German ULD manufacturer Dokasch has launched a special ULD for return catering, a process where airlines carry catering for the return trip already on the outbound flight.

This may be due to many factors, such as the food’s availability or quality at certain airports or seasonal flight schedules and charters with no catering partner contracted at the respective location. Fresh food is sensible to heavy movement.

READ: Fits Cargo Partners with WebCargo by Freightos to ignite digital sales

Once shifted or slipped, there is no real option for replacement at the destination, which negatively impacts the passenger experience.

German Airline Condor was the launching customer and supported the development of the ULD. The AKE LD3 “Dokasch Cater Cage” can take up to 12 half-size trolleys (or an equivalent mix of half- and full-size) plus additional catering boxes and oven racks. It may be individually customised to the specific requirements of each airline.

Trolleys are well secured, so the catering items inside are kept in place securely. “Our catering ULD is a perfect solution to ensure all components for the return catering are kept nicely in place,” says Martin Kraemer, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Dokasch.

“Besides food items, dry goods, pillows, blankets or magazines can all be stowed in the ULD. This ensures a perfect passenger experience on the return flight.”

“Together with Dokasch, we customised the ULDs to fit Condor’s needs. This allows us to store trolleys and meal containers securely and flexibly, ensuring that our high-quality products and accompanying onboard equipment can be safely unloaded at the destination,” says Nicola Burger, Head of Catering at Condor.

READ: IATA announces cargo digitalisation leadership charter

“This saves time and simplifies the logistics process,” Thilo Schaefer, Head of Cargo, adds. “The collaborative effort between the airline and Dokasch has resulted in an excellent product.”