The HighLoader Advantage: Servicing Large Aircraft Anywhere

Standard catering vehicles — the insulated carts and delivery vans that serve most private jet catering — work perfectly for light and mid-size jets where the galley door is at or near ramp level. For wide-body aircraft, VIP airliners (Boeing Business Jet, Airbus Corporate Jet), and large-cabin jets with elevated aft galley doors, a standard delivery isn't possible without a HighLoader.

What a HighLoader Is

A HighLoader is a specialized airport catering vehicle with an elevating platform — essentially a truck with a scissor-lift bed that can rise to match the height of an aircraft galley door anywhere from 10 to 20+ feet above the ramp. This is the standard equipment for commercial airline catering at every airport in the world. In private aviation, it's rarer — because most private aircraft don't require it. When they do, you need a caterer who has the equipment.

DFK operates HighLoader-capable catering for large-cabin and wide-body private aircraft across our service network. This is not a capability that most private aviation caterers maintain — it requires significant equipment investment and operational training. DFK made that investment because our market includes VIP airliners, BBJ/ACJ aircraft, and converted wide-body private jets.

Aircraft That Require HighLoader Service

• Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) variants — all models
• Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) variants — all models
• Converted wide-body VIP aircraft (747, 767, 777, A340 conversions)
• Some large-cabin long-range jets with elevated aft galleys
• Military/government VIP transports

If you're unsure whether your aircraft requires HighLoader service, tell us the aircraft type at order time. Our team will confirm whether HighLoader equipment is required and ensure it's part of your delivery plan.

The Safety Case for HighLoader Service

Loading catering onto a wide-body aircraft without a HighLoader requires improvised solutions — ladders, human chains, inappropriate vehicles. These are not only inefficient; they're genuine safety risks for the catering team and potential damage risks for the aircraft. A hot catering container handed up a ladder to an aircraft door is a burn hazard and a spillage hazard.

HighLoader service is the professional standard because it eliminates these risks. The platform seals against the aircraft door at the appropriate height, catering is rolled directly from the platform into the galley, and the process is safe and efficient.

Scheduling HighLoader Service

HighLoader service requires slightly more advance coordination than standard delivery — the vehicle needs to be confirmed, the ramp access for a larger vehicle needs to be arranged with the FBO in advance, and the delivery window needs to account for equipment positioning. We typically recommend 48-hour minimum notice for HighLoader orders.

For VIP airliner operators and large-cabin operators in our network, we recommend establishing a standing HighLoader service protocol with DFK so the equipment is pre-confirmed for every arrival at our hub airports. Contact us to establish your large-aircraft service protocol.