The International Flight Services Association (IFSA) has launched its 2026 World Food Safety Guidelines, which combine the association’s previous Guidelines and Implementation Guide into a single resource for airline catering operations. The document was introduced at the IFSA Global Expo, held on 8-10 September 2026 in Dallas, Texas.
The guidelines were presented during the session Food Safety First: The Future of Global Inflight Standards, which examined the role of food safety in passenger trust and in maintaining operational consistency across the inflight supply chain. Food safety leaders from IFSA, Gategroup, Newrest and Porsche Consulting took part.
The expo attracted nearly 1,000 attendees, and its exhibition floor was co-located with the Future Travel Experience (FTE) Global Expo. The programme also included two further thought leadership sessions, as well as live chef demonstrations and an expanded IFSA Awards programme.
“IFSA sits at the heart of the onboard experience,” said Lauren Costello, executive director of IFSA. “Everything a passenger tastes, drinks and touches in the cabin, from food and beverage to amenities and the food safety standards, our members are behind them. This year that expertise advanced at remarkable speed, with new global food safety guidelines, chef-driven menus, and the first expanded IFSA Awards. Co-located with Future Travel Experience Global, IFSA Global Expo 2026 brought the entire journey into one room, from the tray table to the technology and design shaping travel end to end, and that is exactly why this show matters and keeps growing.”
The session Premium by Design: The New Era of Airline Hospitality looked at how airlines are changing premium service across cabins as passenger expectations shift. Topics included chef-driven menus, dining on demand, buy-onboard programmes, brand collaborations and the role of the inflight experience in differentiation and loyalty. Panellists represented Southwest Airlines, Saudia, Delta Air Lines and JSX.
A session on AI, Turning Data into Dinner: How AI Is Transforming Airline Catering, covered how airlines, caterers and technology providers are applying forecasting, digital ordering, inventory planning and personalisation to catering operations, with the aim of reducing waste and matching onboard offerings more closely to passenger demand. Speakers came from Airbus, International Airlines Group, United Airlines, Paxia and SkyChefs.
The live chef demonstrations highlighted the growing role of regional culinary traditions in creating distinctive onboard dining. For example, American Airlines and Pecan Lodge presented the airline’s Texas barbecue offering, including brisket, smoked sausage, signature sides and barbecue sauce. Aeroméxico showed signature and seasonal dishes developed with chef Adriana Noriega, including sautéed shrimp with tamarind and tequila, Chile en Nogada, and a dessert inspired by cajeta from Guanajuato.
On the final day, IFSA announced the winners of its expanded awards programme, which covered six categories including food and beverage, onboard amenities and tableware.
IFSA, which operates under the umbrella of the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), will hold its next Global Expo in 2027.
