A Q&A with Kai Kosicki, WTCE Retail Technology Ambassador and Founder of ExpAir.
Integrating apps, booking engines & pre-order systems
1. How do airlines integrate pre-order meal functionality across channels, and what are the main technical barriers?
Most airlines route everything through a centralised passenger service system (PSS) or ancillary platform. Shared APIs connect the website, mobile app, and booking engine – so if you select a meal during checkout or later via “Manage My Booking,” it syncs across all touchpoints.
The challenge? Legacy PSS platforms weren’t built for real-time, multi-channel interactions. Airlines deal with fragmented data across vendor systems, inconsistent APIs, and latency issues. A passenger changes their meal on the app, but the crew tablet doesn’t reflect it – that’s the friction we’re working to eliminate.
2. How difficult is it to retrofit pre-order functionality into legacy airline IT systems?
These systems are tightly coupled, mission-critical, and risk-averse by design making it quite difficult. Airlines can’t afford downtime or data corruption, so adding pre-order capabilities often means building middleware layers, creating workarounds, and going through lengthy certification cycles – all without disrupting core operations like reservations, check-in, or departure control.
The older the system, the more expensive and time-consuming the retrofit. That’s why many airlines are selectively modernising their stack, starting with customer-facing ancillary platforms while keeping legacy core systems in place.
3. What data security or privacy considerations come into play?
PCI DSS for payments, GDPR and CCPA for personal data, encrypted APIs, and strict access controls. Even dietary preferences can be personally identifiable or reveal health information, so airlines need to be thoughtful about what they collect and how long they retain it.
Minimising data storage is key. If you don’t need to keep a passenger’s preference beyond the flight, don’t.
4. Are airlines shifting toward owning more of their digital stack versus relying on third-party tech partners?
Yes. Airlines want faster innovation, better control over customer data and experience, improved ancillary monetisation, and reduced vendor lock-in. That said, they still lean on specialised vendors for things like payment processing or fraud detection.
Inflight connectivity & onboard systems
5. How dependent is pre-order meal delivery on inflight connectivity, and what emerging technologies will improve reliability?
Not very dependent at all. By take-off, the meal is either loaded or it isn’t. The sync happens pre-flight on the ground, where crew devices download passenger profiles and pre-order data in offline mode. During flight, cabin crew can access that information without needing live connectivity. Delivery confirmations sync back after landing.
The real challenge is ensuring ground-based sync happens reliably before pushback. Last-minute passenger swaps or aircraft changes are where things break down.
Integration is the unlock going forward. The closer caterers can get to real-time passenger data – ideally following the Passenger Name Records (PNR) directly – the more reliable operations become. We’re seeing airlines invest in event-driven architectures that push updates (gate changes, delays, swaps) to all supply chain partners simultaneously, significantly reducing the risk of meals being loaded for the wrong passengers or aircraft.
Catering logistics & operational workflow
6. How does pre-ordering change catering planning, and what efficiencies do caterers gain?
It shifts caterers from forecast-driven to demand-driven planning. Instead of estimating based on historical averages, they know exactly what’s been ordered. That means accurate batch sizes, earlier ingredient allocation, and staggered production schedules by flight.
The efficiencies are substantial: reduced overproduction, optimised staffing and kitchen scheduling, streamlined procurement, improved on-time loading, and lower overall costs. Accuracy at the front end reaps benefits all the way through.
Timing-wise, caterers typically need 24 – 72 hours for standard meals, 48 – 96 hours for special meals or premium cabins with specialised ingredients. Final lock-in is usually 12–24 hours before departure.
7. What challenges arise with last-minute itinerary changes – equipment swaps, delays, passenger no-shows?
Equipment swaps are particularly problematic because the link between passenger and pre-order can get lost if the new aircraft already has meals loaded for a different flight. You end up with mismatches, shortages, or over-catering requiring manual intervention.
Delays and no-shows create waste. And if updates don’t generate in time, caterers may continue producing meals that are no longer needed. Real-time data flow and contingency planning are key to success here.
To solve this, most airlines use integrations between PSS, flight ops control systems, and catering platforms via APIs or messaging feeds. But we’re increasingly seeing demand for real-time event platforms and shared data hubs that instantly update and share changes.
The supply chain shift behind pre-order meals
8. How has pre-ordering influenced procurement, and are airlines moving toward a demand-driven catering model?
Pre-ordering has moved procurement from bulk, forecast-based buying to demand-driven purchasing. Better ingredient accuracy, reduced spoilage, tailored packaging, tighter inventory turns, and significantly lower waste across the supply chain. It also enables more sustainable sourcing – when you know you need 150 vegetarian meals versus 300, you can source fresher, local ingredients in exact quantities.
Airlines are definitely moving toward a demand-driven model, though it’s hybrid. Pre-order data is supplementing – sometimes replacing – forecasts, especially in premium cabins where passengers are more likely to pre-select meals. Economy cabins and short-haul routes still rely on forecasting, but even there, airlines are using pre-order data to refine models and reduce variance.
The shift introduces some supply chain pressures, though. Late changes, data sync failures, or disruptions can invalidate precise plans, so airlines still need buffers and fallback forecasting.
9. What role do sustainability pressures play in redesigning pre-order supply chains?
Pre-ordering directly addresses waste – one of the biggest environmental pain points in airline catering. More precise sourcing means less food in landfills, lighter recyclable packaging tailored to actual demand, and lower emissions from over catering.
Airlines and suppliers are redesigning supply chains around demand accuracy, transparency, and measurable environmental impact. Some publish waste reduction metrics tied to pre-order adoption rates. It’s becoming a competitive differentiator, not just an administrative compliance task.
Customer experience & commercial impact
10. What customer behaviours have emerged, and how do pre-orders drive upsells and ancillary revenue?
Passengers value choice and certainty. They’re more likely to purchase premium meals when prompted early in booking – while still in planning mode. Visual menus and personalisation based on past behaviour or loyalty status drive conversion and marketing strongly.
Pre-orders are a powerful upsell engine. They present premium meals, bundles, and add-ons in a low-stress, decision-ready moment – boosting attach rates and average order value compared to inflight-only sales. Personalisation boosts this by surfacing relevant meals based on dietary needs, past choices, and loyalty tier, making offers feel curated rather than generic. High-value customers get exclusive or complimentary options that boost perceived recognition.
The flip side? Missing items or late availability disproportionately damage satisfaction, making managing passenger expectations critical.
11. How do airlines measure ROI of pre-order programmes?
Revenue metrics: higher ancillary revenue per passenger, improved conversion rates, increased attach rates for premium meals and bundles. Cost metrics: reduced catering waste, lower per-meal costs, improved operational efficiency.
Customer satisfaction – NPS improvements, fewer meal complaints, higher repeat purchase rates – are also factors, especially for premium cabins where experience drives loyalty. The best programmes show positive ROI within 12–18 months, driven primarily by waste reduction and ancillary revenue growth.
Looking ahead…
12. What innovations do you expect in pre-order technology, and how will AI evolve the experience?
AI-driven personalisation will improve significantly – recommendations based not just on past orders but on route, time of day, connections, and even destination weather. AI can analyse booking patterns, past behaviour, and loyalty signals to anticipate preferences even when passengers don’t explicitly pre-order, improving offer relevance, increasing uptake, and reducing waste.
We’ll see dynamic pricing and bundling that adjusts offers in real time based on demand and passenger willingness to pay. Tighter integration between ground and inflight systems, deeper loyalty and CRM embedding, and more mobile and conversational ordering via chat or voice assistants. Sustainability-focused supply-chain optimisation will win over passengers, especially for airlines who share transparent waste reduction reporting.
13. Could pre-ordering expand beyond meals to other inflight services?
Absolutely. The same infrastructure can support pre-orders for duty-free, Wi-Fi bundles, lounge access, premium seating upgrades, ground transfers – anything where advance planning improves experience and creates revenue opportunity. Airlines that crack this will create a true pre-flight commerce platform, not just a meal ordering system.
Join us at World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo
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