Bangkok Air Catering Group Managing Director retires after two decades
Linus Knobel, former Managing Director of BAC
For many years, Bangkok Air Catering has been a beacon of quality in airline catering operations, not just here in SE Asia but around the world. Its reputation and name are largely due to the efforts of Linus Knobel and his excellent team.
Now, after almost 21 years, Knobel’s role as Managing Director for the BAC Group comes to a close as he retires on January 31.
In the years that Knobel has been with BAC, the company has grown from a small independent caterer to an award-winning flight catering company, dominating Thailand’s airline provisioning services. Under his watch, BAC has grown to five catering units Including a HALAL and Kosher Kitchen at S.A.-Don Mueang (DMK), and new units at Koh Samui (USM), Phuket (HKT) and Chiang Mai (CNX).
The food supply facilities of Gourmet Primo serve the airport lounges, VIP flights, low-cost carriers, retail (more than 20 shops), HORECA and event/outside catering hotels in the area, while Gourmet House Culinary Care (GHCC) supplies hospitals, transforming the quality of catering to international standards. He also championed the development of premium restaurants under the Gourmet House brand including Al Saray Lebanese cuisine and the now legendary Brasserie 9 in Sathorn.
Knobel joined BAC in 2004 as General Manager and was promoted to Managing Director in 2005. He has steered the company through some of the most challenging and disruptive events this industry has seen. Throughout that time, BAC has retained its customer base by maintaining a level of service and quality and its core workforce of talent, experiencing only a two percent employee turnover.
Knobel will be greatly missed by not only his loyal and long-serving employees and colleagues but by the many clients and airlines BAC has served, many of whom have become friends over the years of service.
The position of Managing Director at BAC is taken over by Poonyot Thiapairat.
