Over 200 Delta flights without meal service after ‘food safety issue’
A few months after passengers were served spoiled food, a Delta Air Lines meal service facility in Detroit was shut down on Friday. The closure was due to preliminary findings of a “food safety issue” during a routine inspection by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the airline.
The indefinite shutdown in the airline’s catering partner’s kitchen resulted in more than 200 flights out of Detroit Metropolitan Airport to be without meal service over the weekend.
“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,” a Delta spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement.
No customer or employee illnesses were reported.
Delta said it switched over its food distribution and prep to another facility. Some food options returned to Detroit flights on Monday, and those impacted were notified via email. The airline expects the full return of its food service by Saturday.
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“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,” the spokesperson said.
Airlines typically work with outside vendors to prepare the food that’s reheated while in the air for that region, including if the plane is going somewhere without a catering facility. For example, Delta’s has four Atlanta facilities, one of which is run by Newrest Catering and produces around 6,800 meals daily, including hot and cold dishes for travelers and crew food.
In July, a Delta flight departed from Detroit and heading to Amsterdam when it diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York due to reports that some of the in-flight meals served to its economy passengers were spoiled. It’s unknown how many passengers consumed the spoiled food, but a dozen passengers were evaluated upon landing in New York. However, no one was given medical attention or were taken to the hospital.
Delta said the July incident is unrelated to the recent FDA findings in Detroit, and the spoiled food was shipped from another facility. An investigation was launched following the event and no systemic issues were found.
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