The Malta Independent 4 July 2025, Friday
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The Ultimate in in-flight catering

Malta Independent Monday, 5 November 2007, 00:00 Last update: about 12 years ago

Emirates prides itself on service, and food and drink in forming an integral part of any Emirates flight.

Passengers onboard Emirates Boeing 777-200 from Malta know that they can enjoy some of the finest in-flight menus created by leading chefs and it’s all prepared with fresh local produce of the highest standard. The meals also feature a lot of Maltese traditional foods, such as Gozo cheese, rabbits, water biscuits and many others.

For the past seven years, the preparation of meals for Emirates has been carried out by Corinthia Inflight Services, a subsidiary company of the Corinthia Group of Companies, who meet Emirates highest standards of hygiene, preparation and cooking procedure of airline meals. The group has been in the airline food business for the past 34 years.

The meals are audited every year for suitability and excellence while great attention is given to the preparation process and service. A demonstration of this was given during a presentation on the preparation of meals held at the Corinthia Inflight Services, at the Malta International Airport.

Paul Fleri Soler, Emirates Manager for Malta and Cyprus, introduced George Banks, Manager Food Product, Emirates Airline, who specifically flew to Malta for this occasion. Also present were Gerald Borg, Director of Industrial Operations at Corinthia Inflight Services; Peter D. McWilliam, Chief Operating Officer of Corinthia Caterers; Joe Hili, Corinthia Inflight Services Executive Chef; and Josef Deguara, Emirates’ Airport Services Manager.

Mr Fleri Soler said: “When it comes to onboard meals, Emirates pays meticulous attention both to maintaining the highest possible standards and to what our clients want. Regular tests on food sampling are carried out to ensure that everything conforms to the correct specifications.”

George Banks explained that food is freshly prepared on the premises of Corinthia Inflight Services and is transported to the aircraft on specially built high loader trucks. The menus supplied from Malta are rotated monthly in both business and economy class. Four different menus are rotated on an annual basis with new menus being introduced annually.

Emirates also provides special meals for religious and other dietary needs. Special meals can be requested when flight bookings are made or even up to 24 hours before departure. Children’s meals are also a special feature of Emirates service and meals are served on attractive trays and equipment.

“Our cabin crew compiles reports on catering at the end of each flight, providing the airline’s in-flight Food Product Managers with crucial customer feedback to ensure that high standards are consistently maintained,” said George Banks. Food is an expensive part of running an airline, with Mr Fleri Soler explaining that after fuel and salaries, meals are the next most expensive thing.

However, from a tasting session after the briefing, it becomes amply clear that it is money well spent. The food is most definitely restaurant standard and this is evident in not only the first class and business class meals, but also economy class. The airline also looks into environmental concerns, ensuring that as much as possible is recycled and reused.

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