The Airline Catering Association has warned that proposed US tariffs on inflight catering supplies could lead to increased ticket prices.
The association represents top inflight catering firms, employing 84,000 people and serving over 1.4bn passengers annually.
About 40pc of supply expenditure for caterers is on imported materials, with planned tariffs expected to raise costs by around US$200m in the first year.
Fabio Gamba cautioned that tariffs will drive up ticket fares and “risk undermining consumer confidence in air travel,” leading to reduced bookings and job losses.
The ACA stresses that cost pressures will impact the entire air transport ecosystem, necessitating menu reductions and potential job cuts.
Fabio Gamba shared that “tariffs on food ingredients, packaging materials, and specialized equipment will undoubtedly drive up ticket fares and onboard service costs. Let us seek more intelligent, focused solutions that boost U.S. competitiveness without penalizing travelers or carriers—our doors are open.”
