Unit of competency details

Unit Descriptor 

This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to provide advice on cuisine to passengers on a commercial aircraft, including discussing menu items and selections, advising passengers on food and special menu items, and obtaining feedback from passengers and others and contributing to menu development. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit.

Application of the Unit 

Work must be carried out in accordance with workplace procedures and the relevant regulatory requirements.

Use for ADF Aviation is to be in accordance with relevant Defence Orders and Instructions and applicable CASA compliance.

Work is performed under some supervision usually within a team environment.

Work involves the application of passenger service principles and procedures to the provision of advice on cuisine to passengers on commercial aircraft across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian aviation industry.

Employability Skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the required performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1 Discuss menu items and selections 

1.1 Culinary styles and cooking methods of menu items are discussed with passengers using appropriate language, terminology and correct pronunciation according to the passenger's needs

1.2 Passengers are advised on the selection of menu items available, providing options and possible variations where appropriate to passenger and operational needs

2 Advise passengers on food 

2.1 Information is accessed from appropriate sources in order to advise passengers on menu items in accordance with workplace procedures

2.2 Passengers are advised on a range of foods, in terms of varieties, quality factors, ingredients and cooking methods, where applicable, using standard airline descriptions and in accordance with workplace procedures

2.3 Foods are described using standard industry descriptions in terms of preparation methods and styles of service

3 Advise passengers on special menu items 

3.1 Passengers are advised on special menu items using standard airline descriptions and the appropriate terminology in accordance with workplace procedures

3.2 Appropriate responses are made to passenger requests for information on dietary features of special menu items in accordance with workplace procedures

4 Contribute to menu development 

4.1 Trends in passenger needs are identified and interpreted based on direct contact and workplace experience

4.2 Advice on hygiene approaches is provided upon request

4.3 Suggestions and feedback on possible changes to menu development is provided to relevant personnel in accordance with workplace procedures

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS 

This describes the essential knowledge and skills and their level required for this unit.

Required knowledge :

• Relevant regulatory requirements

• Relevant equal opportunity and anti-discrimination regulations

• Principles of customer service

• Airline procedures and standards for providing advice on cuisine to passengers

• Standard airline menus and menu items

• Features and characteristics of various types of food served on commercial aircraft including special menu items

• Relevant information on meal ingredients, special dietary requirements and food allergies

• Food presentation for different types of airline service

• Hygiene and safety issues of specific relevance to food and beverage service

• Risks that exist when providing advice on cuisine to passengers and related risk control procedures and precautions

• Problems that may occur when providing advice on cuisine to passengers, and to passengers with special needs, and appropriate action that should be taken in each case

Required skills :

• Communicate effectively with others when providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft

• Read and interpret instructions, regulations, procedures and other information relevant to providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft

• Interpret and follow operational instructions and prioritise work

• Complete documentation related to providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft

• Operate electronic communication equipment to required protocol

• Work collaboratively with others when providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft

• Adapt appropriately to cultural differences in the workplace, including modes of behaviour and interactions with others

• Promptly report and/or rectify any identified problems that may occur when providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft in accordance with regulatory requirements and workplace procedures

• Implement contingency plans for unexpected events that may arise when providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft

• Apply precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate hazards that may exist when providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft

• Monitor and anticipate operational problems and hazards and take appropriate action

• Monitor work activities in terms of planned schedule

• Modify activities dependent on differing workplace contingencies, situations and environments

• Work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment

• Adapt to differences in equipment and operating environment in accordance with standard operating procedures

• Select and use required personal protective equipment conforming to industry and OH&S standards

• Implement OH&S procedures and relevant regulations

• Identify and correctly use equipment required when providing advice on cuisine on an aircraft

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The Evidence Guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required knowledge and skills, the range statement and the assessment guidelines for this Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

• The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all of the requirements of the elements and performance criteria of this unit and include demonstration of applying:
• the underpinning knowledge and skills
• relevant legislation and workplace procedures
• other relevant aspects of the range statement

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

• Performance is demonstrated consistently over a period of time and in a suitable range of contexts
• Resources for assessment include:
• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or other simulated practical and knowledge assessment, and/or
• access to an appropriate range of relevant operational situations in the workplace
• In both real and simulated environments, access is required to:
• relevant and appropriate materials and equipment, and
• applicable documentation including workplace procedures, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals

Method of assessment 

• Assessment of this unit must be undertaken by a registered training organisation
• As a minimum, assessment of knowledge must be conducted through appropriate written/oral tests
• Practical assessment must occur:
• through activities in an appropriately simulated environment at the registered training organisation, and/or
• in an appropriate range of situations in the workplace

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance.

Meal service may be provided:

• on any passenger-carrying aircraft type in commercial service
• during short and/or long haul services
• in any category of service, including economy, business and first class
• in any allowable operating and weather conditions
• in accordance with regulatory and operational requirements, including OH&S requirements

Performance may be demonstrated:

• in an approved cabin service simulator
• in a suitably simulated work environment
• on a passenger-carrying aircraft

Types of food upon which advice may be provided may include:

• appetisers and hors d'oeuvres
• soups
• meat and fish
• vegetables
• sweets and desserts
• cheeses
• fruit salads
• sauces
• pasta
• noodles

Advice on special menu items may include:

• origins
• ingredients
• methods of preparation
• presentation styles

Sources of information on menu items may include:

• menu galley guide
• catering checklist
• special meal information

Persons consulted on menu items may include:

• passengers
• other crew members
• catering staff
• ground support staff

Dependent on the type of organisation concerned and the local terminology used, workplace procedures may be referred to as:

• company procedures
• enterprise procedures
• organisational procedures
• established procedures
• standard operating procedures

Information/documents may include:

• sections of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders relevant to food service on aircraft
• airline procedures and instructions and job specification
• standard airline menus
• airline meal service procedures checklists and procedures
• menu galley guide
• catering checklist
• special meal information
• relevant information on meal ingredients, special dietary requirements and food allergies
• induction and training materials
• conditions of service, legislation and industrial agreements including workplace agreements and awards

Applicable regulations and legislation may include:

• relevant requirements, standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) pertaining to food service on aircraft
• relevant Australian Civil Aviation Safety Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders pertaining to food service on aircraft
• Civil Aviation Act
• relevant OH&S legislation
• relevant food handling and hygiene legislation
• equal opportunity and anti-discrimination legislation
• relevant Australian Standards
• industrial relations and workplace compensation legislation

Competency Field 

I - Customer Service