Good question — there isn’t a single global rule that only covers “cabin cart locks.” Instead, compliance is a mix of airworthiness/certification rules, operator (airline) procedures, cabin safety guidance, and security/catering requirements. Below I’ve summarized the practical compliance landscape (what regulators require, what airlines must do, and what auditors should check), with authoritative sources so you can dig deeper.
Short summary (one-line)
- Galley/serving carts that are part of the aircraft design must meet airworthiness and certification requirements (FAA/EASA/CS certification rules); irrespective of certification, operators must secure and restrain carts during critical phases and when not in use per operations manuals and cabin-safety guidance; catering/security locks and seals are industry practice and included in airline procedures and security regulations.
What the main regulators say (high-level)
- FAA / United States: Airworthiness (14 CFR Part 25 / Part 121) and FAA advisory material require that cabin items (including galley equipment and service carts) be restrained or secured and that manuals and procedures address stowage and restraint. FAA cabin-safety guidance emphasizes restraining serving carts when not in use.
- EASA / Europe: Galley carts and containers are treated as part of the galley/“open galley surfaces” for certification/airworthiness purposes and subject to related means-of-compliance; EASA materials and rule compilations handle galley equipment in their certification/airworthiness guidance.
- ICAO / IATA (global guidance): ICAO/IATA guidance and industry best-practice documents instruct operators to secure galley equipment/carts (apply brakes, latch, stow) and to perform safety risk assessments for non-standard configurations (e.g., freighter conversions or ad-hoc cargo in cabin). IATA also provides carriage and cabin-cargo guidance.
Practical implications for airlines / operators
- Design vs. operational item
- If a cart is part of the aircraft type design (i.e., certified installation), it must comply with the aircraft certification requirements (airworthiness, occupant injury, latching under crash loads, flammability where applicable).
- If it’s an operational item (loose service cart not part of the type design), the operator must ensure safe restraining, procedural controls, and inclusion in their manuals (SOM/OMP/COM) and training.
- Locking / restraint mechanisms
- Carts must have functional brakes/latches and proper stowage provisions; many operators mandate both mechanical locks and procedural checks (apply brake, latch, orient wheels into guiders). Where a cart interfaces with a certified galley fixture, that interface must be certified.
- Operational procedures
- Procedures required in crew manuals and operations manuals for: preflight checks of galley carts, stowage during taxi/takeoff/landing, reporting/marking of inoperative (INOP) carts, and SOPs for in-flight service vs turbulence.
- Security / catering locks & seals
- Airlines commonly use seals/locks on catering carts (and catering trucks) to protect food integrity and comply with security requirements. These are generally mandated by operator security procedures and airport/country-security rules rather than aircraft certification rules.
Key compliance differences by region (typical)
- U.S. (FAA): Focus on inclusion in manuals, Part 25 airworthiness for certified installations, and safe stowage rules under Part 121 operations. Enforcement via oversight and audits.
- EU (EASA): Tight integration with certification standards and means-of-compliance for galley fittings; operator procedures mirror EASA OPS and national authority oversight.
- Other states (ICAO contracting states): Most follow ICAO/IATA guidance and apply equivalent national rules; some variations exist in how much of galley equipment is treated as certified aircraft equipment versus operator-supplied.
Five most important compliance points (for auditors / program owners)
- Certification status — confirm whether the cart (or attachment) is part of the aircraft’s certified installation (type-approved) or an operator-supplied loose item; certification triggers different requirements.
- Physical restraint / locking function — verify mechanical condition: brakes, latches, locks, and any interface fittings operate to specification and are maintained.
- Procedures & manuals — ensure SOPs describe stowage and locking steps for all phases (taxi, TO, landing, turbulence) and that crew are trained and assessed.
- Security seals / tamper evidence (catering) — ensure catering supply chain controls (seals, supervision) are documented and followed where required by security programs.
- Reporting & INOP handling — damaged or non-functional trolleys must be tagged/removed from service per operator policy (and not used if they cannot be secured).
Quick compliance / audit checklist (copyable)
- Is the cart certified as part of the aircraft installation? (Yes / No) — if Yes, check certification documents.
- Visual & functional: brakes engage; latches secure; wheels/guides align; no broken parts.
- SOPs & manuals: stowage/locking steps present in SOM/OMP/checked in recurrent training.
- Security: Are catering seals used where required and chain-of-custody documented?
- Maintenance records & defect handling: are inoperative carts removed/labelled per procedure?
Notes, nuances, and practical tips
- No single “global lock spec”: regulators require safe restraint and certified interfaces where applicable, but the exact lock type/brand is an operator/manufacturer decision.
- Industry guidance is influential: IATA/ICAO/industry compendia provide the practical operational expectations that airlines adopt into manuals.
- If changing use (e.g., cargo in cabin, or new smart locking systems) — you must perform a safety assessment and often seek authority approval for non-standard configurations.
If you want, I can (pick any and I’ll do it right away)
- Build a printable audit checklist template (Excel / PDF) tailored to FAA, EASA or a specific airline.
- Compare a specific airline’s published policy (e.g., Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Delta) for galley/cart restraints and show differences. (I’ll look up each airline’s published SOPs/policy and cite them.)
- Draft an operations paragraph you can insert into a flight-ops or cabin-safety manual describing required locking/stowage language.
Sources (selected): FAA Cabin Safety index & stowage guidance; EASA rules/“open galley surfaces” references; IATA/ICAO cabin operations and carriage guidance; industry cabin safety compendia and operator best practices.
Tell me which follow-up you want (audit template, airline comparison, or a manual paragraph) and I’ll produce it immediately.
🛫 1. Aero líneas Argentinas Flight 386 — Cholera from Contaminated Meal (1992)
One of the most significant food-contamination cases in aviation history occurred on 14 February 1992:
• Onboard Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 386 from Buenos Aires (via Lima) to Los Angeles, a Boeing 747 flight served meals contaminated with cholera.
• 75 people fell ill, and 1 passenger died from the disease after eating the contaminated food.
• The outbreak was traced back to poor hygiene and contaminated food preparation in the catering supply chain. The public health risk resulted in a major investigation and heightened international focus on aviation catering standards and safety.
What this meant for industry practice:
After this incident and others like it, aviation stakeholders (airlines, caterers, health agencies, regulators) strengthened food-safety management systems (e.g., Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)) and regular audits of catering providers to prevent biological contamination.
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🍽️ 2. Japan Air Lines Food Poisoning (1975)
A classic historical case, often cited in aviation safety studies:
• In February 1975, aboard a Japan Air Lines Boeing 747, 144 passengers became ill after eating meals contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus toxins.
• Laboratory tests confirmed the pathogen in meals and passenger samples.
• The source was traced to improper food handling by catering staff, including an infected food handler.
• Investigation highlighted crew meal separation practices (to avoid simultaneous incapacitation) and food temperature controls as crucial safety measures.
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🥘 3. Recent Report — Emergency Landing After Serving “Contaminated” Food (2024)
In July 2024, a Delta Airlines flight diverted to New York JFK after onboard meals were reportedly spoiled/contaminated:
• Flight 136 (Detroit → Amsterdam) was diverted when passengers received meals suspected to be spoiled.
• Medical crews attended onboard, and Delta initiated an investigation with its food safety team and suppliers to isolate the product.
While final investigative details may not yet be publicly released, the operational response (diversion, isolation, investigation) underscores how airlines treat food safety issues as potentially serious operational safety risks.
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🧪 4. India Food Safety Authority Notice Over Blade Found in Airline Meal (2024)
This isn’t a classic contamination pathogen case, but it illustrates why pre-flight food screening and inspection controls are mandated:
• In June 2024, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued an improvement notice to a major airline catering contractor after a passenger found a metal blade in his in-flight meal.
• The foreign object was traced back to a vegetable-processing machine at the catering facility.
• Authorities ordered installation of x-ray machines and better inspection controls to prevent physical contamination of meals before loading.
Takeaway: Even non-biological contamination prompts regulators to tighten controls (e.g., metal detectors, X-ray scanning of food trays) to prevent harm from physical hazards.
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📋 5. Industry and Medical Safety Guidance
Beyond specific accidents, food poisoning is recognized as a serious hazard that can affect crew performance and flight safety:
• Aviation medicine literature and safety databases note that foodborne illness can incapacitate crew and threaten safe flight operations, leading to calls for more stringent catering standards and crew meal policies (e.g., different meals for pilots).
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🧐 Why These Matter for Compliance
These incidents and investigations have led the aviation industry and regulators to enforce or tighten:
✔ Catering facility standards and audits (HACCP, hygiene, temperature control).
✔ Security and safety checks of catering loads before boarding—e.g., verifying seals, metal detection, and inspection of carts.
✔ Crew procedures for food handling and symptom response, including medical reporting guidelines.
✔ Regulatory guidance on food safety and contamination prevention for in-flight meals and crew meals.