The Food and Drug Administration discovered “food safety issues” in a Delta Air Lines meal service on October 11. According to the airline, this FDA routine inspection resulted in the closure of its meal service facility.
The indefinite shutdown led to a significant number of flights out of Detroit Metropolitan Airport with no meal service. The number is estimated to be over 200 flights.
The flight crew announced during an October 11 flight that first class meals couldn’t be loaded because of “an unforeseen supply chain issue.” Instead, passengers received extra snacks.
Food Safety Issues and An Abundance of Caution
In a statement, a Delta spokesperson said, “During a recent inspection at a DTW kitchen, Delta’s catering partner was notified of a food safety issue within the facility.”
“Out of an abundance of caution, Delta and its catering partner decided to immediately shut down hot food production and subsequently suspended all activity from the facility.”
The spokesperson added, “As safety is always our top priority, we will continue to take necessary precautions to ensure food safety, and we apologize to our impacted customers for any inconvenience to their travel experience.”
Fortunately, no employee or passenger was affected. In reaction to the “food safety issues”, the airline decided to switch its food distribution and prep to another facility.
Airlines usually work with different vendors that prepare food that will be reheated in the air. For instance, Delta works with four facilities in Atlanta, one of which produces 6,800 meals daily.
In July, a Delta flight flying from Detroit to Amsterdam was diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York due to economy passengers receiving spoiled in-flight meals. It was unknown how many consumed the in-flight meals in question. However, a dozen passengers were evaluated upon landing in New York. Fortunately, no one was taken to the hospital or received medical attention.
