Hello everyone,
Just wondered if anyone has any experience of working for aircraft caterers at airports loading the aeroplanes with the food. It is HGV II. Thanks for any info…
Driv3r
I haven’t done it myself… but I know a whole load of people at various agencies who have. (but not for very long).
Depends what you want I suppose. Some people like that sort of thing, others don’t. It’s not the best job in the industry, although the money looks tempting. I think the likes of Gate Gourmet advertise regulary on the job centre website. They operate out of Scyalla Road at Heathrow if that’s your local airport. Most of the agencies are always looking to fill jobs in there too. It’s the constant demand for drivers that’s the worrying sign…
I did it a few years back …
It can get hectic , especially when there is delays and they all come in one after another and are all on an hour turnaround …
You will normally have 2 flights on a truck , so if they both come in together you have some work to do …They have to be done within that hour otherwise the company that delays them gets fined by the airline . It doesn’t matter if they all came in at the same time .
Lots of things to watch out for , lots of vehicles moving about …
As soon as they park up and the collision lights go off ( sign that the engines have powered down ) it becomes organised chaos …
It’s interesting and you might even get to go aboard some very different aircraft .
I,ve been on the great big antonov things putting food for the crew on them , you ain’t seen big aircraft until you have stood next to one of them .
A JMC engineer in the early hours wanted to do an engine check whilst I was putting stuff on , so I backed the truck off for him and then he let me get in the cockpit and then he went through all the checks and powered the engines up , not everyday you get to do stuff like that .
Always funny when the the toilet boy doesn’t connect the suction hose up correctly and gets covered in chemical ■■■■ 
You also get to chat to some very lovely ladies .
There is a lot to do back at base as well , the trucks aren’t loaded for you , you have to account for all the canisters and trolleys and then load them on the truck in more or less the same order they go on the aircraft , everything has a specific place and it has to go in the correct place .
You will be supplied with load plans for the aircraft so you know what goes where , at first it’s a mind ■■■■ and you will put stuff in the wrong place and then get moaned at , but it’s a penalty from the airline .
Once you get into it you will be shoving trolleys and canisters into the right places without even looking .
It can be hard work and more so if you are out there all day in searing heat , there is no shelter from it and the heat is magnified by the tarmac , you will probably get some days like this when you are out there all day and people are bringing freshly loaded trucks to you and you give them the truck with the the stuff thats just come off a aircraft .Normally happens when people go off sick and the company is short of staff .
I,ve spent very hot days out there and grabbing spare still water bottles and just pouring them over me because it’s so hot .
You will have arguments with baggage handlers , refuelers,cleaners and ground ops
It’s a lot easier if everyone tries to work together , but sometimes it all crumbles …
I enjoyed it , it was a good crack , even if some days were very stressful
You do a 12 hour shift on a busy summer time saturday , you will know you have done it 
I worked 4 on 4 off …the 4 days on rotated nights days …
4 days 4 off 4 nights 4 off …
Nights are just as hard as days , especially early hours saturday , sunday morning .Practically every aircraft wants to leave between 5am and 7am .The only blessing is they are normally parked up so all you have to do is go out about 3am and start loading them up .But before that you will have stripped all the stuff of them , unloaded all that , sorted all the new stuff out , checked it all , check all the meals are correct and you have the right amount , go and get the bars …Doesn’t sound like a lot but it is .
That should cover some questions …
Thanks for the very informative replies guys. Just wondered Paul@midway, how many planes do you normally load in a shift? Also is the catering warehouse close to the airport? Cheers
Sorry Paul, didn’t quite catch that, can you repeat -
“I did it a few years back…”
Stan
I worked on refuelling for 17 years at Newcastle and in all that time, the caterers were the worst paid on the airport, although I believe it is better at the major airports.
Driv3r:
Thanks for the very informative replies guys. Just wondered Paul@midway, how many planes do you normally load in a shift? Also is the catering warehouse close to the airport? Cheers
Depends on how many are due in/out and which company a particular airline uses for it’s catering .
The catering depots will normally be within airport grounds .
paul@midway:
Driv3r:
Thanks for the very informative replies guys. Just wondered Paul@midway, how many planes do you normally load in a shift? Also is the catering warehouse close to the airport? CheersDepends on how many are due in/out and which company a particular airline uses for it’s catering .
The catering depots will normally be within airport grounds .
Local paper in Basingstoke has an advert for a Heathrow company this week.
£23,000 a year - 5 days on and 3 off shift pattern. Looks like crap to me.
Maybe because Technically it’s not a driving job .
I