FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) has signed a temporary catering contract with Austrian catering company Do&Co to provision all its flights departing London Heathrow Airport (LHR), ending nearly two months of disrupted meal services on transatlantic routes.
The carrier had been double-provisioning flights from the United States since early March after abruptly terminating its long-standing catering agreement with Dnata, the ground handling arm of the Emirates Group.
The new Do&Co deal, which kicks in on April 22, restores full catering operations across all cabins at Heathrow (LHR), PYOK flagged.
American Airlines Resolves Heathrow Catering Crisis
American Airlines operates up to 19 daily flights between Heathrow and nine US cities, making it one of the largest transatlantic operators at the airport. When the airline suddenly ended its contract with Dnata at the start of March, it left a massive catering void that no other kitchen at Heathrow could fill on short notice.
Without a replacement supplier in place, the airline turned to double provisioning. Under this arrangement, all food, beverages, and catering supplies for both the outbound and return flights were loaded onto aircraft at US departure points. This eliminated the need for any catering uplift at Heathrow but introduced significant operational challenges.
Aircraft galleys are not built to carry supplies for two full long-haul transatlantic flights. The additional load forced adjustments across every Heathrow-bound service, increasing workload for cabin crew.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), the union representing American Airlines flight attendants, demanded additional compensation for crew members working these routes due to the extra burden.
British Airways and Do&Co Stepped In as a Stopgap
Starting in mid-March, British Airways (BA), a joint venture partner of American Airlines within the oneworld alliance, helped bridge the gap.
BA arranged for its own premium catering contractor, Do&Co, to supply Business Class meals on American flights departing Heathrow.
This partial fix restored near-normal meal service for premium cabin passengers. However, Main Cabin passengers continued to receive double-provisioned meals loaded in the United States, and the airline still lacked a formal catering contract at Heathrow.
Do&Co Now Covers All Cabins
As reported by aviation insider JonNYC on X, American Airlines has now secured a temporary catering agreement with Do&Co to cover all cabins on its Heathrow departures. The contract went into effect on Wednesday, April 22.
As a precaution, the airline plans to continue double-provisioning flights for a few additional days to handle any transition issues during the switchover.
Starting next week, pre-orders and special meals will also be supplied locally at Heathrow for passengers flying in First Class and Business Class.
American Airlines Acknowledges the Disruption
In an internal memo shared with flight attendants, American Airlines acknowledged the difficulty of the transition.
The airline thanked crew members for their professionalism, stating that the transition period had not been easy and recognizing the challenges flight attendants faced on Heathrow routes.
Notably, the memo did not mention any financial compensation or bonuses for flight attendants who worked the affected services during the disruption.
Long-Term Catering Solution Still Unclear
The current Do&Co contract is temporary. American Airlines confirmed it is still searching for a permanent catering partner at Heathrow.
Frequent flyers have expressed hope that the airline will extend its arrangement with Do&Co on a long-term basis, citing positive reviews of the Austrian company’s meal quality.
American Airlines has not publicly disclosed its reasons for terminating the Dnata contract. However, reports have surfaced about concerns over sanitary conditions at the Dnata catering facility.
A photo circulated online last month allegedly showing a dead rodent in a Business Class bread basket on a Heathrow departure, though the image has not been independently verified.
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