Smart Catering: reducing cabin food waste with AI

The global airline industry currently generates an estimated 3.6 million tonnes of cabin and catering waste annually, based on 2024–2025 data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF). This volume is to be at four million tonnes by late 2025 and could potentially double by 2040 if current practices are not changed, primarily due to the increased passengers’ numbers.

A significant portion of this waste – between 18% and 20% – is untouched food and drink. Most of that is either incinerated or sent to landfills, often because of strict international regulations. Airbus identified this food waste as a challenge that needs to be addressed to support the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

From concept to reality: testing AI-driven catering with Virgin Atlantic

In 2025 Airbus tested an innovative concept: "Smart Catering" in live conditions on several flights with Virgin Atlantic. It confirmed that the AI and data-driven solution reveals a clear picture by automatically capturing passengers' meal consumption data and tracing the quantity of unused food and drinks.

The "Smart Catering" solution, designed for operational efficiency and hassle-free consumption tracking without requiring extra crew activity, was first successfully tested on a Virgin Atlantic ground cabin mock-up center in the United Kingdom. Following the successful ground trial, it was deployed onboard for in-flight catering service reality checks on an A330 (London to New York and return) and an A350 (London to Orlando and return).

Darryl Bailey, Head of Inflight Services at Virgin Atlantic says: “At Virgin Atlantic, we’re always looking for innovative ways to elevate our premium onboard experience while reducing our environmental impact. Collaborating with Airbus on the Smart Catering trials has given us valuable insight into how data and AI can help us better match customer preferences, minimise waste, and operate more efficiently. This is an exciting step forward in our commitment to sustainability, without compromising the high-quality service our customers know and love.”

How digital tools improved the in-flight service during the tests?

The solution on board the 'connected aircraft' brings additional value for the crew and passengers.

Elise Weber, Airbus’ Head of Service Ecosystem Connected Aircraft explains: “During the flight tests, the tool provided features like interactive galley search, live inventory, and intuitive dietary information free crew from manual forms and reporting, allowing them to focus on the passenger. The system provided real-time availability and location status of all food and beverage, and could indicate in which trolley and galley they can be found during the flight.”

How the AI food scanner tracks meal consumption...

The solution incorporates AI software that can be installed on existing crew tablets and mobile devices which would be installed during meal and beverage service on any standard trolley.

• Camera-based AI Recognition: The AI would rely on the existing camera of the cabin crew’s mobile or tablet device to the meal tray as they pull it out from the trolley. The stock on board is updated. Likewise for beverages, the solution would track consumption and update the stock.
• Intelligent Crew Assistance: While the tracking of meals and beverages happens transparently in the normal flow of how cabin crew members work, the Smart Catering solution goes beyond tracking consumption levels: Cabin crew members also have on their crew device information about realtime stock management and location, allergy and nutrition information, and much more.
• Fleet-wide catering intelligence: Smart Catering will come with a ‘ground cloud’ through which all onboard data from the crew devices may be analysed. This allows airlines to use route-level insights to quantify precise passenger demand fulfillment.
   

Smart catering

This approach has the potential to yield double-digit reductions in preventable waste associated with carrying food and beverage on board.

Discover the Smart Catering solution at AIX 2026

Potential airline customers can try out a real working prototype for themselves at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg from April 14-16.