What Is Dry Ice and When Is It Used in Inflight Catering?

Dry ice — solid carbon dioxide at -109.3°F (-78.5°C) — is used in inflight catering for specific applications that require cold chain temperatures below what standard gel packs or ice can maintain. It's also classified as a dangerous good under IATA and FAA regulations, with specific quantity limits and labeling requirements for aircraft transport. Here's what everyone in the catering chain needs to know.

When Dry Ice Is Used in Inflight Catering

Standard inflight catering cold chain uses calibrated refrigeration and standard gel pack cooling — which maintains temperatures in the 34–40°F range appropriate for most perishable food. Dry ice is used in specific scenarios that require temperatures below 32°F (0°C):

• Frozen desserts: Ice cream, sorbet, frozen confections that must remain frozen through the transit window
• Raw sushi-grade fish: Specific preparations where sub-freezing temperature is required to maintain quality and safety
• Specialty frozen items: Specialty items ordered frozen (wedding cakes, specific confections) that cannot be allowed to thaw during transit
• Extended transit scenarios: Unusual situations where the catering transit window is extended beyond what gel packs can maintain

For most standard inflight catering, dry ice is not necessary or used. DFK uses gel pack and calibrated refrigeration as the standard cold chain method.

FAA and IATA Regulations on Dry Ice

Dry ice is classified as a Dangerous Good — specifically, UN 1845, Dry Ice, Class 9. The regulations that apply:

For cargo compartments: IATA regulations allow up to 200kg of dry ice per package in cargo with specific labeling and documentation requirements.

For passenger compartments (including private jet cabins): Much more restrictive. IATA limits dry ice in passenger compartments to quantities used to keep food cold — typically no more than 2.5kg (approximately 5.5 lbs) per package in checked baggage. For aircraft cabin use (in catering containers), the quantity must be small and the container must be ventilated to allow CO2 to off-gas safely.

CO2 is the critical risk: as dry ice sublimates (converts from solid to gas), it releases CO2 into the surrounding space. In an enclosed aircraft cabin, sufficient dry ice sublimation could displace oxygen. This is why IATA regulates it strictly and requires ventilated packaging when dry ice is used in proximity to the passenger cabin.

How DFK Handles Dry Ice Orders

When a DFK order includes dry ice:

• Quantity is limited to the minimum necessary for the specific cold chain requirement
• Packaging is ventilated appropriately per IATA requirements
• The delivery manifest documents dry ice as a dangerous good with quantity and handling notes
• Our delivery team informs the FBO operations team and flight crew of the dry ice presence at delivery

For any specific dry ice requirements in your catering order, flag it at order time. Order with DFK.