In 2022, the airline industry still faces covid-related challenges and heightened responsibility to ensure the safety of travellers and workers. TydenBrooks has extensive experience within the airline industry and works closely with its aviation partners to build the best possible supply chain security programs for their global operations. Present day, as the global health situation stabilizes, the industry must ensure the safety of its passengers, equipment, and the goods that are transported, which in many instances also includes air cargo. Many of these supply chain security concerns are attributed to ground, catering, and inflight security. Air cargo security is also a concern due to the TSA cargo screening program known as the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP).
Catering Operations Security
An airline’s food catering operation is one of the most complex logistical supply chains of any industry. Each flight, thousands of items are loaded onto a plane; and they all need to be transferred onboard securely and promptly. Among these items are catering carts and “buy-on-board” food that will be dispensed during the flight. TydenBrooks’ tamper-evident security seals are used on this airline equipment as visual indicators to show that a catering cart has not been opened during its transfer from the catering facility to the plane and throughout the loading process.
Serial numbers are used to assure the seal that was originally applied is the same one that is on when the food arrives. This ensures nothing has been removed, and more importantly, nothing has been added that could potentially cause harm to passengers or the plane itself. Traditionally, catering carts only contained free-issue passenger food that the airline supplied as part of the standard fare. Now, most major airlines offer “buy-on-board” food and beverage as part of their business model. This makes the catering cart a critical component which requires a greater focus on security.
Buy on Board Food Solutions
“Buy-on-board” food, is additional food items that are available for purchase during a flight. Unlike much of the free-issue food, many of these items need to be temperature controlled as well as secured. For this, TydenBrooks has custom developed an inflight thermal bag, which allows airlines to serve both warm and cold meals. These inflight thermal bags come standard with ice pack pockets and can also be used with dry ice. Our inflight thermal bags also fit with any carrier cart and can be custom sized to meet any airline requirements.
Various colors are available for our inflight bags, and they can be marked with a company name and logo. To track the life span of the product being stored, these bags also include a date code. To provide security for the inflight thermal bags, we have our patented TydenClip chamber and TydenClip security seal. These TydenClip security solutions come standard with a serial number and can be barcoded as well. Serial numbers give each bag a unique identifier to ensure no tampering takes place.
Our ChillerAir bag is designed for the various beverages served during a flight such as soda, beer, and wine. The ChillerAir Bag is an innovative insulated bag that features a magnetic opening and closure; ice pack pockets on four sides with base pocket optional; and optional lid. Both the inflight thermal bag and the ChillerAir Bag exceed the required NATA Accredited Laboratory temperature tests and are European Union regulation no. 10/2011 and U.S. F.D.A. regulation 21 CFR compliant. These bags are the perfect security solution for the growing “buy-on-board” revenue streams many airlines are implementing.
Catering Cart Solutions
In addition to protecting the food and beverages, TydenBrooks plastic security seals also provide tamper-evidence solution for the catering carts themselves. Our two best solutions for securing catering carts are our tamper-evident adjustable plastic (HDPA) All-Seal and the easy-to-use ‘single hand’ locking padlock, the Swan Seal. The All-Seal is the industry leading adjustable plastic seal solution for catering carts with a patented removal tear-away feature which requires no tools or cutters.
The All-Seal offers a nylon locking mechanism and is available in both 8″ and 10″ lengths and can be 1D, 2D, and QR laser barcoded. Similarly, the new generation flexible copolymer polypropylene padlock Swan Seal was specifically designed for securing in-flight aircraft carts and trolleys. The Swan Seal features an enhanced ‘spring secure’ locking mechanism for increased security and is unable to be tampered with by the “hot water” defeat attack. It also offers eight standard colors and can be 1D, 2D, and QR laser barcoded.
When A higher strength seal is needed, our airline customers use our high-security airline seals. When traditional pull-up seals are secured, they are under tension at the tear-away point. This is due to the cart’s movements around the catering cart staging area, loading on to the catering vehicles, and getting bashed against each other from the catering facility to the aircraft and back again. In many instances, the carts collide at the catering cart staging area and the traditional seals can break open, resulting in the entire catering cart being removed from the route.
Our light-duty Quick Loc 1.0mm cable seal offers a greater breaking strength and requires a light duty cable cutter for removal. Many airlines utilize the Quick Loc 1.0 on their liquor carts being they are a high-value item and at higher risk of pilferage. It is also used to secure passenger boarding bridges when they are not in use, or to prevent intrusion from the airport operations area.
Included in our high-security airline seals category is our new revolutionary, Hawk Lock Seal. The Hawk Lock seal is a re-usable two-piece padlock style locking system which utilizes a disposable plastic seal. The plastic hawk seal is made in several colors to match the operational procedures within the airline and airport. If offers adequate space for barcodes, company logo, and sequential numbering. The ergonomically friendly design allows cabin crew to open the seal with one finger.
Ground and Inflight Security Solutions
As part of ground security for airport operations, the Department of Transportation (DOT) requires all aircraft that are not in service and are unattended to be secured in a tamper-proof manner. This procedure is known as RON (Remain on the Ground) and our KNR or KNDM non-residue VOID message security labels are applied to all return aircraft parked overnight or deemed not in service. These security tapes should be used on aircraft cabin doors that are for passenger and staff access.
Internally, for aircraft, the inflight security requirements include several different applications making for a successful multi-layered security solution. The passenger service unit (PSU) is the aircraft component above each row of passenger seats that contains the oxygen masks as well as passenger life vests. The TydenBrooks custom-designed security seal, PSU-KDMN non-residue VOID message security label, is the only approved product for this application.
This product went through a stringent testing process before being chosen for this critical panel design change. Also, in many aircraft, TydenBrooks security seals such as our PP-2 plastic padlock and our Life Vest Stowage; LVS security seal and life vest bag is utilized. The security solutions assure that safety features are protected and have not been tampered with, providing passenger and crew safety.
Securing the World’s Airlines
TydenBrooks prides itself on our experience and dedication to security and safety in the aviation industry. It is our goal to prevent theft and tampering while protecting your company and the public. Aviation is one of the most at-risk industries due to its complex supply chain operations, and airlines must take the necessary steps to ensure all facets of its operations are adequately secured.
Allow us to collaborate with you to address your specific needs and make sure you can rest easy knowing your airline supply chain is properly secured. Whether you require an indicative plastic seal for catering carts; a security label for ground & inflight security; or a thermal bag solution for your buy-onboard offerings; TydenBrooks provides the most innovative and tamper-evident high-quality products on the market. Contact us at 1-800-458-7325 (SEAL) or [email protected]
