry and the impacts their legislation had on the daily operations and commercial success of these providers. While the carriers and transporters had robust teams of lobbyists and trade associations to support and advocate their positions, there was no such voice for the supply chain to represent their interests.

To address this lack of representation, together with my counterpart from another major services and products provider, we established the Airline Catering Association — a non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote and defend the common interests of the airline catering industry in the EEA and Switzerland through lobbying and campaigning efforts that address legislation and regulatory matters impacting the industry. With an office in Brussels, a full-time managing director/lobbyist and currently boasting 15 members to date, ACA is now that voice that had long been absent to address critical legislation impacting the industry including single-use plastics, managing waste, tax and health and safety matters.

With the evolution of ACA, the International Air Transport Association — the largest trade association in the world representing the interests of airlines across the globe — invited ACA to participate in the revision and updating of its Standard Inflight Catering Agreement. The SICA is intended as a standard supply agreement for use by airlines in contracting with catering suppliers. However, the document was outdated, cumbersome to use and largely one-sided in favour of the airlines. I was nominated to serve as the ACA representative to join a working group that included numerous airlines and IATA representatives in negotiating a new and improved SICA that is properly balanced and fit for purpose for all parties.

Following intense and challenging negotiations, I can proudly announce that the newly revised SICA issued in late 2022. The document is indeed now properly balanced and can be quickly used ‘off-the-shelf’ allowing for more efficient speed to contract. Moreover, it establishes new industry standards that may be utilised in any contract negotiation. It is also notable that this was achieved fully without the use of outside counsel or incurring costs other than travel.