Slot Times and Catering Delivery: How Departure Times Shape Private Jet Catering in France
Slot times and catering delivery go hand in hand. For a private jet departing from a busy French airport, the moment the aircraft leaves the stand is shaped by two kinds of slot, the airport slot and the air traffic control slot, and the catering should reach the galley in harmony with both. When delivery is timed to the slot, the crew loads calmly, the cold chain holds and guests board to a galley that is ready.
Global Diners prepares VVIP inflight catering in its own production kitchens in Paris (Le Bourget), Nice and Madrid and from kitchens serving more than 2,500 airports worldwide. At Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE) we deliver planeside, directly to the aircraft, so understanding how slots work helps us place every delivery at the right moment.
Two kinds of slot, one departure
In Europe, the word slot describes two different things, and both influence the timing of a flight. Flight departments and dispatchers manage them; for catering, what matters is how they translate into the moment the crew wants the order on board.
Airport slot | ATC slot (CTOT) | |
What it is | Permission to arrive or depart at a coordinated airport at a planned time | A calculated take-off time issued when en-route airspace is busy |
Who manages it | The airport slot coordinator (COHOR in France) | The EUROCONTROL Network Manager |
When it is set | In advance, when the flight is planned | Close to departure, and it can move earlier or later |
Effect on catering | Sets the planned delivery time | Can fine-tune the delivery time on the day |
Airport slots: the planned departure time
At coordinated airports, business aviation flights need an airport slot that matches their planned arrival or departure time. In France, slot coordination is handled by COHOR, the national coordinator, and the busiest Riviera and Paris airports apply it, particularly in the summer season and during major events.
For catering, the airport slot is the anchor. When you order at order@globaldiners.com, the planned departure time and the crew's preferred delivery time let our kitchen schedule preparation, plating and dispatch so that everything arrives fresh and on time.
ATC slots: fine-tuning on the day
An ATC slot, or calculated take-off time (CTOT), is issued by the EUROCONTROL Network Manager when demand on a route or sector is high. It gives the flight a take-off window, generally from five minutes before to ten minutes after the calculated time. The CTOT can move as traffic evolves, sometimes to an earlier time and sometimes to a later one.
This is where flexible catering planning shines. When the crew shares an updated departure time, our specialised team adjusts the delivery accordingly, keeping the order in the cold chain until the right moment so that it reaches the galley at its best.
The best catering delivery is the one that arrives exactly when the crew is ready to load it, whatever the slot says that morning.
Collaborative decision making at busy airports
Several major European airports use collaborative decision making to sequence departures. Crews and handlers share a target off-block time, the airport calculates a start-up time, and every service around the aircraft, from fuelling to boarding, works to the same timeline. Catering is part of that rhythm: the closer the delivery is to the agreed sequence, the smoother the turnaround.
How to time catering delivery around your slot
Order 24 hours before delivery at order@globaldiners.com with the aircraft registration, airport, date, planned departure time and passenger count.
Agree a delivery time with the crew, leaving enough time to load and stow the galley before boarding.
Share the stand or FBO if known, so our team reaches the aircraft directly.
If the departure time moves, send the updated time to the same email so the delivery can follow it.
Plan crew meals for each leg at the same time as passenger catering.
Many crews prefer to receive catering comfortably before passengers arrive, so the galley is loaded, chillers are running and the cabin is ready. The exact timing is always the crew's choice, and our team confirms it in your dedicated quote.
What this looks like at Paris, Nice and Madrid
Airport | Slot context | Global Diners delivery |
Paris (LFPB / LBG) | Europe's leading business aviation airport, busy week-round | Own kitchen, planeside delivery |
Nice (LFMN / NCE) | Coordinated airport with strong seasonal peaks | Own kitchen, planeside delivery |
Madrid (LEMD / MAD) | Major hub with a busy business aviation area | Own kitchen, delivery at the FBO |
Cannes (LFMD / CEQ) | Event-driven peaks in spring and September | Our kitchen, arrangements confirmed per airport |
At Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE), our own kitchens are close to the aircraft and planeside delivery makes it easy to follow a revised departure time. At Madrid (LEMD / MAD), our Madrid kitchen delivers at the FBO, ready for the crew to collect. At airports such as Cannes (LFMD / CEQ) or Geneva (LSGG / GVA), our kitchens follow the same principles and the delivery arrangements are confirmed for each airport.
Packaging and the cold chain when times move
Every Global Diners order is prepared to HACCP principles, kept in the cold chain and labelled with allergens. Cold dishes travel chilled, hot dishes are prepared for reheating in the galley oven, and packaging is designed for quick, tidy stowage. This makes it easy to adjust a delivery by an hour or more while keeping every dish at its best.
Chilled dishes stay in temperature-controlled transport until loading.
Hot main courses come with clear reheating instructions for the crew.
Labelled trays make it simple to load quickly when a slot moves earlier.
Crew meals are packed separately for easy access on long rotations.
For short-notice requests, read our guide to ordering last-minute private jet catering, and for multi-leg trips, our article on global aviation catering coordination explains how we align several stations.
Flexible planning in peak season
Peak season is also the most rewarding time to fly to the Riviera and Paris, and a little extra preparation makes every departure feel effortless. Sharing passenger numbers, dietary preferences and the planned departure time the day before gives the kitchen a clear plan, while a quick message on the morning of the flight keeps the delivery perfectly aligned with the latest slot.
Summer weekends, the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix bring the Riviera's busiest skies of the year. In those weeks, slot times are more likely to shift, and flexible catering planning keeps everything calm. Our guide to the Nice airport seasons shows when those peaks fall.
Peak Dates for Inflight Catering at Paris (LFPB / LBG)
Event | When | Where |
Paris Fashion Week | January, late February to early March, June, and late September to early October | Venues across central Paris |
Paris Air Show | June, odd-numbered years | Paris-Le Bourget Airport and exhibition centre |
Roland-Garros | Late May to early June | Stade Roland-Garros, Paris 16th arrondissement |
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe | Early October | ParisLongchamp Racecourse, Bois de Boulogne |
Art Basel Paris | October | Grand Palais, Paris |
Christmas and New Year holidays | Mid-December to early January | Paris and onward to Alpine and sun destinations |
Roland-Garros at Paris (LFPB / LBG): Late May to early June
The French Open tennis championship runs for two weeks on the clay courts of the Bois de Boulogne, and the finals weekend draws the most private traffic. Many guests fly in for a single day of matches and leave the same evening. Prepare return-leg catering when you book the inbound order, and favour chilled summer dishes, strawberries, French pastries and Champagne pairings that suit a celebratory flight home after the final.
Fair, show and racing dates in Paris move a little each year, so check the current timings with our team when you send your order.
FBOs at Paris (LFPB / LBG): the business aviation terminals here include Dassault Falcon Service, Jet Aviation, Signature Aviation, Advanced Air Support International, Jetex Le Bourget, ExecuJet Paris and Universal Aviation France. Our own kitchen delivers planeside, with timings agreed with the FBO or handler you choose.
Also nearby: Madrid (LEMD / MAD)
FBOs at Madrid (LEMD / MAD): the business aviation terminals here include General Aviation Service SL, AviaVIP, Sky Valet Spain and United Aviation Services S.L.. Our team coordinates every delivery with the FBO or handler you choose.
Also on the route: Nice (LFMN / NCE)
Nice became a winter resort for European aristocracy in the 19th century, and the Belle Époque villas along the coast reflect that era. The city has the Musée Matisse, the Marc Chagall National Museum and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Nearby, the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on Cap Ferrat are among the region's highlights.
Niçoise cooking is everywhere: socca, pissaladière and salade niçoise in the old town, and seafood restaurants around the port. The Riviera also has a high concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants, from Monaco to Cannes. The Cours Saleya market offers flowers, produce and local food. For shopping, visitors go to Avenue Jean Médecin in Nice, the Golden Square in Monte-Carlo and the Rue d'Antibes and Croisette boutiques in Cannes.
Also on the route: Cannes (LFMD / CEQ)
Demand peaks around MIPIM (March), the Cannes Film Festival (May), Cannes Lions (June), the Cannes Yachting Festival (September) and MIPCOM (October), so please order catering early during these periods.
Cannes sits on the western Riviera, where Provençal cooking leans on olive oil, herbs and the catch of the day. Tapenade of black olives, anchoïade with raw vegetables and fougasse with olives or lardons make simple and elegant aperitif plates for the cabin. Pan bagnat and salade niçoise work well for lunch, while Mediterranean fish such as sea bass and red mullet can be served as cold fillets with sauce vierge. Ratatouille and tian of summer vegetables are good warm options for reheating. Grasse, just inland, is known for jasmine and roses, and floral notes appear in local pastries and syrups. The tarte tropézienne, a brioche filled with light cream, is popular along the whole coast, and calissons and candied fruit from the region make nice gifts. On the islands facing Cannes, the monks of the Abbaye de Lérins produce their own wines, and Côtes de Provence rosé is the classic summer choice; citron pressé and herbal infusions are fresh non-alcoholic options. Our kitchens selected specifically for private aviation prepare each order, and pick-up from Cannes restaurants and beach clubs is available on request.
FBOs at every airport in this guide
Here are the business aviation terminals (FBOs) at each airport mentioned above. Our team coordinates every catering delivery with the FBO or handler you choose, and our own kitchens deliver planeside at Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE).
Paris (LFPB / LBG): Dassault Falcon Service, Jet Aviation, Signature Aviation, Advanced Air Support International, Jetex Le Bourget, ExecuJet Paris and Universal Aviation France
Nice (LFMN / NCE): Signature Aviation, AviaVIP and DC Aviation G-OPS
Madrid (LEMD / MAD): General Aviation Service SL, AviaVIP, Sky Valet Spain and United Aviation Services S.L.
Cannes (LFMD / CEQ): Sky Valet
Geneva (LSGG / GVA): Geneva Airpark SA, Signature Aviation, Dassault Aviation Business Services SA, Jet Aviation Geneva and Privatport
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an airport slot and an ATC slot?
An airport slot is permission to depart or arrive at a coordinated airport at a planned time. An ATC slot, or CTOT, is a take-off time issued by the EUROCONTROL Network Manager when en-route airspace is busy.
When should catering be delivered before a private jet departure?
The crew chooses the delivery time, usually comfortably before passengers board so the galley can be loaded. We confirm it in your dedicated quote.
What happens to my catering if the departure time changes?
Send the updated time to order@globaldiners.com. Our team adjusts the delivery and keeps the order in the cold chain until the new time.
Where does Global Diners deliver planeside?
We deliver planeside at Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE), and at the FBO in Madrid (LEMD / MAD). Elsewhere, arrangements depend on the airport.
Explore more destinations and guides
Private jet catering in Paris (LFPB / LBG)
Private jet catering in Nice (LFMN / NCE)
Private jet catering in Madrid (LEMD / MAD)
Ready to time your next departure?
Share your planned departure time and your crew's preferred delivery time, and Global Diners prepares your selection from the menu card and delivers it in step with your slot, planeside in Paris and Nice and at the FBO in Madrid.
To request a quote, email order@globaldiners.com with your aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count. Our specialised team replies with a dedicated quote for your mission.
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