FORT WORTH- American Airlines (AA) flight attendants remain dissatisfied with the carrier’s revamped catering operations at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), despite the airline’s recent partnership with upscale Austrian caterer Do&Co.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), representing over 20,000 crew members, says the changes have not resolved the increased workload caused by the abrupt departure from former catering partner Dnata earlier this year.
Since April 22, Do&Co has been catering all meals across every cabin on American Airlines (AA) flights departing Heathrow (LHR), ending the airline’s reliance on double provisioning from U.S. hubs.
However, as reported by PYOK, APFA maintains that crew members continue to face significant onboard strain, calling the arrangement a temporary fix rather than a permanent solution.
American Airlines Heathrow Catering
American Airlines severed its long-standing contract with Dnata in early March 2025. Dnata is the ground operations company of the Emirates Group, which is owned by the government of Dubai.
The split happened so abruptly that the airline did not even have time to begin searching for another supplier.
With no local kitchen to cater its flights in London, American Airlines resorted to double provisioning.
Under this arrangement, all food, beverages, and galley equipment required for both outbound and return transatlantic flights were loaded onboard at U.S. departure points.
This practice placed extreme pressure on galley space. Even on a large widebody aircraft, galley space is tight and not designed to accommodate everything required for two long-haul transatlantic services.
Flight attendants had to manage a completely different onboard setup from what they were accustomed to, with very little training to handle the situation.
APFA responded by demanding a significant pay premium for crew members assigned to London routes. American Airlines has not yet settled that demand.
Do&Co Contract Brings Relief but Not Full Resolution
The arrival of Do&Co as a temporary catering partner eliminated the need for double provisioning and restored locally sourced meal service at Heathrow.
From American Airlines’ perspective, the carrier has done well to massively overhaul its catering proposition at Heathrow by signing a temporary contract with the upscale partner.
Passengers have reportedly responded well to the quality of Do&Co’s catering. However, APFA notes that the Do&Co arrangement still requires flight attendants to perform tasks beyond their normal scope on a long-haul flight to any other international premium destination.
In one instance, crew members were asked to remove trash from catering carts so that cleaning teams in London could collect it.
The union flagged this as a violation of the flight attendant contract, and the practice has since been stopped.
“While management continues to frame this as progress, these adjustments remain temporary fixes to a prolonged operational failure that has significantly increased our members’ workload,” APFA communicated to its members this week.
The union pledged to continue monitoring implementation closely and push for a permanent, reliable solution along with accountability for the sustained impact on crews.
Long-Term Catering Partner Still Undecided
American Airlines is actively searching for a permanent catering provider at Heathrow (LHR). Do&Co’s current contract is temporary, and it remains to be seen whether the Austrian catering company will retain its contract with the airline.
Do&Co faces competition from other kitchens that operate out of the airport.
The reason behind American Airlines’ sudden split with Dnata has not been officially disclosed. Reports have pointed to significant health and safety concerns as a possible factor behind the decision.
Until a long-term deal is finalized, flight attendants on London routes will continue operating under interim arrangements that APFA considers inadequate for the demands of premium transatlantic service.
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