Exposure trip at PIA Flight Kitchen

Pakistan International Airline (PIA) is Pakistan’s flagship airline, offering international air travel services since 1955. The visit to PIA flight kitchen had been an amazing experience. Manager Material Planning Mr. Syed Nayar Ahmed, Laboratory Assistant Ms. Faiza and Ms. Shehla Nadeem help us exploring each department of flight kitchen. 

The kitchen is spacious and well-equipped, serving culinary joy ranging from scrumptious Pakistani food to delicious Western cuisines to more than 15,000 passengers every day, travelling on national and international flights. They are serving food on basis of nutrition and quality. The kitchen is supported by experienced production and operation teams including skilled food technologists, microbiologist and chefs having diverse experience in international cuisines. 

Chief Baker Mr. Muhammad Ali, 
serving PIA for last 26 year

The production department comprises of sub store, raw material and finished goods cold storage and hot storage area and hot and cold bakery.  They ensure temperature controlled environment to keep the hot food hot and cold food cold. Hot bakery is equipped with large ovens and high speed mixtures. They process approximately 10000 bread rolls daily. Different coloured codes were place on the packed food to specify production time and disposal date. In spite of controlled temperature and assured quality they don’t serve food after 48 hours. From out bound bay the food is carried in a van that transports the food to the plane.

Bread rolls, ready for baking. 

Dosa sheets shaping

The operation area comprises of holding room, control room, foreign handling, cabin setting and preparatory unit. After production the food is held in holding room having temperature -5⁰C. PIA’s Kitchen Control room offers 24 hours services to take notes of requests for special meal like kosher and vegetarian meals, baby food, diabetic and low cholesterol meals. The supervisor told us that cargo & foreign handling departments were the two main source of PIA’s popularity. After foreign handling cabin setting department starts which deals with accessories stocks from pillow to tissues or baby carries etc. Preparatory unit stores a small part that included all the dry products approximately 6000 products like tea bags, coffee sachet, milk powder etc. At In bound bay there is dish washing area consist huge dishwashers. Pre cleaning is done with hot water (78-90⁰C) then detergent and clean water and in the end clean utensils are air dried. 

     At the end they served us delicious delights. 

(Dawoodpotta shortbreads & sandwiches)

We are thankful to PIA’s General Manager Food Mr. Hanif Rana and his teams for making this exposure trip a great learning experience for us. 

In spite of political and privatization issues PIA is working hard to maintain quality services. All it need is to train experienced staff with latest technology trends to preserve their quality services. Epoxy flooring is highly recommended for the kitchen. 

Group of B.S 3rd year students at flight kitchen

The10th International Plastic, Printing & Packaging Industry Exhibition 2014

The 10th International Plastic, Printing & Packaging industry exhibition concluded today. Concurring event of 3P Plas Print Pack Pakistan is the 10th International Food + Technology Exhibition. The exhibition was business oriented though it provided good insight of current trends and technology used for food and non food packaging. More than 200 National and International companies were there to build and strengthen their business in Pakistan and rest of the world.

The showcase of tools and equipments was interesting for professionals who are eager to learn new technology. Live demonstration of packaging and plastic machinery was incredible.

Live production of plastic sac rolls

This event provided absolute opportunity to interact and network. These kinds of events are required to opens trade doors in Pakistan. The active participation of International players has proved there is a huge market for investors and buyers.