Onboard Hospitality 79 June/July 2019

JUNE/JULY 2019 ISSUE 79

Future foods Can your catering supply chain help save the planet?

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SUSTAINABLE CATERING SEAT MATTRESS MAGIC WTCE & AIX REVIEWS OUR 2019 AWARD WINNERS

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For 40 years, WESSCO International has specialized in branded amenities, passenger comfort items, food & beverage service ware, and a wide range of customized items for airlines worldwide. As your trusted partner of choice, our mission remains to design and supply an exceptional experience for your travelers.

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JUNE/JULY / 03

Inside this issue...

07 58

Winners announced

30

58 61

FOOD

30 Sustainable catering: The future of food RETHINK! 39 Focus on: Bare Travels 40 Lounge dining Threat or opportunity?

43 How to...

Customise Economy

44

BEVERAGE

WTCE REVIEW

Standing room only at the best Taste of Travel Theatre sessions yet, plus news and new products from around the stands

62

DESIGN & INNOVATION

80 Cabin Concept: Air Calin inspired by its tropical home 83 How to... keep food secure 84 Caledonian Sleeper 87 How to... lighten up inflight 88 Cabin Concept: Virgin Atlantic reveals The Loft 91 How to... debut a new train

ENTERTAINMENT & CONNECTIVITY 62 65 67 68 69 70

AIX/PTS Review: Feedback from the seminars & stands Focus on: Showtime inflight How to... get safe wifi to every seat Focus on: Flymingo Opinion: Oliver Ranson In conversation with...

Aditya Chatterjee

72

WELLBEING 72 78 79

REGULARS

Premade Cocktails: In all shapes and sizes Focus on: WTCE mentoring

80

Time for bed: Inflight mattresses Take your pick: Uniforms Focus on: The Humble Co

19 Industry Update / 28 In Debate

/

92

RETAIL 92 95 97

New wave: Digital ways to pay onboard How to... drive change Focus on: British Airways centenary specials

98 Galley Gossip / 100 Global Perspective / 102 Events

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R PU EI IO AT OV NN

AIRLINE I RAILWAY

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sola THE NETHERLANDS

Stainless steel at disposable price

THE sustainable solution for the future

Stainless Steel 100% Recyclable

Safe the FORREST

Safe The sealife

100% Chemical free

Premium look and feel

www.sola-airlinecutlery.com call +31 30 6923364

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WELCOME / 05 SALES & EDITORIAL Publisher: Sue Williams sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com

Event director: Craig McQuinn craig mcquinn@onboardhospitality.com Editor: Julie Baxter julie.baxter@onboardhospitality.com

The future is now...

S

Deputy Editor: Laura Gelder laura.gelder@onboardhospitality.com

ustainability isn't an easy topic for airlines as there seems little doubt the growth in aviation has played its part in climate change. But as this topic moves into the spotlight, so too do initiatives to help.

Contributing Editors: Steve Hartridge, Andy Hoskins, Jo Austin (For Taste of Travel enquiries: jo.austin@onboardhospitality.com Contributing Writers: Jessica Pook, Sasha Woods, Roger Williams, Richard Williams (For IFEC enquiries: richard@ appinpublishing.co.uk)

As this issue went to press, SAS announced a new venture with Airbus for research into commercial hybrid and electric aircraft. And we have already seen trials of biofuels and moves to develop aircraft fuel from renewable power. The engineers are on the case but it is clear the whole supply chain can also do its bit, and needs to do so, now.

Many airlines, rail and cruise operators are setting environmental targets and launching eco initiatives and in this issue we look at how the catering supply chain can help (page 30). It's a topic we are bound to return to as initiatives are coming thick and fast as you can see in our coverage from WTCE (page 44) and of our Onboard Hospitality Awards winners (page 7 and celebrated in our new winners Special Edition). There's not one solution but many small actions that can help. Read on for inspiration, and do share your own eco innovations. As someone far wiser than me once said: the future depends on what you do today.

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Senior Designer: Louisa Horton

Designers: Ross Clifford, Zoë Tarrant & Caitlan Francis Production Manager: Clare Hunter Production Controller: Steve Hunter Subscriptions: Kay Fisher subscriptions@bmipublishing.co.uk

Julie Baxter EDITOR Onboard Hospitality

Managing Director: Matt Bonner CEO: Martin Steady Onboard Hospitality is published by: BMI Publishing Ltd Suffolk House, George Street, Croydon, Surrey CR9 1SR, UK Tel: +44 (0) 20 8649 7233 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8649 7234 © BMI Publishing Ltd 2019.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, BMI Publishing Ltd cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

ISSN: 2046-2042 Cover image: bigstock.com; istock.com.

Regularly read in over 70 countries worldwide and mailed to our 15,000+ international database. Read this magazine in digital form, share it virtually or subscribe. If you are looking for a supplier or caterer, check out onboardhospitality.com/finder

You need to know...

Get yourself connected online  @OBHMagazine �Onboard Hospitality at linkedin.com onboardhospitality.com

GET CONNECTED

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN AIR, RAIL & CRUISE onboardhospitality.com/awards

Our next Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity supplement will be out for APEX & IFSA in September, covering hot trends and innovation in this sector. Contact: Richard Williams

STAY CURRENT

For the latest onboard news and interesting quick reads don't miss Onboard Hospitality Weekly our regular enewsletter, in your inbox every Wednesday.

Contact: Julie Baxter

AWARDS 2020

The 2020 Onboard Hospitality Awards will be open for entries on Sept 1, 2019. Watch out for full details in the weekly enewsletter and online in the coming weeks.

Contact: Sue Williams

SINGAPORE CALLS

Onboard Hospitality will this November again work with the Future Travel Experience, APEX, IFSA and APOT.Asia to host our second Onboard Hospitality Forum - Asia Contact: Craig McQuinn

ALL OF A TWITTER

We aim to help you connect in the virtual world too.

Follow us on Twitter (and Linkedin) and Use #onboard #OBHawards to follow the conversation. @OBHMagazine

onboardhospitality.com

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AWARDS 2018 / 7

LOOK OUT FOR OUR 2019 AWARD WINNERS SPECIAL EDITION! DISTRIBUTED SEPARATELY WITH THIS ISSUE AND ONLINE

WINNERS ANNOUNCED T

here was standing room only at this year's Onboard Hospitality Awards night as the buyers and suppliers of onboard services gathered at the Radisson Blu in Hamburg to hear the winners of the 2019 Onboard Hospitality Awards.

In a hotly-contested process organised by Onboard Hospitality magazine, the 2019 award winners in

ten onboard categories, plus a newto-market Ones to Watch category, walked the red carpet and received their well-deserved recognition trophy.

Finalists were chosen by Onboard Hospitality’s readers through an online vote, and through assessment by our expert judging panel. Editor, Julie Baxter, said: "This is genuine peerto-peer recognition for which the winners should all be truly proud.

Read our judges comments on the winners at onboardhospitality.com/awards

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WINNERS & FINALISTS

AWARDS 2018 / 9

BEST ONBOARD AMENITIES KIT

BEST ONBOARD SNACKS

BEST FOR ONBOARD TEXTILES

(Economy/ Low Cost Carrier)

(Premium Economy/Economy)

(First/Business)

WINNER: Air Mauritius – FORMIA

JOINT WINNER: Cathay Pacific’s BBQ

WINNER: Lufthansa Dream Collection –

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Air Astana – Anaik

Char Sui Bao Bun – Monty’s Bakehouse

SPIRIANT

FINALIST: Qantas – FORMIA

JOINT WINNER: Foodcase International -

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Etihad DUXIANA

Tapas Platter Concept

bedding programme – WESSCO

BEST ONBOARD AMENITIES KIT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Delta’s warm

FINALIST: Virgin Australia Sleeper Suits – BUZZ

(Premium Economy)

cookie tray – DF Marketing

WINNER: EVA Air – Galileo Watermark

FINALISTS: Mini Calzone – gategroup; Cheese Bun

BEST FOR ONBOARD TEXTILES

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lufthansa –

– Beemster; Pizza Margherita – MV Foods

(Premium Economy/Economy)

SPIRIANT

WINNER: Eva Air Ecothread blanket – BEST ONBOARD SNACKS

BUZZ

(First/Business)

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Repreve branded

BEST ONBOARD AMENITIES KIT

WINNER: Emirates premium class cheese

economy class blanket – Global-C

(Business)

service – En Route International

FINALIST: Air Canada Cafe Kit – WESSCO

JOINT WINNER: Eva Air – BUZZ

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Qatar Airways

JOINT WINNER: Eva Air – FORMIA

signature caviar service on crystal plates

FINALIST: Air Caraibes – Anaik

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Brussels Airlines –

BEST USE OF ONBOARD TECHNOLOGY WINNER: United Airlines IFE System –

deSter and TAP Air Portugal – skysupply

BEST ONBOARD SERVICE EQUIPMENT

Panasonic Avionics Corporation

FINALISTS: SWISS – CLIP; Air Europa – Kaelis

(For Crew)

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Atlantic Airways –

WINNER: United Airlines Service Tray -

AirFi Leo

BEST ONBOARD AMENITIES KIT

Galileo Watermark

FINALISTS: American Airlines Inflight dual-screen

(First)

HIGHLY COMMENDED: United Airlines

live television – Panasonic Avionics Corporation

JOINT WINNER: Etihad – BUZZ

collapsible drawer – RMT Global Partners

JOINT WINNER: Lufthansa – SPIRIANT

FINALIST: LATAM waste system – SPIRIANT

HIGHLY COMMENDED: JAL – WESSCO

ONES TO WATCH • In-seat wellness programme –

BEST ONBOARD SERVICE EQUIPMENT

Panasonic Avionics Corporation •

(For Passenger)

Ad platform opportunities – Motus •

BEST ONBOARD KIDS’ KIT

WINNER: Alessi for Delta serviceware –

Disposable bamboo cup – WK Thomas

WINNER: Air Astana – Kaelis

BUZZ

• Douwe Egberts Coffee Trolley

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Qatar Airways -

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lufthansa’s First

– SkyTender /gategroup • Boxed

BUZZ

class dining experience – SPIRIANT

winetasting experience – Tubes • The Pop

FINALISTS: Singapore Airlines – BUZZ;

FINALIST: Cathay Pacific restaurant style service –

Pot – Monty’s Bakehouse •

Turkish Airlines – Adventure Group;

gategroup, deSter

FINALIST: Qatar Airways – FORMIA

FUTURE-SCOPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Rossiya Airlines – AK-Service BEST FOR WELLBEING ONBOARD

WINNER: Global-C / Faerch Plast for its

BEST ONBOARD BEVERAGE

WINNER: Flyyourveda Packaged Meal

PET closed loop recycling solution

WINNER: Foodcase International - Tubes

Solution – Evertaste

wines and cocktails

HIGHLY COMMENDED: American Airlines’

INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Retail inMotion

Casper wellbeing programme – WESSCO

WINNER: Garcon Wines for its

Public Coffee Roasters coffee

FINALISTS: Lufthansa Cumuli First Class Slippers

Flat Wine Bottle

FINALIST: United Airlines, Wheatley Vodka –

– skysupply; SWISS Business Onboard Skincare

Sazerac Brands

with Soeder – CLIP; Frescoryl Toothpaste Tablet

BEST ONBOARD CATERING INNOVATION

BEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY

WINNER: SWISS Saveurs – Retail inMotion

WINNER: Virgin Australia’s compostable

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Qatar Tasting

cutlery – Global-C / Faerch Plast

TREND-SETTER OF THE YEAR

Platter

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Air Europa’s eco-

WINNER: Qatar Airways for the airline’s

FINALISTS: Jet Blue’s ultimate salad shaker

friendly water boxes

development of dine on demand to

collection – gategroup; SATS Culinary

FINALISTS: ANA Neal’s Yard Business Amenity Kit

include tapas tasting platters

Consultants Panel

–WESSCO; Flybe’s Radnor Tetra Spring Water

BEST CHARITABLE INITIATIVE WINNER: Qatar Airways and FORMIA for the airline’s breast cancer awareness kit

Read our judges comments on the winners at onboardhospitality.com/awards

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AWARD WINNERS GALLERY

BEST FOR ONBOARD SNACKS PREMIUM ECONOMY/ECONOMY JOINT WINNER: MONTY'S BAKEHOUSE

BEST TEXTILES FOR FIRST/BUSINESS - & HIGHLY COMMENDED FOR SERVICE EQUIPMENT & AMENITIES- SPIRIANT

BEST FOR AMENITIES BUSINESS – JOINT WINNER: FORMIA

ONBOARD HOSPITALITY AND FTE ASIA EXPO TEAM SET FOR SINGAPORE 2019

BEST FOR AMENITIES IN FIRST – JOINT WINNER: BUZZ

BEST FOR SNACKS IN FIRST/BUSINESS EN ROUTE INTERNATIONAL

HIGHLY COMMENDED: ONBOARD BEVERAGE RETAIL IN MOTION

BEST FOR AMENITIES ECONOMY – FORMIA

BEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY – GLOBAL-C

Read our judges comments on the winners at onboardhospitality.com/awards

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HIGHLY COMMENDED: FOR KIDS ONBOARD, SNACKS & INNOVATION QATAR AIRWAYS

BEST ONBOARD BEVERAGE – FOODCASE INTERNATIONAL

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BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY – UNITED AIRLINES

BEST FOR KIDS ONBOARD – KAELIS

BEST FOR SERVICE EQUIPMENT FOR PASSENGERS – BUZZ

FUTURE-SCOPING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR – GLOBAL-C

HIGHLY COMMENDED: FOR SUSTAINABILITY - AIR EUROPA

BEST FOR AMENITIES IN PREMIUM ECONOMY – GALILEO WATERMARK

BEST FOR WELLBEING ONBOARD – EVERTASTE

Read our judges comments on the winners at onboardhospitality.com/awards

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AWARD WINNERS GALLERY

BEST FOR TEXTILES IN PREMIUM ECONOMY/ECONOMY - BUZZ

CATERING INNOVATION OF THE YEAR – RETAIL INMOTION

HIGHLY COMMENDED: TEXTILES FOR PREMIUM ECONOMY/ECONOMY - GLOBAL C

TREND-SETTER OF THE YEAR & CHARITABLE INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR – QATAR AIRWAYS

BEST FOR AMENITIES BUSINESS – JOINT WINNER: BUZZ

BEST FOR AMENITIES FIRST – JOINT WINNER: SPIRIANT

BEST FOR ONBOARD SERVICE EQUIPMENT CREW – GALILEO WATERMARK

BEST FOR SNACKS PREMIUM ECONOMY/ ECONOMY – JOINT WINNER: FOODCASE

Read our judges comments on the winners at onboardhospitality.com/awards

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WE’RE COMMITTED TO REDUCING OUR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT. Our innovation team are creating exciting new service solutions using our Four the Future environmental strategy. This allows us to develop new ways of serving food onboard that help you achieve your environmental targets.

To find out how we can help you create solutions for sustainable skies, contact our sales team.

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AWARD WINNERS GALLERY

AWARDS 2018 / 15

Lifetime Achievement Award ONES TO WATCH – NEW PRODUCTS FROM MOTUS, WK THOMAS, PANASONIC, SKYTENDER/GATEGROUP, MONTY'S BAKEHOUSE & TUBES

Sarah Klatt-Walsh

Judging criteria First impressions / quality, durability / life span / weight / usefulness / design functionality / taste / content / customer experience / innovation

Sarah started her career in a Swissair Catering (now Gate Gourmet) kitchen but moved quickly to sales and customer service for key accounts such as Delta Air Lines, and went on to open the Gate Gourmet unit in Hong Kong. In Swissair's inflight product team projects included Business class brand management for Swissair and Sabena, and the Swiss Taste of Switzerland Concept which is still flying 17 years on. Beyond her career at SWISS Sarah has worked for British Airways on its tranformation programme, served on the IFSA & WTCE Advisory Boards and continues to serve the IFSA Foundation.

Mentoring Winner: Congratulations Anaik Sponsored by The Hayward Partnership, the Onboard Hospitality Awards’ Breakthrough grant is open to any business entering our awards and includes a cash prize, plus practical and promotional support from our mentors and the Onboard Hospitality team.

This year's winner Anaik, gets its name from its founder, a French bags designer

who started out, 40 years ago, developing and distributing high-end textiles, before building expertise in supporting top-class promotional packs for top cosmetic brands. Based in Paris, it is now active in the travel sector as a boutique supplier, small but creative, focused on human relationships and innovation in the passenger experience.•

DED: FOR HIGHLY COMMEN OMY/LCC - ANAIK ON EC IN S ITIE AMEN

Read our judges comments on the winners at onboardhospitality.com/awards

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16 / MENTORING NETWORK

The Onboard Hospitality Mentoring Network this year supported new arrivals at WTCE and presented its Break-through Grant to amenities specialist Anaik

O

nboard Hospitality's expert mentors supported five new WTCE exhibitors, taking their mentees to the Taste of Travel stage to showcase their products and discuss how the network helped their debut.

• NIO MENTORED BY LANCE HAYWARD: Alessandra Palmarin said: “Our pre-mixed cocktails come in a flat pack perfect for a restricted galley or trolley space. We’ve combined design with great quality, professionally mixed ingredients. The mentoring programme was absolutely invaluable. Lance helped us a lot in the process and we met some really premium stakeholders as a result.

We are optimistic about the results.”

• CLINOVA MENTORED BY MIKE POOLEY: Matt Thornes said: “We believe the three flavours of rehydration

Mentoring Network Grants

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Supporting the development & ambitions of the next generation of much needed talent and energy is both vital and rewarding MIKE POOLEY MENTORING NETWORK CHAIR

tablets we offer are ideal for the travel sector but we were very naive in our understanding of the industry and what to expect. Mike inspired us to push ourselves forward and meet as many people as possible, not just wait for them to come to us at our stand.”

• HOWELL AND LONE MENTORED BY MARC WARDE: Paul Howell said: “We have a history of providing individual frozen meals to other sectors but

entering the travel sector was quite an overwhelming and complex prospect.

Marc helped us understand the different taste profiles required for inflight and the need to be really flexible and reactive. The industry was welcoming and we see there are unique challenges to overcome."

• SILVER SWIFT MENTORED BY ROGER WILLIAMS: Rose Unwin of Silver Swift said: “I came to WTCE to promote my sophisticated range of premium premixed drinks. Roger gave me some great advice on preparing. He told me to make my own luck, proactively seek the contacts I’m after and push the provenance and backstory of my product. It was a great strategy and I have lots to follow up on.” More p61.

This year's Break-through grant, sponsored by The Hayward Partnership went to Anaik. More p15.

More info: onboardhospitality.com/mentoring

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TALENT SPOTTING / 17

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Supporting top talent

ollowing the success of our mentoring programme’s support for new talent at WTCE in Hamburg we are pleased to announce a new talentfocused collaboration designed to help you find your dream role in the onboard hospitality sector.

Onboard Hospitality has revamped the vacancies section of its website and will from now on offer professional development advice here, as well as showcasing job vacancies available in our sector. If you have a vacancy to fill, get in touch and we will feature your job opportunity free of charge.

Careers advice

The professional development help and advice will be supplied in If you have a collaboration with The vacancy to fill or are Hayward Partnership seeking new roles (THP) which recently within onboard expanded its service hospitality check portfolio to include out our online executive talent search networks, will be and placement.

Vacancies page a highly-valued and Mentoring and board respected supporter. advice are at the core of the Commenting on the company’s services with Mike initiative, Wilson said: “I am very happy Pooley and Lance Hayward already to be working with The Hayward leading in the Onboard Hospitality Partnership on developing their Talent Mentoring Network and Awards Search and Placement service. This is an grants, all designed to support Industry area of the onboard services business newcomers. that I have been involved with for a The new initiative is supported by number of years and have found it very travel catering recruitment stalwart, rewarding to support individuals find Roy Wilson, of Sterling Bridge, who has new opportunities with like-minded offered to transition his established companies in the travel sector. Both activities and market opportunities to Lance and Mike continue to have the new business. Roy, widely known successful careers and a great network and respected for his experience and

in the business and this will be very helpful to companies and candidates in the sector.”

Inspired support

Commenting on the collaboration, Hayward said: “Roy was my first great mentor in the industry as my boss at Forte Airport Services, Gatwick. His brand of personable customer service and attention to detail has had a lasting and very positive influence on my career. It’s an honour to be working alongside him again, helping to develop and support new talent in our sector going forward.” •

onboardhospitality.com/vacancies/talent-spotting

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A M E N I T I E S

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industry update / 19 Top stories from across the industry

industry

update

Top stories from across the industry

On the ground

dnata catering goes for growth with new openings in North America

23

In the air

Versace debuts inflight with a FORMIA collaboration for Turkish Airlines

25

Inflight retail

Retail inMotion bags the contract for Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon

27

21

Thinking green

Icelandair has its focus on sustainable amenity kits for its new collaboration with WESSCO onboardhospitality.com

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20 / industry update Top stories from across the industry

Jet2.com opts for cheeky Nando’s Jet2.com has become the first airline to offer Nando’s inflight, introducing Nando’s PERi–PERi Flight Bites through En Route International.

Passengers can choose from a dip, drizzle and dunk ‘Nando’s Box’ which includes houmous, smoky PERi–PERi drizzle and lightly salted pitta chips, and a Nando’s Half-popped Corn, a mild snacking option where popcorn meets corn.

To celebrate the new additions, vouchers can be found in selected Nando’s Boxes onboard, entitling one person to a free meal at the restaurant chain. The airline has also upped its vegan friendly offering with a vegan and gluten free ‘Gnaw’ chocolate bar, the Nando’s Halfpopped Corn is also suitable for vegans. This follows the introduction of its first vegan meal earlier this year. Jet2.com; en-route.com

AK-Services enhances Business amenities for Aeroflot Aeroflot has upgraded its Business amenity kits on both short-haul and long-haul flights in its latest partnership with AK-Services.

Both kits contain L’occitane cosmetics for hand and skin care, an eye mask and slippers to provide passengers with the upmost comfort onboard.

The long-haul flight kits have a laconic design to emphasise the

corporate image of the airline, while the short-haul kits feature the faces of some of its flight attendants, which it says are the ‘face of any airline’.

Speaking of the short-haul kits a representative said: “Aeroflot Airlines highly appreciates the professionalism of its flight attendants and the best of them are presented on the updated series of business class amenity kits.” akservices.co.uk

P.O. Box 67, Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 1WD Tel: + 44 (0) 1691 656092 www.millstextiles.com sales@millstextiles.com InflightDirect 7991 Valentina Court,Naples - FL, 34114 Tel: USA (401) 714-4190 www.inflightdirect.com / sales@inflightdirect.com

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industry update / 21 Top stories from across the industry

Icelandair goes wild Icelandair passengers can now enjoy sustainable amenity kits inspired by Icelandic wildlife in a collaboration with WESSCO. The new 'Dýralíf' (Wildife) amenity kit collection is available in four animal-inspired designs: the puffin, arctic fox, Icelandic horse and raven. Each kit contains lip balm, hand lotion and mineral mist from Hannes Dóttir, earplugs, a dental kit, eyeshade, socks, 'do not disturb' stickers and fun educational facts about each animal.

The bags are made from recycled canvas, vegan leather, and felt made from recycled plastic bottles. The toothbrush is made from cornstarchbased biodegradable material, while the socks are made from recycled material. The free kits are issued to Saga Premium passengers on all flights between Keflavík and North America. wessco.net

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industry update / 23 Top stories from across the industry

Join our Sustainability Roundtable Summit In response to the growing demand for more sustainable business practices and products, Onboard Hospitality is partnering with Monty’s Bakehouse to stage a series of high-level Sustainablility Roundtable Summits starting this autumn.

Hosted by Monty’s Bakehouse at its Innovation Centre close to Gatwick Airport in the UK, these Summits will call on industry influencers, decision-makers and stakeholders to come together to debate the industry’s many challenges, and seek serious solutions that the industry can get behind.

The first Summit will be held on October 8, 2019 and will focus on the often-complex issue of packaging. The debate will focus on innovative solutions that can help reduce plastics onboard, practical initiatives that could help create a more circular economy in the air, and legislation around waste, recycling and the global differences in approach to this challenge.

To be a part of the conversation contact the Monty's Bakehouse team by emailing ideas@montysbakehouse.co.uk

dnata opens Houston operation with promise of more U.S expansion dnata catering has ramped up its operations in the U.S. with the opening of facilities at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

The 4,700sqm operation has the capacity to provide 10,000 meals a day and has created 150 new jobs. Launch customer is British Airways, which operates two daily flights from the hub.

The investment heralds a period of expansion for the air services provider.

Bucher debuts half cart option Bucher Aerospace Corporation has launched a half-size version of its thermally insulated galley cart, ARCTICart. The ATLAS half-size ARCTICart can safely store its contents below 4C for up to 20 hours, reducing the risk of food contamination during ground. bucher-group.com

Flying Food adds JAL deal Flying Food Group’s Seattle facility (SEA) is now catering Japan Airlines’ daily flights between Seattle and Tokyo Narita. The contract is FFG's seventh with JAL. It also services the carrier at Chicago, Honolulu, Kona, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. flyingfood.com

It intends to further enhance its U.S. airport presence by opening catering facilities at Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), Newark (EWR) and San Francisco (SFO) by the end of the year. dnata expanded in the U.S. catering market in 2018 with the acquisition of 121 Inflight Catering. It currently operates at three U.S. airports, New York (JFK), Nashville (BNA) and Orlando (SFB). dnata.com

SWISS waves flag with tie-up SWISS has teamed up with fashion brand Bally, skincare expert La Prairie and sweet maker Ricola to create a luxury all-Swiss amenity kit for Swiss First passengers, in collaboration with WESSCO International. The unisex travel kit blends canvas with fine leather details. wessco.net

onboardhospitality.com

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HUMAN KIND LIPBALM + EYESHADE + SLIPPERS + DENTAL KIT + EARPLUGS + SOCKS + INFORMATION CARD

" The new Turkish Airlines amnity kits for Economy Cla have been inspired from motifs in claical Turkish decorative arts and are available in six ornamental paerns "

for

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19 09:19

industry update / 25 Top stories from across the industry

Versace first for Turkish Airlines

United adds two inflight innovations

Turkish Airlines has become the first airline to feature Versace products onboard.

The male and female kits are available for Business passengers on long-haul flights and include exclusive skin care products and a miniature fragrance for each gender. For shorthaul Business passengers a stylish brown amenity kit containing Molton Brown products such as a lip balm and lotion will be offered.

Long-haul Economy passengers can enjoy Mandarina Duck kits with Atelier Rebul peppermint lip balm. For short-haul passengers the airline has collaborated with the Istanbul Modern Museum with kits inspired by the culture, history and heritage of Turkey.

They include socks, eye masks and earplugs.

Young passengers will receive a speciallydesigned backpack based on the popular Captain Kangal character. The pack features slippers, earphones, eye mask and a dental set. turkishairlines.com; formia.com

United Airlines has added two amenity kit innovations facilitated

by Buzz. Launched at WTCE, the airline unveiled a new amenity kit featuring cult skincare brand Sunday Riley, and more recently it has added a limited edition Spider-Man kit.

The Sunday Riley brand was chosen as a pioneer in green technology and high-performance skincare, formulated with botanicals.

United customers travelling in Polaris Business from June will receive a limited-edition Spider-Man: Far From Home themed amenity kit to mark the release of the new movie. The kit features Spidey-branded comfort products including an eye mask, socks, tissues, ear plugs, a toothbrush and a pen alongside the Sunday Riley skincare products. united.com; buzzproducts.com

WestJet wow

FORMIA has unveiled a new partnership with WestJet for its new Business and Premium Economy amenity kits. The kits feature top Canadian brands including vegan fashion brand Matt & Nat, Province Apothecary and the Rocky Mountain Soap Company. formia.com

Gamba's duo

Fabio Gamba, md of the Airline Catering Association, has been appointed director general of the Airport Services Association (ASA), and will now represent both organisations.

Steve Allen, divisional senior vice president of dnata, has been elected as the new ASA chairman. aca.catering

Turkish nights

New overnight kits designed by inflight supplier Galileo Watermark are now available on Turkish Airlines.

The kits were developed to include all the essentials needed for an overnight stay and can double post flight as an iPad case or document holder. They feature. British brand Scaramouche + Fandango. galileowatermark.com

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26 / industry update Top stories from across the industry

Kaelis adds to the Turkish offer

Singapore focuses on wellness

Kaelis has worked with Turkish Airlines to develop a new kids’ kit and an Umrah kit for passengers on Umrah pilgrimage.

The fun kids' set is designed to fire the imagination of young travellers whilst enhancing their inflight experience. Created in a unique cloud shape, the bag includes smallsize slippers and headphones, non-slip socks with cloud tread matching the bag, fun printed eyemask; toothbrush and paste.

The Umrah kit contains a range of speciallydesigned comfort items for use inflight and at the destination, and is intended to add to the memorable experience of a pilgrimage.

Each Umrah kit comprises a light-weight bag with adjustable straps and zip. The interior includes an organising divider and holds antislip prayer mat, electronic finger-tally counter, and Tawaf socks with a non-slip sole. kaelisgroup.com

Singapore Airlines and Singapore-based wellness brand COMO Shambhala have formed a wide-ranging partnership designed to enhance the customer experience for travellers.

The partnership will see COMO Shambhala’s wellness cuisine introduced on selected flights in the second half of this year. Using seasonal and sustainable ingredients, each with their own nutrition profile, this style of cooking aims to inspire the palate with memorable and delicious flavours, marrying healthy eating with pleasurable gastronomy. The co-developed wellness dishes will progressively be made available in SIA’s Book the Cook service and through new curated wellness menus across all classes.

Future collaborations may also extend to onboard amenities, as well as inflight entertainment content relating to wellness. singaporeair.com

LNER launches new state-of-the-art bullet trains for the UK rail market UK rail operator LNER has launched its first bullet-style Azuma train on the East Coast mainline between London King’s Cross and Leeds.

Some 65 new trains will replace the existing LNER fleet connecting key cities in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, North-east England and Scotland.

The state-of-the-art train was developed with Hitachi Rail and embraces Japanese bullet train technology. The new trains feature an all-new onboard passenger experience including extra leg-room and improved wifi and new catering services supported by RG. lner.co.uk

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LSG expands in the U.S LSG Sky Chefs has opened a new customer service centre in Phoenix, Arizona, close to Sky Harbor Intern'l Airport (PHX). Customers include American Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Air Canada, among others, as well as retail customer, Circle K. lsgskychefs.com

industry update / 27 Top stories from across the industry

See you in Singapore Following the success of last year's Onboard Hospitality Forum Asia we are looking for collaborative case studies to present at this year's event in Singapore, 12-13 November.

Presenting under the event theme: Collaborate to Innovate, the conference and Expo Stage sessions will showcase ways airlines are championing best practice across the passenger experience.

Alongside will run a street food festival supported by leading Asian trade body APOT.Asia.

The event is part of the FTE-APEX Asia EXPO event, where Onboard Hospitality will invite inflight catering, wellbeing, design and innovation specialists to meet within their own dedicated area.

Future Travel Experience (FTE) recently announced it will integrate its portfolio of events and opportunities into the APEX/IFSA family so this show will now enjoy the full marketing support, and backing, of these associations, driving up airline attendance. onboardhospitality.com/FTE

Retail inMotion bags the retail business for Cathay's duo Retail inMotion has won the contract to run travel retail programmes for Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon.

From 2020, Retail inMotion will assume full management of the boutique and duty-free onboard-retail programmes, working in partnership with the airlines to enhance customer

EVA gets sporty with GW EVA Air has collaborated with French leisurewear brand Sport b and Galileo Watermark to create a new unisex amenity kit for Premium Economy.

The kit combines EVA Air branding with Sport b’s sporty minimalist style and Scaramouche + Fandango products. galileowatermark.com

Oman kids' refresh Milk Jnr’s & Kidworks has created new kids' amenity kits for Oman Air. Three characters, Sinbad, Farah and Saif the turtle, have been created to help inspire children to learn about Oman’s culture through their entertaining stories and adventures. milk-jnrs.com

experience while delivering financial returns. The contract includes product sourcing, management, warehousing and distribution, crew training and engagement, catalogue design and customer service. It will be supported by the onboard-retail platform Vector In-Flight. retailinmotion.com

Gate's new beverage offer Peter Spanton Drinks and Gate Gourmet have a new partnership which will see the premium mixer and adult soft drink brand included in beverage offerings onboard. The full range will be available through Gate Gourmet in both bottles and cans. gategroup.com

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28 / IN DEBATE

Socially awkward?

Social media has transformed how businesses communicate. Julie Baxter asks PR expert, Piers Zangana, why our industry has been so slow to get involved The most successful companies around the world are masters at social media. WHY DOES OUR SECTOR APPEAR SO RELUCTANT TO EMBRACE THE TECHNOLOGY? Some companies may have been slow to engage with social media, but things are changing. The main challenges for our sector are resource and an awareness of how it can impact the bottom line. Often, people think social media is just about talking to passengers, so would only see its value in a B2C context. In fact, social media can be very powerful in the B2B space if it is used correctly.

PZ

IS IT FEAR THAT PUTS OFF SUPPLIERS? It is more about the unknown. Shooting blind without a strategy can sometimes PZ be daunting for suppliers but, once that is developed, companies will quickly see the value. There are confidentiality challenges to

overcome and, as a PR consultant, I am acutely aware of these clauses in contracts. However, this can be addressed and shouldn't slow the process down. That would be counter-intuitive.

Suppliers should talk to their customers about how publicity can work for them both, and then plan the process.

WHAT DO COMPANIES NEW TO SOCIAL MEDIA NEED TO DO FIRST? I'm often approached by businesses looking for social media help. We always PZ ask clients to pause and consider what their true intentions are. Is it boosting sales?

Raising brand awareness? Shifting perceptions of what they do? Or maybe even getting the company ready for sale? Understanding your narrative is crucial. You have to work on the basis that social media is only a part of a wider comms mix so crafting of your message is important.

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THAT SOUNDS COMPLICATED, IS IT? Social media is not going to achieve your objectives alone. Businesses need PZ a holistic approach. We live in an age where we are bombarded with data and consume information in different ways. This is why businesses need to hit appropriate 'buyer' touch points across different channels. Clients are using different types of media; whether that is traditional 'print', social, or other mediums.

DO COMPANIES NEED DEDICATED SOCIAL MEDIA EXPERTS? Third parties like me can help refine what to say and how to reach your PZ target market, but day-to-day, social media is often best managed by staff who live and breathe the operation. All PR is about stories and they are much easier to find if you are an insider. While you can schedule certain types of content, the day-to-day activity of a brand and business is how you add value to your story.

These are the things that make you stand out and are worth spreading on social media. It is important to look at your suite of content and determine what will work best for what you are trying to achieve. You can write blogs, take pictures or shoot video relatively easily. However, what is needed is the messaging strategy that sits behind the activity. In an ideal world, your

PIERS ZANGANA IS DIRECTOR OF SUSA COMMUNICATIONS, A PR FIRM SPECIALISING IN FOOD AND HOSPITALITY SERVICES

social person should be empowered to talk for your brand because having real conversations is what it is all about. Too many layers of approval before saying something stops you being authentic. This is why training is important.

WHICH SOCIAL CHANNELS WORK BEST? Again, this depends on who you want to reach. Every person can be influenced PZ by social media and all channels can help you influence buying decisions. In our sector, LinkedIn and Twitter are largely the 'go to' platforms, but we are seeing an increase in uptake on Instagram. Align your social with your sales strategy. The targets are (mostly) the same!

Be clear on your tone of voice – quirky challenger brands can afford to be cheeky or irreverent but it isn't right for everyone. The most vital thing is fitting the brand narrative. Decide your story and then stick to it. •

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30 / SUSTAINABLE CATERING

The future of food Onboard caterers and suppliers are upping their sustainability efforts with innovative ingredients, new service delivery and greater scrutiny of their actions, Julie Baxter discovers more

SUSTAINABLY SOURCED

S

strategy during WTCE, aiming to reduce its impact ustainability issues touch everything in on the environment and help its customers meet our industry and increasingly caterers their own eco targets. and food suppliers find themselves at the forefront of the debate.

Cutting food and packaging waste has become Time to rethink a key global issue for those concerned to tackle Built around four principles: reduce, remove, climate change, and it makes obvious sense for replace and reimagine, the strategy will see the airlines, rail and cruise operators too in terms of company replace single-use plastics and plastic corporate social responsibility policies, financial linings with biodegradable, compostable or efficiencies and public relations. recyclable alternatives in its bakery, While tableware specialists focus hot snacks and cheese on new service delivery options and offerings. The company MEAT weight-saving designs and materials, is also conducting a ES V I T A caterers are beginning to scrutinize N ALTER just what they are dishing up, and taking a closer look at both the provenance, eco credentials and supply chain impact of their ingredients, as well as the way it is wrapped.

En Route International, launched a ‘Four The Future’

FAIR TRADE

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full packaging audit across its supply chain and embedding eco KPIs into all new developmentss.

Step change

Richard Wake, creative and marketing director at En Route, explains: “This step change is being fuelled by the desire for change coming from airlines, passengers and new legislation. We want to be a force for good, and approach the entire supply chain with environmental targets in mind.

“Our customers’ approaches differ so we wanted to make sure we have a broad range of options to meet their specific goals. There is often more than one way to achieve a sustainable product or service. An understanding of all the processes the product goes through during its lifecycle can vary.

For example, differing legislations on return routes can affect how it is disposed of.

“The impact from the general public has encouraged more organisations in this industry to focus on this issue.

Our Four the Future strategy focuses on some concrete areas where we can implement changes as part of our product development and innovation endeavours.”

The challenge when it comes to

ECO FRIENDLY

catering however is the need to balance aspirations for more eco-friendly presentations with critical concern for product performance and food safety.

But En Route has already shown the possibilities by cutting 20 tonnes of product weight through a reduction in the complexity of its cheese service for Emirates Business. Reduced weight helps to lower fuel burn and reduce environmental impact.

Reimagining service

Wake adds: “We have to reimage what we do, working with customers and partners to invent service ideas that naturally reduce packaging. For example using one large 100% biodegradable box of products in the oven rather than many individually-packed products with multiple packaging to be recycled. We are committed to helping our customers meet their sustainability goals through innovative approaches to service design and delivery, that ultimately reduce their impact on the environment.”

Such innovation can clearly add a point of difference to service, add value to the passenger experience, and position an airline as innovative and thoughtful. The materials available have evolved significantly to support such innovation, with plant-based products, for example, and coatings other than laminates (challenging to recycle), supporting those who want to change.

Robin Padgett, divisional senior vp at dnata Catering says: “There is no doubt that sustainability is the big theme for our industry now. It’s on every agenda, in every conversation. There is a new commitment to being environmentally sustainable whether it is in supporting recycling, moving away from plastics or simply ensuring your company buildings run efficiently. It is a complex topic for the aviation sector but as airlines do all they can to bring emissions rates down, our sector has its part to play and is pushing at an open door. It is important not to

PLANT BASED

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demands for planting and animal grazing. overly complicate the topic but to just make a Eating a largely plant-based diet is increasingly start, focus on some basics and build as you go. promoted as a solution to human health issues We’re also working with our customers to better too and the trend towards veganism seems plan and predict what we put onboard, through unstoppable both for health and environmental technology and better understanding customer imperatives, particularly among millennials. demand. Ultimately, we don’t want to be dealing with waste.

While onboard caterers may not be able to "With one of our key inflight save the planet single retail customers in the Middle East we’ve driven pre-order as Suddenly it feels like the handedly, they can a percentage of total sales up whole industry is on this surely do their bit and innovative onboard to 75%, which contributes to a sustainability journey catering chefs, says significant reduction in loaded and that is fantastic Phil Sumnall, chef at product and waste, and that Monty’s Bakehouse, contributes to emissions should welcome the challenge around reduction for our customer.” sustainable ingredients.

He says: “We are already working with Ingredient issues Quorn and others to develop meatAnd it is not just the wrappings that are coming alternative products for airlines and under increasing scrutiny. Consumers worldwide these are getting good feedback. We are are thinking more about the environmental impact actively innovating with meat alternatives of the products they eat and the ingredients and recognise there is a growing within. Climate change reports and environmental movement towards this. We welcome influencers, such as David Attenborough, have the challenge. Using such products turned a sharp focus onto our diets. What we eat, doesn’t inhibit any cheffy nuance, they insist, has growing implications for topsoil, flavour or skills. Meat alternative pollution, greenhouse gases and deforestation. products are versatile so we can Palm oil, found in everything from bread to iceadd any multicultural worldwide cream, and meat are facing the heaviest attacks, flavour or ingredient to them, not least because of the deforestation and burning and create new concepts. they inspire in the scramble to meet agricultural

Above from left: Quorn offerings are increasingly imaginative; and En Route rethinks its box packaging

AL, BUY LOC AL SON BUY SEA

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to accept them and even airline passengers will expect, in time, to see them among their choices.”

Finding alternatives

S ON FOCU NCE ENA PROV

Jen Wheildon, sales manager at Quorn, agrees and is also working with Gategroup to develop Quorn products for its portfolio including a vegan burger, Quorn mince used in a street food option, BBQ southern fried bite, Quorn chilli con carne and a Quorn-based fish option.

She says: “The meat-free and vegan trend is well and truly taking hold. In the last five years the consumer mindset has change dramatically. People now recognise the need for less meat in their diets.

Generation Z and X are completely onboard with this trend and are mindful even of eating too much fish because of ocean pollution.

"We are working with chefs and supporting development teams so they understand how to work with the product, get the most out of it and There is a lot you can do with it. It is great use it to innovate new listings and concepts for that our clients are actively looking to use airlines to consider." sustainable ingredients and consumers are Virgin Atlantic has included Quorn sausage and include them in their lives. mince products on its menus already and Jen believes Facing facts partnering with caterers is "When you listen the way to develop further to the facts and The industry needs to innovations. figures on how upgrade its vegetarian “Quorn is a completely agriculture and vegan offer, and it mainstream option for and fishing can knows it does restaurants and retailers, impact the planet it has been an answer to it is clear we all the vegan, special diet trends everywhere but have to do our bit to help. Chefs have take up in the travel sector has been slower. It is been food heroes for a long time, we coming through now, not least because this is an produce and create and introduce people ingredient that addresses many of the special meal to new tastes, new experiences and new requirements so its application conveniently makes ingredients. We are put on this earth complete sense. The industry needs to upgrade its to push the boundaries and explore, vegetarian and vegan offer and it knows it does. to be taste pioneers. The push to Retail and casual dining outlets are now offering sustainability gives us new challenges several meat alternatives and airlines really do – local sourcing, finding sustainable need to catch up. This is a trend that isn’t going to suppliers, breaking down boundaries go away.” and perceptions. People are so much more educated and engaged with food and I believe they are Make a change also increasingly willing to pay for Andrew Sharp, director supply chain at Gate something that offers an authentic Gourmet (Western Europe), agrees: “The aviation experience and positive backstory. sector has been somewhat behind other sectors in “As Michelin and celebrity chefs embracing sustainability issues but it is now really start to use and promote meat gathering momentum and it is exciting to see so alternatives, the public will begin many clients now talking positively about this. It’s onboardhospitality.com

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not rocket science and none of us can save the planet on our own but it is about making changes one bite at a time. We all need to do our bit.”

Establish a base line

Gategroup has begun its sustainability journey by creating a Sustainable Sourcing Policy which recognises the global nature of the business, the varying cultural customs, practices and legislation, but aims to set a base position, identify ways to measure success, ensure transparency across the supply chain, and chart improvement.

Sharp says: “As an industry it is essential that we have ways to identify creditable sustainable suppliers and verify their claims with certification and independent audits. Our policy helps us do this and is aligned to our supply management systems which question suppliers on their own sustainable policies and challenges their practices before we accreditation scheme, which monitors and work with them. We were determined to have a identifies ethical suppliers and champions best clear base line to build from. The team worked business practice; some have their own criteria. with Virgin Atlantic which has been at the forefront of challenging suppliers to think differently by aligning its onboard catering Recognise the value proposition to standards set Sharp adds: “Excitingly, by the Sustainable Restaurant sustainable business practice Association. The SRA assesses None of us can save the increasingly means good all elements of operations planet on our own but it business practice that makes from sourcing to waste real commercial sense so is about making changes the decision to be more management and offers one bite at a time an accreditation scheme. sustainable doesn't need Gategroup became the first to be hard. When it works inflight catering company to secure two for commercial and market star accreditation from the SRA.” reasons as well as ethical and Others airlines look to the SEDEX environmental reasons it becomes a self-feeding process which gathers momentum. The more businesses take this issue on, the more it just becomes the esablished norm.”

Matt Pickop, regional executive chef Western Europe, says: “We are focused on local sourcing and designing menus cleverly using seasonal product.

This is where being a global business can have a distinct advantage as we can source the same products from different locations all around the world to match their seasonality.

Above: LSG Group challenged visitors to WTCE to identify the difference between meat and meatfree burgers Below: Quorn has become increasingly mainstream Facing page: Gate Gourmet shows how veg can be the star of the plate

RETHINK!

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Local sourcing, seasonally, opens up some real opportunities for sustainability.”

The team is also tapping into data analytics provided by its technology partner Black Swan to predict demand and stay ahead of trends. The monitoring spots consumer demand and debate around specific ingredients and identifies trends early through social media mentions. In this way the development team can adapt choices to fit, staying ahead of the curve.

Expand eco choices

Pickop adds: “It’s about adding choices that we know consumers want, opening up the opportunities for people, not forcing them into one diet or another but allowing them to see something that suits their own thinking.

Vegetarian and vegan choices yes, but now trends. As these trends and understanding evolves, ‘flexitarian’ offerings are really key – a word that we expect more special meal items to become really describes what most people want: more commonplace. That's why progressive companies plant-based choices but without ruling out meat will need to be more creative and agile when and other animal products in moderation.” developing their ranges."

Hamish Cook, executive director En Route, agrees: "Consumers are demanding more menu Challenge perceptions items which have a strong LSG Group took up the environmental and Progressive companies challenge of showcasing the issue and the opportunities sustainability will need to be more for airlines during WTCE. message.The creative and agile when Its sustainability session vegan trend developing products is already included a blind tasting of embedded four different burgers – one a classic burger, one a plant-based burger – using within the airline industry and we see Quorn, one using premium dry-aged beef and one airlines now looking to cover off a range of special meal categories with a single an ento-based burger – insect product blended product. An example would be some with soy. Interestingly, less than 25% of those trying of our bread, pastry, and cake the burgers correctly identified which was which. products where airlines are Chet Hansra, food scientist responsible for looking for egg/dairy-free innovation and insights at LSG Group’s expert options so they can meet brand for packaged products, Evertaste, said: the needs of vegan “The global meat market is worth $90bn and customers, as well as the question is how do we disrupt it. There are Asian vegetarians who game-changing startups in the field but meat request no egg/meat. replacement products aren’t new. They have been "Additionally, we are around 30 years or so, they have come from Asia seeing an increase (through soya bean science), and they are now in high-protein, being created in textures that suit more palates. non-dairy breakfast Millennials understand we need to make a change products (replacing to agriculture and there is a feeling that there yoghurt, cereal, milk isn’t enough being done. Meat-less Mondays have etc) mirroring high street become big in the U.S within corporations but this

RIAN A T I X FLE OUR FLAV

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A VIEW FROM THE TOP Airline caterers need to raise the bar.

Are we happy, as an industry, with the standards we adhere to? Personally, I don’t think so. I believe it is time for airline caterers to step it up and set our own high Sustainable Catering Standard.

Setting standards Don’t get me wrong, the industry does already meet stringent standards for security and food safety but it doesn’t go beyond them. In 2019, this is just not good enough. We don’t have a framework of mandatory standards that include sustainability, waste and food sourcing, and it is clear we can either wait and have those standards imposed on us by regulators or we take responsibility and develop our own ambitious standards now. I believe we should aim for the latter.

sort of initiative only works if it is communicated well and presented as a choice.”

Influencing change

He points to the influence that show business celebrities, athletes and online influencers can have on the debate: “Beyonce went vegetarian and the whole world listened through social media. That had a massive impact which has spread wider for ethical, social and health reasons, opening up the debate through many media channels.”

Joerg Hofmann, LSG Group’s head of culinary excellence, adds: “Meat is moving out from the centre of the plate, vegetables are moving to the centre. Tastes have not changed but education and understanding of where meat comes from and how it effects product and the planet. There are plenty of ingredients we can work with. Plantbased vegan eggs for example are an innovative alternative protein offered by Earth Island. They look and crack open like eggs and they taste like egg but they are not eggs. And there is plant-based tuna too from specialist company Good Catch.”

The ento market (edible insects) is well established, with many populations already including them in their diet and the Netherlands now the biggest producer. Still to gain any significant commercial traction, due to the costs of production, is ‘clean meat’ created in a lab by scientifically replicating animal cells.

Change is clearly coming. Whether airline passengers are quite ready to be served meats created in a test tube remains to be seen! •

An overarching framework What would that entail? An airline catering industry with high standards needs an overarching framework. This would cover everything passengers care about. First, we need standards for a sustainable catering market that deals efficiently with waste.

Second, it is crucial to include ethical food sourcing standards, ensuring food has been grown and processed in an acceptable way.

Third, we need social standards to reflect the needs of those working within our industry.

Getting our voice heard The ACA is dedicated to putting the airline catering industry on the right path to more ambitious standards. It’s time for caterers to raise the bar in the interest of passengers and the industry. By acting together with one strong and common voice, caterers can set the foundations for that change to happen.

Pictured: Gate Gourmet showcased meat alternatives and eco options at WTCE; and En Route is focused on new service delivery options

FABIO GAMBA, MANAGING DIRECTOR, AIRLINE CATERING ASSOCIATION, (ACA)

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FOCUS ON / 39

The bare necessities New inflight free-from brand, Bare Food Travels, is determined to make free-from foods fun with local flavours and quirky stories. Julie Baxter discovers more

B

ears, apparently, are the original flexitarians! They enjoy a plant-based diet much of the time but are true carnivores when they can be. And just such a travelling bear - with discerning tastes and special meal requirements - has become the inspiration behind a new range of inflight free-from products, Bare Food Travels.

The brainchild of culinary consultant Marc Warde and his business partner Adrian Morgan, the range includes hot snacks, desserts and packaged snacks.

Warde explains: “All our food follows a free-from philsophy but the point is you wouldn’t know it. We just want it to be delicious. Even the most hardened carnivore might be persuaded to try our delicious plant-based dishes. Our goal is to create a truly inclusive brand specifically for the travel industry.”

Bare's backstory

Every product comes with a quirky backstory of how Bare the bear was inspired to create the offering after chatting with street vendors, dough masters, taverna owners and local grandmas while

churros from Spain - and an i-Scream travelling. Meeting all types with all sorts range of vegan chilled desserts. of dietary conundrums and concerns, he’s been inventive and creative and has launched with 21 destination-inspired Stress-free special meals products, with more, plus cakes and Warde, a coeliac himself and specialist snacks, coming soon. in gluten-free cooking, explains: Bare in London is a “Special diets can breakfast eggy-bread be surrounded by sandwich with tomato/ anxiety, we wanted Every product comes to create something chorizo relish and smoked bacon; Bare in with a quirky back that fully addressed Milan is a vegan pizza; story and reflects a all the issues but Bare in Stockholm is different destination was also engaging a meat-ball wrap and and entertaining, Bare in Cape Cod is a juicy 100% beef and brought something of the cheeseburger with all the trimmings. destination onboard.”

Bare in Mexico is a refried bean All the products are gluten and Burrito and Bare in Mykonos pairs nut-free and many are dairy-free souvlaki with pitta and tzatziki. Daal in and vegan too. They are designed naan feature for Bare in Mumbai while for second service snacks or retail Bare in Bangkok is a Thai Red Curry and build on Warde’s range of fullwrap. There are destination inspired service Libero branded special meals. desserts too - waffle from Belgium and barefoodtravels.com •

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Keep grounded

I

Top-end lounge dining has upped its game, so what will that mean for inflight catering in the future, asks Julie Baxter

nvestment in airport lounges worldwide is reaching epic proportions and as quality dining facilities on the ground increase, the question arises, could onboard catering become a thing of the past?

When British Airways opened its flagship U.S lounges at New York’s JFK, it upped the pre-flight dining experience so premium customers could eat first and then better enjoy the flat bed onboard.

A brasserie-style offer and boutique dining room offers freshly-prepared dishes, and a state-of-theart wine room ensures every glass is served at perfect temperature. It's a classy offer and it's hard to imagine why passengers wouldn’t choose this level of dining quality ahead of an inflight meal.

American Airlines too is laying on the style on the ground. Janelle Anderson, vp global marketing, explains: “We were the first U.S airline to offer

British Airways

a restaurant-style experience dedicated to First customers. Passengers are greeted by a host, seated and served a complimentary meal full of local flavours and creations. They’re treated to hand-picked premium wines and custom-made cocktails. What we offer there is not identical to what we have onboard but takes advantage of our capabilities on the ground to offer a truly First Class experience without the limitations that we have to work with onboard. The main advantage to serving food on the ground is having a kitchen onsite. It really makes a difference in being able to serve customers a variety of meals that are fresh, seasonal and tasty.”

She does not see it bringing an end to inflight dining though. “We just want our customers to be able to choose what works best for them. On redeye flights some customers would rather eat on the

British Airways

Singapore Airways

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ground to maximize their rest onboard.” distinctive Indian touch. Xavier Rossinyol, gategroup Singapore Airlines has top-class lounges across ceo, says: “We are pushing the boundaries, creating its network and aims to offer the same outstanding a premium experience at every airport we operate.” dining experiences on the ground as onboard.

When United opened its first Polaris lounge Sheldon Hee, gm UK & Ireland says: ‘SilversKris in Chicago, it added á la carte menu items to Lounges globally offer a selection of warm food, supplement the buffet. It had conducted 12,000 light snacks and beverages, wireless internet, hours of research with 350 high-mileage customers internet PCs, TVs, restrooms and showers. First and discovered that onboard, quality sleep was the Class SilverKris Lounges feature a barista service passengers' highest priority. Maggie Schmerin says: each morning and a bartender in the evening, and “We completely reimagine the premium experience table dining features a menu of Singaporean and focused on sleep. Giving customers the option to international favourites." dine in the lounge means they can go directly to In Singapore, premium sleep once onboard.”

Phil Cameron, founder and customers also have access to The Private Room, offering ceo of No1 Lounges sees it an exclusive level of privacy as a trend that will continue: A focus on pre-flight rare in the heart of a global “When it comes to long haul dining is a better value flights, especially for business hub."This includes a fine dining experience designed travellers, pre-flight dining proposition than to ensure our customers are makes much more sense as onboard catering continually delighted when it affords the passenger more time – to enjoy the food (as they travel with Singapore Airlines,” he adds opposed to eating at the time and pace the airline Lounges increasingly seem to surprise and sets), to digest before sleeping, and to sleep. In our delight passengers. Mumbai International Airport’s ever-more health-conscious and time-pressured First and Business lounges regularly win awards, world, eating and sleeping habits are becoming a impressing with opulent decor, first-class food, and priority. From a commercial perspective, a focus a knowledgeable service team. Huge, fluted gold on pre-flight dining is a better value proposition than onboard catering for airlines, as this is more columns, a dramatic marble floor, leather chairs expensive and incurs more wastage. We are and a spa with a 'living wall' of vegetation, make them an oasis in the Mumbai smog and passengers increasingly working with airlines to dovetail our ground offer with their onboard menus, to reduce often arrive early to experience it all. cost, while at the same time creating greater Operated by gategroup’s Performa Lounge choice for passengers and a marketable point of Services with Travel Food Services (TFS), they are difference from the competition”. • designed to provide personalised service with a

American Airlines

Mumbai Lounge

American Airlines

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customise economy Premium cabins get the glamour and much glory but now Etihad Airways is turning on the charm in Economy with customised choices, says Julie Baxter Refocus

Etihad has built its reputation on quality and style with its main focus on the high-end cabins. VP product & guest experience, Jamal Al Awadhi, admits: “We have focused on creating amazing premium product but we have always been a challenger brand and realised it was time to transform Economy too.”

Renew

A cabin upgrade and refurbishment of 23 narrow-body Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft gave the team the chance to renew the entire service.

It is adding new blankets, pillows and headrest covers, personalised wireless streaming for IFE on smart devices, and transformed dining and retail concepts.

Rethink

In addition, the airline has upped its retail game encouraging passengers to ‘Choose Well’ and customise their additional dining. The programme run with Retail inMotion includes a Tapas box, hot dishes, snacks, healthy kids' treats, artisan beverages and products from well known partner brands.

Reimagine

Al Awadhi adds: “We have rethought the entire F&B programme to make it a contemporary, bistro style offer – moving away from trays full of square products – and instead investing in quality produce and portion sizes that are up to 25% bigger."

Redesign

Meals are served on a new curved triangular base plate designed to reflect Abu Dhabi heritage and of recycled materials. New cutlery is 85% lighter, cutting fuel burn supporting Etihad’s drive to greater sustainability and to reduce the use of single-use plastics by 80% by 2022.

Fact file The retail range includes branded products from the likes of Bateel, Starbucks, Thorntons, Cawston Press, Heavenly, Perrier and Barebells Economy meals

such as salmon fillets and teriyaki chicken on some menus are more usually in Business The new 'Sweet or Salty' retail menu has been devised in collaboration with Retail inMotion

Reinvent

Investment in technology is also expected to support future product enhancements. Al Awadhi concluded: “Our Choose Well brand platform aims to give guests greater control, choice and value by personalising their travel experiences. It is no longer good enough for airlines to say: ‘This is what you get, take it or leave it, we must adjust to offer them choices that suit them personally whatever their priorities may be.” •

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Taste of Travel Theatre

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Stars of the show

here was plenty to chew on during this year’s bumper WTCE seminar programme – and we don’t just mean all the yummy product sampling! Large crowds turned out for the sessions, moderated by Onboard Hospitality's former editor Jo Austin, across all three days of WTCE.

"Sustainability is a huge challenge for the airline industry and the Taste of Travel debate during this year's WTCE brought up some very creative ideas”

Ready to order

Dine on Demand is one of the airline industry’s big talking points. Werner Kimmeringer and Craig Devoy, from Yates+Partners, offered a glimpse of how it is done on Saudia. While increased personalisation brings benefits for ambitious carriers, restaurant-style dining does put pressure on planning and delivery.

GAIL YATES HEAD OF INFLIGHT SERVICES VIRGIN ATLANTIC

On track

Great Western Railways' Pullman fine dining is a quintessentially ‘British’ experience, so it is vital that the brand can demonstrate its provenance.

RG executive chef Jenny Greenhalgh explained how it does it. (See page 49).

Personal touch

Mariette Abrahams, head of nutrition consultancy Qina, showed how to monitor food, travel and lifestyle trends with technology, and use data to shift buying decision-making.

Green giants

Matt Rance, of MNH Sustainable Cabin Services, led the sustainability debate with Virgin, Buzz and Linstol, to highlight ways airlines and suppliers can collaborate on eco issues.

"The sessions were really varied and gave the audience a lot to think about.

Food packaging is a particularly hot topic right now" LUCY STOWELL MONTY'S BAKEHOUSE

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Eco focus

Packaging News editor, Phil Chadwick, led a debate on single-use plastics and five businesses took part in a lively pitch to show how their packaging products are responding to this issue.

Young guns

Trend-spotter Ariane van Mancius, of Now/New/Next, offered insight into the foibles of future consumers. Gen Y and Z see food and Instagram as almost inseparable and online interaction increasingly shapes their choices.

New beginnings

"It was good to see so many buyers and suppliers of travel retail and to discuss the links between boutique duty free and boutique buyon-board” JOE HARVEY, SENIOR MANAGER GLOBAL BOUTIQUE DEVELOPMENT, RETAIL IN MOTION

British Airways is spending big to upgrade its offering around the world.

The airline’s executive chef Mark Tazzioli joined Do&Co head chef Wolfgang Stoiber for a taster of what's coming.

(See page 48).

Free from harm

Culinary consultant Marc Warde joined Creative Nature founder Julianne Ponan to chat all things ‘free-from’ - dairy, gluten, nuts and eggs to the range of meat-free options and allergy-friendly dishes now available.

Tomorrow's people

Onboard Hospitality’s Mentoring Network had a supportive arm around five firsttime exhibitors – cocktail firm Nio; fruit bites producer Chum; healthcare brand Clinova; meal supplier Howell and Lowe, and British vegan spritzer maker Silver Swift Drinks. (See page 16 & 61).

Young talent

In an exciting culinary contest, two young chefs from the Czech Repulic were challenged to create an onboard dish for rail operator JLV, with the audience chosing the winning dish. (See page 47). •

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inspire young chefs Two rising chefs took to the Taste of Travel stage in a live 'cook-off' to win a place on the menu of Czech intercity trains catered by JLV top talent

The two young guns from the Junior National Team of the Czech Republic’s Association of Chefs and Confectioners were introduced

by Jan Vales, sales and marketing director of train caterer JLV. Going head to head were Patrik Lexa, 22, who works in the exclusive Prague fusion restaurant ‘Aureole’ under chef Jiri Kral and has won two silver medals at the Czech Culinary Championships; and Vojta Petrzela, 20, triple winner of the Gastro Junior Competition and gold medal winner at the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany, in 2016. This was going to be some battle...

Feed their passions

Create excitement

Two very different dishes were cooked live on stage, with JLV’s summer menus in mind. The tasty aromas and witty banter drew a good audience. Patrik’s dish was crispy skin-on chicken breast, served with fennel, iceberg, cherry tomatoes, radishes and herb oil; Vojta’s dish was pork roasted in bacon, with lemon sauce salad, pomegranate and red onion. And the smells were amazing!

Give them feedback

With some of the world’s most experienced travel caterers in the audience, JLV was using the competition to get professional feedback alongside their existing customer research.

Fact file Traditional Czech gastronomy is represented in global contests by the Association of Czech Chefs and Confectioners JLV is 60 years old this year

There are three different Czech restaurant trains Pendolinos, Eurocity and RegioJet JLV caters trains that cross into Austria and Germany too

Patrik (known as ‘Mr Parsley’ to his friends) and Vojta were both incredibly passionate about their creations and wowed the audience with their sizzling cooking and repartee. Many seasoned professionals were impressed with the skills and style on show and, of course, the end products – succulent tastings in mini paper cones offered around the appreciative audience.

Praise be

The result was very close. With over 70 votes cast by the crowd, the winner – by one vote – was the crispy skin-on chicken dish! Mr Parsley had won! Vales said: “Now lucky customers travelling on Czech trains will also be able to taste Patrik’s dish, and with such a close result, Vojta’s pork dish is a hot favourite to also be on offer soon.” •

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we're elevating the passenger experience As British Airways marks its centenary, Sajida Ismail, head of inflight product & service, has her focus on elevating premium service

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ustomers are looking for good quality, a variety of dishes and – most importantly – a great taste, that works at 35,000ft.

Increasingly we know those travelling in First want the onboard experience to be tailored to their needs so we now offer an a-la-carte dine-any-time menu that allows the customer to customise their journey depending on whether they want to work, relax or dine. We constantly rotate our menus too, focusing on fresh seasonal ingredients with British provenance.

Special meals

Over the last few years, customers have been moving away from heavier meals, such as those featuring red meats, and selecting lighter dishes or requesting vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. But there are still some who like to indulge in comfort foods while travelling, and pasta dishes remain hugely popular.

Social media has played its part

as well in spurring change, creating instant ‘food influencers’ over the past few years. Increasingly travellers select their travel destination seeking an ‘experience’ and I expect there will be a lot more innovation in food ‘experiences’ to complement this trend.

I also think we can expect to see a growing focus on sustainability and food provenance as customers are rightly very discerning – and becoming more so.

We currently partner with some great food experts across our network and recently announced partnerships with Do&Co at Heathrow and Newrest at Gatwick. We are working closely with those teams to develop new exciting menus for our customers.

Getting connected

New too is the roll out of connectivity across our long-haul and short-haul fleets and this will have the benefit of allowing our crew to connect their tablets to the internet to answer questions and resolve issues in the moment, and hence better ensure a seamless customer journey.

The opportunities are endless and technology allows us to be dynamic and proactive in our approach to enhancing customer service.

Our philosophy is to provide exceptional, intuitive and personalised service, that makes each journey unique. Technology enables us to deliver on that promise. •

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bring style onboard Great Western Rail’s Pullman service is acclaimed as a model of refinement. This year’s Taste of Travel at WTCE experienced the glamour Aim high

“For years, Pullman trains have enchanted millions of customers and still nothing is finer than enjoying great food and wine, while watching the world go by,” said Roger Williams, chair of rail catering trade association IRCG, opening the session.

Name drop

“The Pullman name comes from U.S. rail entrepreneur George Mortimer Pullman,” Williams continued. “It’s synonymous with excellence, and in 1879, it was Pullman coach The Prince of Wales that formed the first British restaurant car. Within 20 years, one million meals a year were being served. Now, 140 years later, GWR’s Pullmans still pull in the customers.”

Focus on food

Set standards

Sarah Creaser, GWR’s catering operations manager, explained: “Customers get a real restaurant experience, with tablecloths, quality chinaware, glasses and cutlery, silver service and all food cooked fresh by onboard chefs. They attract a loyal following and regularly achieve high rankings on TripAdvisor”.

Be bespoke

“The menus are bespoke for GWR,” Creaser continued, “developed with RG to suit current tastes, including vegetarian and allergen-free options.

Provenance is important as we support our local farmers and fishermen and communities.”

Fact file There are some 50 Pullman trains a week catering anything up to 900 covers Pullmans from London service Plymouth, Cardiff, Penzance and Swansea

The London evening Pullman has been listed in the top 10 London restaurants on TripAdvisor Ratcliffe & Brown Wines support the onboard wine list

RG’s chef Jenny Greenhalgh and account director David Pullan showcased, and gave away samples of the dishes served, including pearl barley and baby vegetables with a chermoula sauce; Asian-inspired confit duck bon-bon; smoked duck breast and plum sauce; and for dessert, coconut rice pudding with caramelised pineapple and lime.

perfect pairing

A short film highlighted a special Welsh Pullman breakfast, and then Andrew Brown, of Ratcliffe & Brown Wines, enthused about GWR’s fabulous wine list. “The focus is on quality and consistency, with particular emphasis on choosing wines that complement the recipes of each dish. In that way, we take the customer on a real culinary journey.” •

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Product pushing...

From healthy treats to amenity innovations and sustainable solutions, Jessica Pook toured the stands for the latest and greatest products at WTCE

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1. SOUL FOOD

In response to growing demand for healthy snacking, Soul Food has created a range of nut clusters and organic veggie mixes that use organic freeze dried fruits, fair-trade chocolate and no preservatives. Flavours include Nacho Cheese, Spicy Peri Peri coated nut clusters and an organic mix of soya beans, pumpkin seeds, tomato and courgette pieces. soulfoodcollective.co.uk 2. SILVER SWIFT

Silver Swift creates 100% natural gin and vodka-spritzers that are low calorie, gluten free and made using

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premium British spirits. Each bottle or can is 100% recyclable, under 100 calories and contains 5% alcohol.

Flavours are Wild Rose Gin, Basil Blush Vodka, Tipsy Iced Tea Vodka and the Orchard Pear Gin Tonic, new for spring 2019. Learn more page 61 silverswiftdrinks.com 3. SMART WIPES

Wet wipe specialist Smart Wipes is turning the spotlight onto sustainability with its range of airlinefriendly wipes made from bambooviscose or biodegradable viscose.

Newest to the range are Deo Wipes designed for personal refreshment

and containing antibacterial ingredients. Available in singles, they are 20 x 22cm embossed wipes made using 100% bio-viscose. smartwipes.nl 4. CHUM FRUIT SNACKS

Chum launched its fruit bites last year with each of the four flavours represented by a different animal. The snacks are made from 100% peach, apple, strawberry or berry with no added sugar, no preservatives and no colourants. In addition, this brand ensures 15% of profits are donated to wildaid.org to help save endangered animal species. chumbites.com

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5. OH MY GIM

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New beverage options saw artisan suppliers and healthy options take to the stands

Oh My Gim is a healthy, superfood said to boost concentration and mood. Gim is the Korean word for edible seaweed, the basis of these snacks. Each pack contains over 60 minerals and is under 25 calories.

The four flavours available are Sea Salt & Perilla Oil, Sea Salt & Spicy, Sea Salt & Vinegar and Sea Salt & Wasabi. ohmygim.com 6. COFFEE PLANET

This year marked the launch of Coffee Planet’s new range of 100% Arabica cold brewed cans, available

in four different varieties: Original, Nitro, Nitro with Milk and Nitro with Milk and Natural Vanilla. The drinks provide a healthier alternative to traditional energy drinks for the ready-to-drink market. coffeeplanet.com 7. SMARTTICK GROUP

This Hong Kong-based company provides airline equipment designed to enhance the onboard experience and includes a range of scented pyjamas. The pyjama fabric produces a soothing scent, such as lavender or camomile, when rubbed. As the smell

lasts up to 20 washes, they can be reused beyond the flight. smartickgroup.com 8. WANDERFUEL

These wellbeing packs have been designed to elevate the journey for passengers on long-haul flights.

Inside, passengers will find a probiotic drink to support digestion and boost immunity, plant-based snacks to provide long-lasting energy, a face wipe, and a face mist to rejuvenate skin, and a hot cacao mix said to help mitigate stress and help passengers to relax. wanderfuel.com

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Learn more about

Sample

the world's fastest growing travel region from top airline speakers

innovative inight catering from across the region

Connect

all your customer experiences at one event

Combine tech talk with hospitality buying

See you in

Singapore

It's Asia's

biggest free to attend EXPO!

at our Onboard Hospitality Forum-Asia

Be a part of our

street food festival

NOVEMBER 12-13, 2019 / MARINA BAY SANDS, SINGAPORE

Onboard Hospitality has formed a strategic partnership with Future Travel Experience Asia EXPO to invite inight caterers, wellbeing and design specialists to meet at this well-established show, within a dedicated Onboard Hospitality area adjoining the Asia EXPO

TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE or enter our Onboard Street Food Festival contact: Exhibition Director: craig.mcquinn@onboardhospitality.com / +44 (0)775 3745419 or Publisher: sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com / +44 (0)20 8649 7233

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9. FUNKIN COCKTAILS

Funkin Cocktails has introduced a range of canned nitro cocktails. The nitro element produces a head, giving the cocktail the appearance of a quality cocktail. Mixes include Amaretto Sour, Expresso Martini, Pink Gin Fizz and Passionfruit Martini. funkincocktails.co.uk

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the breakfast on-the-go market. The range includes Fruity Granola with a strawberry yoghurt, Natural Granola with a peach and passionfruit yoghurt, Seedy Granola with a raspberry yoghurt and Nutty Granola with a cherry yoghurt. A paper spoon is included in each pot.snackboxtogo.com 11. PLAYIN CHOC

10. SNACKBOX TO-GO

Snackbox To-Go has introduced a ‘twice as nice’ twin snack box. Each box contains a sweet and a savoury offering that can be enjoyed hot or cold, and the packaging is fully recyclable.

A new granola yoghurt box taps into

Playin CHOC has introduced a lighter vegan ‘milk’ chocolate to its range of kids cubes. The chocolates are individually wrapped and each comes with a 3D puzzle toy and fun facts card – all of which are 100% recyclable. playinchoc.com

12. WELL & TRULY

Already performing well onboard Norwegian and Great Western Rail, Well & Truly's Crunchy baked corn snacks have 40% less fat than regular crisps.

New to the range is Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar, which joins Really Cheesy, Sour Cream and Onion and Smokey Paprika.

Available in 15g and 30g formats. wellandtruly.co.uk 13. LUCY’S DRESSINGS

Lucy’s dressings now come in convenient single-serve pot format.

Made from recipes tried and tested at home, the dressings have a premium look and use high-quality ingredients.

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The 26ml pots come in French Dressing, Honey & Mustard Golden Dressing and Classic Balsamic Dressing. lucysdressings.co.uk 14. TWISST

Austria-based beverage brand Twisst offers a range of non-alcoholic, readyto-drink mocktails with a shelf life of 18 months. Consisting of both still and sparkling drinks, the range provides a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative to cocktails with classic mixes including Pina Colada, Irish Cream, Mojito, Virgin Mary and Gin Tonic, Cuba Libre and Amaro Spritz. twisst-mocktails.com

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15. LE WAF

Made in the U.S., Le Waf’s artisan wrapped waffles can be a sweet or savoury snack. They have a six-week shelf life (six months if frozen), and can be warmed in a toaster or oven.

Available in blueberry, strawberry, apple-cinnamon, orange, mango-chilli, dried tomato, chives and chipotle. lewaf.com 16. ROYAL SMILDE

The new &Stories range by Royal Smilde features a series of pastry/pie/quiche meals with a salad, a hummus and a petit fours, using traditional flavours and foods from around the world. Masala

pie and lentil salad from India, Classic quiche Lorraine from the Mediterranean and a Peruvian salad from Latin America. A Sweet America offer includes an apple pie and American salad. smildeandstories.com 17. GROUP SOI

Group Soi has refreshed all its packaging and launched a range of chilled Italian ready-to-eat antipasto. The trays are suitable for buy-on-board or a cold meal service. All are DOP certified and include prosciutto di parma, parmigiano reggiano, pecorino toscano, bresaola cured meat, coppa, salami Milano, olives and also mini bread sticks. groupsoi.com

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18. WILDCORN

Wildcorn contains 69 calories and is made using organic popcorn. The plantbased snack is available in turmeric and lemon; dill and lemongrass; sea salt and pepper, tomato and chilli and, for a limited time, ginger, pepper and cinnamon. wildcorn.de 19. PORTFOLIO PARTNERS

Latest offerings from Portfolio include the joyböl, an on-the-go smoothie bowl created by adding water. The breakfast bowl combines fruits, nuts, and seeds with 10-11g protein. Flavours are: Mango Coconut Chia with Black Rice and Pecans, Strawberry Almond Quinoa

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Crunch, Superberries & Acai, Matcha Berry and Chocolate Hazelnut with Granola Clusters. joybolfoods.com 20. GEORGIA’S FREE FROM DELI

Created by a paediatric and maternity nurse, this range of free-from children's meals are made from organic fruit, grains, vegetables and premium meats They are free from the 14 known allergens and suitable for coeliac and refluxing babies. thebabynurse.co.uk 21. PET IN THE AIR

Passengers can keep connected to their pet with a new interactive crate.

The crate has been designed to reduce

stress and offer comfort whilst animals are in transit. Its features include GPS tracking, air conditioning, smart food and water dispensers, light and scent therapy and embedded sensors. petintheair.com 22. LEMONAID +

Lemonaid+ is a drink with a conscience.

Every bottle sold contributes to Lemonaid & ChariTea – an organisation which aims to improve the social, economic and environmental structures in disadvantaged areas. The lemonade is fair trade and available in lime, passion fruit, blood orange and ginger. lemon-aid.de

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23. BUZZ

Buzz is providng Emirates' First passengers with skincare products

by BYREDO. The allergen-free and Chamomile collections have been exclusively created for Emirates for a relaxing experience. buzzproducts.com 24. WISDOM

Oral hygiene specialist Wisdom has developed a home teeth whitening kit that promotes whiter teeth in seven days. The treatment has been developed by oral care experts to deliver up to six shades whiter teeth.

Pack sizes have been developed to be

suitable for inclusion in amenity kits. intensewhite.com 25. HELLO STRAW

Hello Straw has an eco-friendly approach to straws produces one is 100% biodegradable and stays in shape for at least two hours. The straws are available in a variety of colours and patterns for onboard service. hellostraw.com 26. BEEMSTER

Premium Cheese Bites are the latest savoury offering from cheese specialist Beemster. The bites are an ideal accompaniment to a pre-meal

aperitif, as a side-snack or as a tray addition. They come in single or multipack form and have a long shelf life. beemstercheese.us 27. MEZETE

Mezete’s products includes a range of healthy, traditional Mediterranean snacks such as fava beans, mulukhiyah, qalayet, and hummus.

These side dishes come with different toppings from the classic to the addition of chili or herbs and are made using all-natural ingredients and no preservatives. They have an 18-month shelf-life. mezete.net

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New for 2019, Clip hosted an artist in residence designing cityscapes on the stand

28. CLIP

Clip turned the focus onto the ways art and travel can come together by inviting Julia Gash to be its artist in residence at WTCE. Gash takes her inspriation from the places she visits and created a range of cityscape designs to suit amenity kits for specific routings. clip.com 29. WK THOMAS

WKT has added to its range of 100% compostable products with an ultralight-weight stepped meal tray.

Designed inhouse, the space-saving bagasse tray is said to help improve the speed of service and is more than

300% lighter than other plastic trays available for a similar task. wkthomas.com 30. BOTTEGA

Bottega's Gin “Bacûr” bottle now comes in a miniature version. The Italian gin uses fragrant and natural ingredients in the recipe such as juniper berries from Tuscany, sage harvested in Veneto countryside, Sicilian lemon zest, and water sourced from the Alps. bottegaspa.com 31. RADNOR

Water specialist Radnor has produced a new environmentally-friendly water

carton which is specifically designed for onboard consumption. The cartons are positioned as ideal for inflight service trolleys and tray service as they have a convenient anti-roll shape and are free from plastic straws. radnorhills.co.uk 32. OH SO…SCRUMMY

Oh So…Scrummy makes baked goods which are suitable for vegetarians and free from artificial colours, flavours and hydrogenated fats. From cupcakes to snack bars, the products are hand decorated and made using bespoke, handmade recipes. ohsoscrummy.co.uk •

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e tim x i m o t p u it From sustainable cans to elegant boxes, cocktails are finding new ways to cater to the on-the-go market and are fast becoming the new trend onboard, says Jessica Pook

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s I sip and sample my way around the stands at WTCE, two things start to become obvious – how strong these drinks are and that on-the-go cocktails are a bang on trend.

But how do you take a product known for being something of an art, complete with professional mixologists, elegant garnishes and precise measurements, and make it accessible onboard?

The drinks industry is forever innovating to impress: think craft beers with their citrusy hops and chocolatey undertones; or ‘ginspiration’ with trendy botanicals and pre-canned options. But while the classic cocktail has changed little over the years, it is frequently considered a complex and expensive luxury surrounded by ceremony and style tricky to deliver on aircraft where convenience and space saving are key.

Attempting to put an end to the cocktail drought onboard, Funkin Cocktails has introduced a range of canned ‘nitro’ cocktails, available in Amaretto Sour, Expresso Martini, Pink Gin Fizz and Passionfruit Martini. The nitro element produces a foam head which gives it the smooth, velvety feel of a freshly made cocktail. The brightly coloured cans along with the respectable 5% alcohol volume have appealed to the likes of Thomas Cook taking the Passionfruit Martini can onboard this summer.

Simon Leno, senior trade marketing manager of Funkin Cocktails says: “Cocktails are exciting.

They offer something different. For some they are an indulgence, however, we see them becoming more popular as the macro ‘premium-isation’ trend continues. When consumers are travelling they are often relaxing, looking for a treat and prepared to spend that little bit extra. Cocktails fit those occasions perfectly.”

CANTAILS is another contender in the cocktail arena. Founder Myles Donneky used his awardwinning mixologist skills to create highquality cocktails that still taste great when packaged in aluminium cans. Available in Expresso Martini, Mojito and Elderflower Collins with a Passionfruit Martini soon to be added to the mix, all the ingredients are sourced by Myles and his business partner Kit themselves. They taste test them too for balanced flavour, sweetness and alcohol strength. Each cocktail is also taste tested by a panel of industry cocktails experts before release.

“There seems a desire within the

travel retail industry to serve high-quality cocktails with ultimate ease. Our product takes the same amount of time as pouring a beer so guests no longer have to wait for a great cocktail,” says Donneky. The cocktails are packaged in 250ml slim aluminum cans which are 100% recyclable.

Among the most inventive products in the cocktail market is NIO (Needs Ice Only). This ready-to-drink cocktail range is packaged in a cardboard square pocket, with the liquid cocktail mix in a plastic pouch inside. Shake the pack, pour over ice and serve. Created by Patrick Pistolesi, an internationally renowned mixologist, NIO has all the classics covered, from Negroni to Cosmopolitan to Whiskey Sour and the product has no expiry date.

Benjamin Blum offers its gin-based cocktails in glass bottles. Perhaps more suited for premium cabins, these sophisticated drinks use recipes that date back nearly a century. They feature craft ingredients from traditional producers around Europe, blended with a London dry gin. Each bottle contains between three to four servings and is best served over ice. The range includes Negroni – Italian bitter and red vermouth with British gin and a twist of black tea; Aviation – a blend of gin, maraschino, liqueur de violette and lemon with a hint of white tea; and Orange Bloom – British gin, Italian red vermouth and French triple sec.

And, as I ended my cocktail tour of the stands I was pleased to find a non-alcoholic alternative too. Austria-based Twisst offers a range of ready-to-drink canned mocktails with an 18-month shelf life. With both still and sparkling options, the classic cocktail mixes include a non-alcoholic Pina Colada, Mojita and Irish Cream. •

Clockwise from top: NIO's packaging innovation, Benjamin Blum's sophistication, Funkin's nitro offer and Cantails convenience

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A Swift bit of mentoring Silver Swift Drinks was among WTCE first time exhibitors given expert support through the Onboard Hospitality Mentoring Network. Here we see how it worked

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oger Williams, md of Explore Catering and chair of rail catering trade association IRCG, mentored British drinks brand, Silver Swift Drinks, as the company worked to be bring something fresh to the onboard beverage market.

Founded by Rose Unwin in 2017, the company already has an awardwinning range of pre-mixed spirit based spritzers, with clever branding and scrumptious sounding names. The fully British provenance and ‘guilt-free’ ingredients are already in high-end retail outlets and are now looking to get onboard.

The Mentor’s view

“Following a brief introductory email and telephone call we arranged to meet up in the relaxed neutral territory of a local café. We started with discussions about the products and the business in general. Rose explained that her vision had been to create a uniquely delicious range of ‘ready-to-drink spritzers with a conscience’. Aimed at the more discerning drinker – it was an innovative range for those that appreciate the finer things in life. Silver Swift uses hand-picked suppliers, supporting home-grown industries and avoids unnecessary air miles – a sustainable story that I could see should attract catering buyers. We talked about the onboard opportunities and how to approach this market. We explored her concept and how best to present it and I offered tips, feedback and ideas around trade fair preparations and buyer expectations.”

The Mentee’s view

Mentors from the Onboard Hospitality Network this year supported five new exhibitors as they prepared for and attended WTCE. Learn more on page 16

“Roger helped me see that our brand’s strong British heritage and regional provenance is so relevant to several intercity railway routes – for example our five-times distilled vodka is produced in Yorkshire, our gin comes from Market Harborough and fruit from West Country orchards – all of these areas are close to mainline railways. His help was invaluable leading up to WTCE and during the event too. He helped me perfect my pitch and encouraged me to promote the benefits of our ingredients, provenance, sustainability and my own story more, whilst introducing me to several great contacts in the industry. Having the opportunity to present at the Taste of Travel Theatre was also really cool. Overall, a big thanks to Roger and Onboard Hospitality. •

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62 / AIX revIew

Onboard Entertainment & Connectivity

Around the hamburg halls

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pdates and inspiration from this year’s AIX, PTS and Passenger Experience Conference (PEC). Richard Williams, Laura Gelder and Jessica Pook toured the stands and sat in on the debates

tech hAck finds solutions

it’s All in the detAil

Attention to detail was at the top of the agenda for business leaders from the air, rail and cruise sectors attending this year’s Passenger Experience Conference.

Dr. Joe Leader, ceo of the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and International Flight Services Association (IFSA), stressed the benefits of the marginal gains to be had from finetuning processes “no matter the size of the airline or scope of the mission”.

The PTS seminar theatre played host to the inaugural PAX TECH HACK, backed by IATA. More than 50 developers presented solutions created live on the show floor in a 48-hour competition. The winners of the Inflight Passenger Community Challenge was CloudLounge, which was chosen for its easy-to-use personal networking experience that enables passengers to use an IFE camera or QR code to join the virtual lounge of a fellow traveller. Team BudJet was winner of the Boost Airport Retail Challenge for its solution that matches passengers with products available at an airport based on a designated budget.

Airline evolution

Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa shared insights on the evolution of the passenger journey, looking at how to improve efficiency and increase ancillary revenue. From focusing on inflight entertainment and collaborating with start-ups, to learning from vertically-integrated sectors such as the automotive industry, they showed how airlines can evolve to take on the challenges with a range of solutions.

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bandwidth demand rises

The IFEC Zone reflected growing demands for increased Seeking solutions bandwidth, greater coverage, FrontM was at the Passenger Technology Solutions show deeper personalisation and more to announce the launch of its Always-On AI Software Platform, immersive experiences. Thales which offers passengers a 'ground like' digital showcased its InFlyt360-powered experience to explore, engage and shop from Select passenger interface, the comfort of the airline cabin. Applications a new IPTV live television range from inflight moving maps, with solution, and a voiceover Adsfly built-in e-commerce, to passenger selfwifi telephone service. takes off service apps and internet-sponsored Inmarsat revealed Immfly launched a new media services, such was hotel booking, to more about its new division at AIX, Adsfly, which aims social entertainment apps like inflight European Aviation to provide a revenue solution for the chat. The PTS Seminar Theatre Network (EAN) airline industry and give brands space discussed the role of technology in hybrid air-to-ground to showcase in the skies. Adsfly works sharing departure information via and satellite-based with any wifi platform and gives Siri and third-party delivery apps to connectivity service, advertisers and airlines increased enable passengers to order food to now available on autonomy and flexibility to the gate and onboard.

British Airways. manage, upload and analyse campaigns

Intelligent content

The returning CabinSpace Live Seminar Theatre saw suppliers and airlines discuss the future of inflight entertainment. Representatives from Burrana, Gogo Commercial Aviation, FlightPath 3D, Touch Inflight Solutions, TAP Air Portugal and Cirium explained how airlines can realistically provide passengers with free inflight connectivity, and identified new ways that intelligent content creation can improve.

Anniversary & innovation

AIX celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.

Innovations announced included Panasonic Avionics’ new Arc Inflight Map Platform; and Recaro's trio of seats including a new entry-level economy product, plus options for Premium Economy and Business. Collins Aerospace launched its innovative M-Flex Duet monuments which transforms airline doorways into crew work areas or a passenger social zone.

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Showtime inflight Live-streaming has the power to add value to entertainment systems and transform the atmosphere onboard. Jessica Pook learns more from Viasat

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s technology evolves and airlines strive to offer a unique experience, choice and comfort is key to passenger satisfaction. Having the ability to livestream sporting events and concerts or watch the latest episode of a hit TV show as it’s being broadcast has the potential to change the way we use inflight entertainment, as well as bring in potential revenue.

Last year, Viasat assisted American Airlines in live-streaming the show of country legend Willie Nelson when he performed at the Austin City Limits music festival. Despite not being heavily advertised, the concert received great passenger participation.

Striking a chord

Don Buchman, vice president of Viasat says: “We’ve been live-streaming events on the ground for years, so it was a natural progression to take this technology to a new level, especially as American Airlines was already the sponsor of Austin City Limits.”

Airlines are looking to offer something different that passengers can’t get elsewhere, so streaming a big star like Willie Nelson – who had not performed at Austin City Limits in over 10 years – gave passengers that feeling of exclusivity.

streaming on flights, with the potential to gain revenue from advertising or sponsorship deals.

Adding value

Viasat has already enabled customers to live-stream events Buchman adds: “You such as the Masters do see a change in the golf tournament or atmosphere; it is as Game of Thrones from if viewers have been When free wifi is the ground, something transported, like they available there is an that could potentially were in the studio extreme increase in be offered onboard to with Willie.” participation paying customers.

Research suggests “We’ve proven that that the activities there is an audience for live-streaming that passengers engage in inflight are and that the technology works; it is identical to those on the ground. And fairly routine. That opens up the when free wifi is available there is a possibilities to broadcast other events. significant increase in participation – We just have to consider how to create almost double the rate compared to a value for the venue on the ground, paid-for offering. and what will really add to the With this in mind, Buchman predicts passenger experience.” • we will see a wider variety of live

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How to...

get safe wifi to the seat Airline and train wifi can be patchy, and even insecure. Richard Williams looks into a potential solution: Cognitive Hotspot Technology (CHT) CUT INTERFERENCE

José Gonzalez, co-founder and ceo of Galgus, specialises in Cognitive Hotspot Technology. Galgus’s software, incorporated in the VT Miltope wireless cabin infrastructure, prevents personal devices from making a poor connection onboard.

This often happens when, for example, the passenger boards at the front of a plane, which overloads the forward access point (AP). When the passenger moves to the rear, the signal gets weaker and also suffers from interference from the AP that is now closest to the device.

The software function that prevents this is known as inter-AP load balancing which also performs intraload balancing, as it allocates the available radios of each AP equally among the devices using it. This means that fewer APs are needed; for a mid-sized wide-body typically three instead of five.

DEFEND AGAINST HACKS

Perhaps even more important is an enhancement to CHT that Galgus is seeking to incorporate. This is location, positioning and tracking functionality that protects against hacking. It is possible, using a fairly simple and cheap device, to set up a rogue AP on the aircraft, and intercept all the data on the system. The Galgus software has a security protocol between the APs, it detects the rogue AP, cuts the connection, and re-connects to the genuine AP.

LOCATE ANY HACKERS

In a typical hacking scenario, the passenger’s data will be protected; they will continue with their browsing, messaging or work without ever realising that a hacking attempt has been made. The airline will know where the attack originated within a few seat rows.

FACT FILE CHT stands for Cognitive Hotspot Technology. (W) AP for (wireless) access point

Intra-load balancing allocates the signal from a single AP equally to each device

Inter-AP load balancing spreads connectivity between all the APs onboard

Wide-body aircraft typically use up to five WAPs; only three are needed with the Galgus

FOCUS ON OBJECTIVES

Gonzalez says: “In terms of customer experience, the quality of connectivity is judged on two aspects: having a wifi service that is up to the task and as cyber-secure as possible. CHT running in VT Miltope APs achieves both objectives reliably.” Galgus claims that the software is currently the only product of its type in the mobility market. It may in future be popular with airlines concerned for the security of their passengers’ data.•

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68 / FOCUS ON

Flymingo French company Flymingo is hoping to bring simplicity to IFE with its boxed solution, says Laura Gelder

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lymingo is a wireless IFE solution allowing passengers to connect to a digital platform via their own devices.

The product has been used on Air France since early 2018 and also features onboard XL Airways, Air Belgium and in Paris airports Charles de Gaulle and Orly.

A boxed entertainment system, it has an open interface which can be connected with a company’s own APIs. It can be battery or aircraft powered and has 15 hours battery autonomy.

Flymingo sells its solution on value and simplicity - there is no installation cost because the device is simply placed in the overhead bins.

The makers of Flymingo say it can provide quality HD streaming for up to 100 passengers. If there are more customers, an extra device can be added but Flymingo is really pitched at narrowbody aircraft.

All passengers need to do to get access to Flymingo is connect to the wifi and the portal launches automatically in their browser.

Entertainment

A server is preloaded with 1,000 hours of content – movies, TV programmes, games, regional and international news and music, as well as a moving

For airlines looking to increase map. Flymingo can also be loaded with ancillary revenue, a module for a company’s own content, enabling advertising has the option to them to promote their own brand and feature push offers and develop an services. immersive ‘brand Flymingo also has corner’ to create new a boutique section touchpoints with which can help passengers. companies increase Flymingo sells its Whilst personal data their ancillary solution on value cannot be gathered, revenue. The digital and simplicity crew can look at catalogue can detail overall order trends and download shopping opportunities as well as buy analysis as well as service feedback on board food menus and crew get through the app. sales notifications via the app and can check stock levels and monitor how many devices are connected.

Future proof Flymingo is still evolving its product and this year's update enables streaming to be paused automatically if the crew make an announcement.

Coming soon, another update will add more content aimed at kids and business travellers. •

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OPINION / 69

wireless IFE

Let's talk money Independent airline revenue specialist Oliver Ranson explains how airlines can monetise their wireless IFE systems

Regional airlines and low-cost carriers considering wireless IFE systems need to think beyond the costs to justify investment in a platform. There are five paths to revenue they should consider.

King content

Only great content will inspire passengers to pay for IFE. A system alone, even sexy VR or HD, is not enough. Hollywood movies and TV shows are poor value for airlines as they are expensive and may not look particularly interesting to passengers. Other options such as games, experiences, education and destination information may have more of a ‘wow factor’, inspiring passengers Wireless to pay.

moment from the villain’s lair and as the credits roll a message pops up: “Would boxes are a you like a vodka martini?” good option for Wireless IFE allows airlines to tailor service Advertising airlines looking to suggestions like this, Classic ads are boring, monetise their IFE making it more likely that especially if repeated. passengers will buy an extra. They can send Choose a system and service provider that requests directly to the galley and encourage tailors messages to content, platform, route higher passenger satisfaction. and flight time, giving advertisers a superior customer response and so commanding higher prices for the ads.

Seat sales Wireless IFE can support seat sales too. In the next decade, airlines will be able to promote Retail network and price promotions inflight. Ideally There is lots of time to these will be flight specific, promoting a explore virtual stores summer holiday flight as you fly home after inflight and airlines an Easter break, for example. should be earning revenue from this fact.

Since space is limited, Conclusion partnerships with ground Wireless boxes are a good option for retailers for delivery at the airlines looking to monetise their IFE. The gate are key. most successful will offer great content and advertise effectively but unobtrusively. They Service enhancements will also establish partnerships with ground retailers, use wifi to facilitate service delivery You're watching James and support their own sales. • Bond rescue the girl of the

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70 / IN CONVERSATION

WITHOUT SES, THERE WOULDN’T BE MUCH IFC GOING ON Aditya Chatterjee, svp aero market segment solutions for SES, explains how the business is building tomorrow’s connectivity

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lose to 80% of the inflight connectivity in commercial aviation is provided by satellites. SES provides connectivity to almost half of those aircraft, and is the biggest global satellite operator.

We have just added another four satellites to the O3b Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) network, bringing our MEO constellation to 20. Our firstgeneration MEO constellation has already transformed the cruise market, where we are the leading provider.

The four new satellites will enhance coverage and bring greater service availability and reliability to markets such as maritime; aero is next up as we bring the ultra-low latency and ultra-high throughput of our O3b MEO constellations to market.

We currently supply the main airline service providers with connectivity: Panasonic, Gogo, Thales Avionics, and

Global Eagle, plus some regional service providers. Without SES, there wouldn’t be much IFC going on.

20 MEO satellites is positioned closer to the earth than traditional satellites.

Network building

We are historically strong in Ku-band connectivity and are increasing even further our Ka-band capacity. More than 50 conventional and HTS GEO satellites make up the SES fleet with both Ku-band and Ka-band coverage.

Our latest GEO satellites SES-12 – serving Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, SES-14 – serving the Americas, the Caribbean and the North Atlantic region, and SES-15 – serving North America, Mexico and Central America, have HTS payloads that are designed to complement each other; providing comprehensive HTS Ku-band coverage. •

We have over 70 satellites, which cover 99% of the world’s population. No satellite network can be considered truly global because factors such as local regulations might prevent these networks from providing services in a specific region. For these cases, or to provide increased capacity or redundancy, we are committed to collaborating with third-party operators.

We are the only satellite operator to have both geostationary (GEO) and NGSO satellites. Our O3b network of

Boosting coverage

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72 / MATTRESSES

Time for bed

Airline seats are designed for sitting but increasingly passengers head onboard looking for their beds, Julie Baxter discovers how inflight suppliers are working to support restful sleep

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the aim of bringing `home´comforts onboard.

That is what makes the difference."

Home comforts

She reports this becoming more of a priority and says: “Some airlines are now keen to invest in that feeling of home and if your airline is not, we believe you should take immediate action!

If airlines can't afford a full retrofit, this kind of product allows them to compete with the established suite-business class services and dramatically improve the passenger experience.”

She accepts there are challenges: “There is not a one-size-fits-all solution, as each seat is different and even within the same airline, you can find different types of cabins and seats. We aim to find the perfect combination of fabric, fillings and structures to keep the right temperature and the right thickness for comfort whilst also ensuring it’s all easily folded and stored. We also harmonise all the elements the passenger sees, to give a cohesive look and feel.”

MAIN IMAGE COURTESY OF KAELIS

ellbeing experts all agree.

Sleep is absolutely key to both good mental and physical health. And for travellers messing with their body clocks, good sleep en route has become a top priority. First class seats, converted to beds, have led the way but now there is growing demand for seat liners and mattresses to add comfort solutions in Business too.

Fernanda Veiga, at Kaelis, says: “A seat mattress provides that extra element of comfort that allows passengers to forget they are on a flight, and that is the key to ensuring good sleep.

They help to improve the travel experience, making passengers feel more relaxed, especially on a long-haul flight.

We approach each mattress and bedding project with

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MATTRESSES / 73

She believes the investment pays off fast in in one piece with the shell and filling designed terms of passenger satisfaction. to provide greater support around the hips and Grit Peschke is a textile engineer working on shoulders, where it is most needed for comfort. mattress projects and developments at LSG By prioritising this padding, weight, stowage space Group’s Spiriant. She says: "Size is key. Storage and price can be reduced. limitations mean a mattress must be as small Peschke works with multiple layers and as possible but at the same time as comfortable increasingly uses sustainable materials such as and soft as possible. Some biological cotton, recycled airlines want the mattress polyester, terry cotton, tensel to cover the whole seat, but and palm. it is possible to save weight, While some carriers favour If your airline is not space and costs through investing in that feeling memory foam Peschke careful design. It may not be of home you should take believes other materials essential for the mattress to are more practical and immediate action run under the pillow space, cost effective. She says: “A for example, or we can shape mattress can be made the design to provide support and comfort at the from a simple layer of foam but for real points it is most needed.” comfort we recommend combining this with a spacer fabric - a light material comprised of soft New solutions plastic needle-like supports A new option showcased by Spiriant at WTCE, – 6mm, 8mm or 12mm for example, was a 3D knitted mattress created

Above from left: United conducted consumer research into sleep for its Polaris offer; and the DUXIANA range brings the comforts of home onboard Etihad Airways

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MATTRESSES / 75

long. This lightweight layer adds comfort and has moisture management qualities which are important.”

Spiriant has noted growing interest from airlines investing in products to support good sleep and believes this reflects wellbeing trends and the growth of signature mattresses and pillow menus now well established in hotels.

She agrees that the 'at home' feel is key and adds: “Key to good rest is comfort and that means a soft and supportive environment, moisture management, temperature control, and that 'at home’ experience. These combine to make it easier to fall asleep and rest.”

Spiriant has worked with Audi to draw inspiration from the comfort seating of the luxury car sector and also works with high-end German bedding brand Paradises. It hopes to announce another bedding brand partnership shortly.

and class experience. Each brand brings its own philosophy, narrative, and outlook with regards to materials, technology, design, sustainability, and Brand collaborations its contribution to societal Well known for its cuttingand environmental causes. edge brand collaborations Key to good rest is Certain brands offer a more is WESSCO International comfort and that means natural ‘fit’ for certain airlines, which has facilitated the a soft and supportive so we look to identify which Casper programme for environment best complements and adds American Airlines and the value to each airline’s cabin DUXIANA UXIANA range of soft goods onboard Etihad Airways. WESSCO’s cmo, Petros experience. For passengers there is the added Sakkis, says: “A brand needs to match the airline benefit of trying out branded products that they are excited to experience.”

Above: WESSCO worked with sleep experts from Casper to evolve the American Airlines offer Below: DUXIANA onboard Etihad Airways is already well established in luxury hotels

Quality focus

The Swedish luxury bedding brand DUXIANA was chosen for its high-quality features developed around the DUX Bed using high-performance, sustainable materials to create an ergonomically correct mattress. The brand is already used by top hotels in the Jumeirah group and The Langham, New York. The onboard programme had to follow the highest quality standards and use highperformance, sustainable materials, in alignment with DUXIANA’s environmental strategy.

For each new soft goods programme the WESSCO team also evaluates life-cycle, evalu seat specifications, stowage, stowage folding or rolling, and works to customise customi to the airline requirements. Sakkis adds: “We keep a close eye on all materials and product developments in the luxury bedding and soft goods onboardhospitality.com

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76 / MATTRESSES

Above: The Qantas Sheridan mattress is an air foam mattress using air cells Below: SPIRIANT is evolving its mattress range with new fabrics, shapes and fillings.

Facing page: British Airways mixes up its fabric finishes through its The White Company collaboration

closely with both WESSCO and American Airlines to experiment with different designs and material combinations until the final sleep set was finally fully developed.

Galileo Watermark currently supplies mattresses to Hawaiian, Qantas and Air Serbia. The Qantas mattress, part of the Sheridan branded offer, stands out as it is an air foam mattress, crafted using cells of air for continued support and to ensure consistent performance in cool or warm conditions. It offers all the advantages of memory foam, moulding to the body for total sleeping comfort, but recovers its shape in 5-6 seconds. No harmful chemicals are used in its manufacture and the material lasts 9-10 years. It is lighter in weight than the sheepskin mattress that preceded it, and rolls and re-packs easily. Alexander Atkinson, sales director APAC, says: "Mattress pads add to the comfort of the passenger onboard and should make the sleep experience more reflective of a traditional sleep environment, emulating that ‘hotel in the sky’ feel."

industry, but the main focus of innovation is to evolve the offer to suit an airline’s needs.

Certain regions, for example, request firm mattresses while others opt for softer options.

First and foremost it’s about delivering a reliable programme for airlines.

Pushing boundaries "Our industry typically works with very tight Nicky Upton, airline services director at Matrix, timelines to adapt established labels’ products accepts that brands often have useful expertise. for inflight use according She says: "Brands will often to detailed specifications bring a more specialist and regulations. Each knowledge of a product programme has its own The mattress and pillow category to the development unique set of parameters of the mattress. They have are the two items most greater consumer insight but has to address product identified as helping or and follow a set of values life-cycle, fabric quality and hindering sleep onboard for a product category that storage among others.” cannot be compromised.

This influences us as manufacturer and supplier to Sleep science push boundaries of development, with the brand In the case of Casper for American Airlines, knowledge as our guide."

WESSCO had to take account of different seat The company has been focused on the shapes and configurations, Casper’s different challenge of combining high-level comfort through products, materials and technologies, and match lightweight, space-saving materials. Its team these for use within an inflight cabin environment. has developed two new innovations. The first is Casper’s engineers applied their expertise in AirBlend, a type of wading that is currently used sleep research and sleep science, and worked

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F.S.P. GmbH flight service products

in duvets, made from 100% recycled plastic.

It is manufactured by layering fibres together instead of clumps of polyester being used. This layering technique allows air to be trapped in the fibres giving greater distribution of heat, and using less fibres. Upton says: "The up side of this development is an incredibly efficient, light weight and comfortable product."

A sister product, AirStream, uses similar technology and is currently used in mattress toppers, emulating memory foam for comfort, but without the disadvantage of making the passenger sweat. It is a lighter-weight option and allows heat to dissipate more easily.

Upton adds: "These technologies, along with using recycled fibres and regenerated cotton, are the start of re-engineering product to tick all the boxes for both the airline and passenger."

Value opportunity

She believes mattresses are a unique opportunity to add value."The mattress is almost a staple for airlines now and bloggers are quick to review this piece of the sleep kit onboard, or highlight the lack of it. The mattress and pillow are often the two items that passengers identify as the elements that helped or hindered their sleep onboard most.

"Will passengers choose to fly with one airline over another because of a mattress? Maybe not, but it's a real gamble not to include one. If the lack of the product leads to poor sleep quality or rest, it will definitely impact the overall flight experience and satisfaction levels.� •

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78 / TAKE YOUR PICK

Looking good Crew uniforms have to be tough, stylish and comfortable. Jessica Pook discovers some companies aiming to tick all the right boxes JERMYN STREET DESIGN

Jermyn Street Design has developed uniforms for British Airways, Jet 2 and most recently, Eurostar.

The supplier uses fabrics which are easy-care, stretch as the wearer works and do not wrinkle or crease.

Items such as hats, coats, and accessories are used to ensure the airline brand stands out in a busy airport environment. jsd.co.uk

SKYSOLES

SKYPRO

Uniforms are now easier for crew to order thanks to Skypro’s new MySKYPRO portal. As well as making it simple for crew to choose individual clothing items and specific sizes, the tool enables airlines to manage uniform stock and provides order-tracking. wearskypro.com

OX’BRIDGE

Ox’Bridge specialises in the production of brand image and uniform clothing for professionals. The company offers an á la carte service based on dress code and current fashions. It has previously collaborated with fashion designers on uniform projects, such as Christian Lacroix for Air France. oxbridge-paris.com

The wear and tear of footwear is often accelerated for those working in and around aircraft. SkySole offers a solution with oil and acid resistant, anti-static and anti-slip shoes. A resistant rubber outsole is used to repel corrosives like oils, fuels and jet engine exhaust which can accelerate wear.

The shoes also feature a hardened plastic polymer toe puff, ensuring a greater degree in toe protection. skysoles.com.au

KEIT

Keit has created a range of accessories that will easily release if a crew member is attacked. The I-Scarf and the I-Belt are made using a flexible stretch fabric which is invisible to passengers and comfortable to wear.

This means they are easily removed if force is applied to staff clothing. keit.net

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It pays to be Humble With pressure mounting on airlines to reduce single-use plastics, Jessica Pook discovers why The Humble Co. is giving buyers something to smile about

D

entist turned entrepreneur, Noel Abdayem, founded The Humble Co. after witnessing first hand the negative environmental impact of plastics, while performing voluntary work abroad.

With dental products ranging from bamboo toothbrushes, natural toothpaste, dental floss and even chewing gum, The Humble Co. is on a mission to provide quality oral care that is kind to the planet too.

Fresh thinking

Already featured in SAS’s amentity kit, The Humble Brush is the world's best-selling bamboo toothbrush and features a handle made from 100% biodegradable and sustainable bamboo.

As well as being the fastest growing plant on earth, bamboo has natural antibacterial qualities and has been proven to last as long as any mass-produced plastic toothbrush. It also features an ergonomic grip and soft/medium bristles from DuPont that will degrade over time.

The range also includes eco-friendly dental floss, toothpicks made of corn starch, bamboo tongue cleaners and bamboo straws.

The natural chewing gum has been developed in collaboration with dentists as an easy way to a healthier mouth and

fresher breath. Made from all natural ingredients, the gum is sugar free, biodegradable and contains no plastic gum base. It is available in mint, tropical fruits, liqourice and lemon flavours.

organisation, Humble Smile Foundation.

Every purchase made goes towards funding oral health projects around the world, projects which deliver oral care to vulnerable children.

But sustaining a green business is not without its challenges, World view Hajduk adds: “We aim Sarah Hajduk, to use the most ecomarketing director at The Humble Co. It is important that friendly materials we can for our products says: “It's important the quality is as high but they need to be to integrate as the top brands both hygienic and environmental-friendly good performers concerns into business as well, so the price and the sourcing operations as it increases the overall can prove challenging. It's extremely performance and perception of a brand. important to us that the quality of our Doing so has a positive short- and products is as high as any of the top long-term impact and will become a brands within the oral healthcare sector real necessity in the future with new and we are confident that we have now consumer demands.” achieved that using the best possible As well as creating products with environmentally-friendly materials the lowest possible environmental available.” • impact, Humble manages the non-profit

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spired Tribal totems in the cruet

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boutique airline from a far-flung archipelago in the South Pacific, Aircalin is a little carrier with big ideas. Not only is it adding new custom jets to its fleet, it’s adding a new Premium Economy cabin, upgrading its Business seats and refitting all cabins with B state-of-the-art facilities.

It’s a mammoth undertaking, especially as it has chosen to fully customise the fleet with everything from the livery to the salt and pepper shakers tailored to reflect its New Caledonia base.

Designs drew on the patterns in nature

Class act

Aircalin is infusing its fleet with cabin concepts inspired by the tropical islands it calls home.

Sasha Wood discovers how

Based out of capital Noumea on the main island of Grande Terre, Aircalin operates 22 weekly flights across the region including to Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Tahiti.

Its fleet of narrow-body jets and short-hop twin otters is being renewed with two new A330900neos being added this year, followed by two new A320-200neos in 2020 and 2021, offering the perfect opportunity for change.

In the revamped Economy, passengers will find high-density comfort foam seats that recline by up to six inches, surrounded with soft blue hues inspired by Noumea’s lagoon. In Business there's a new-generation seat, The Opal by Stelia Aerospace, created by Airbus’ chief designer Bruno Saint Jalmes, renowned for his on-trend designs. Aircalin will be only the second airline to instal the seats, which convert to a fully-flat bed, offer direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 seat configuration, and privacy.

Pacific patterns

Dubbed Business Hibiscus, after the scarlet flower that is the airline’s tropical emblem, the natural theme extends to the private shell-shaped pods. Fresh features include a personal seat-side ‘cocktail zone’ shelf, in addition to the extendable table. New bedding includes a bigger, plumper pillow and a snug duvet.

Expert inflight product designers were selected to create cabins that reflect the palette and patterns of New Caledonia’s tropical undersea world, exotic flora and Melanesian heritage. To ensure the refresh was on-brand and came together seamlessly, it was developed in collaboration with Airbus designer Pascale De Resseguier and local

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communications agency White Rabbit, which originally created the airline’s hibiscus insignia and branding.

It chose to work with inflight products specialist Global-C to create bespoke items for the cabin refresh including chinaware, a jute napkin band and table linen for Business, plus glassware, cutlery and snack bags for Premium Economy and refreshed Economy.

A perfect fit for Aircalin, rather than create generic products, Global-C was keen to incorporate the airline’s cultural background, traditions and service design into the pieces. This is perhaps most apparent in the quirky cruet set designed in the shape of the tribal totems that usually feature in the doorframes of traditional Melanesian huts.

Global-C’s director for Pacific and South Asia, Anu Khosla, explains: “Boutique airlines like Aircalin are usually forced to compromise and select off-the-shelf products because suppliers in our industry demand high minimum order quantities for custom-made product. Thankfully we have access to manufacturing partners who are able to accommodate lower volume production runs, to support custom designs.”

From plates and cutlery to pillows and headrests, the new interiors are invigorated with the opal, turquoise and emerald hues of Noumea’s lagoon, with fabric and plate designs featuring wave and palm leaf insignias, and borrow from the natural patterns of brain corals, gorgonians and sea fans found in the region’s sub-aquatic gardens. “The decorations feature Kanak waves, cultural motifs and masks in elegant tones of beige, perfectly complementing the warm white chinaware,” says Khosla.

Going green

The cabins aim to bring the desti nation onboard

The goal was to add comfort and lo cal character to th e onboard style

With an eye to the airline's environmental commitments, Global-C also produced compostable bio-plastic cutlery made from plants and wrapped in PLA biodegradable film for Economy and proposed a natural jute napkin band. Snack and duty-free bags are made of recyclable kraft paper with cotton handles. •

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keep food secure Inflight security is one of the biggest issues of our time and not just for passengers.

Julie Baxter discovers issues being addressed across the catering supply chain Identify the challenge

It is a legal requirement that checks are in place to ensure all products supplied to airline caterers and boarded across the UK and EU pose no risk to passengers or aircraft. But these regulations are complex and often not fully understood.

Known Suppliers

Mike Lord, director of UK security consultancy RedKite Aviation, explains: “After 9/11 controls are applied and enforced like layers of an onion from the aircraft on the runway outwards. The outer layers are the suppliers who are now required to demonstrate they reach the mandated legal requirements of safety and security allowing their product, and company, to become a ‘Known Supplier of inflight services'”.

and are scalable to protect our Known Supplier status and the potential changing relationship between the UK and EU post-Brexit. We have always taken our security obligations very seriously and have now invested over £750,000 in the new security system which has been very well received."

Find solutions to help

Often airlines, especially those not based in the EU, are unaware of the detailed legal and regulatory requirements. Monty’s Bakehouse is among those taking up this challenge. Its believes it is the first company to deliver a truly comprehensive Inflight Supply (IFS) security solution across Europe, and is now X-ray screening and securely delivering its products to caterers.

Invest in change

Security manager at Monty’s Bakehouse, Harry Crane, says: “It is vital that security processes adapt

Embed your systems

Fact file Monty's aims to set a new bench mark against which Known Suppliers can fully meet the EU IFS Security Directive All goods supplied

by Monty's are X-rayed, picked

and sealed under secure conditions, monitored by CCTV Caterers, who predominantly act as Regulated Suppliers, have responsibility for auditing Known Suppliers

Crane adds: “Although these regulations specifically apply to UK & EU IFS, we recognise our responsibility when delivering to all of our customers and are now capable of applying these controls to all global deliveries.”

Build on a benchmark

Successful audits by accredited airline security agencies and regulated catering suppliers have confirmed the compliance of the system, which is being seen as a new benchmark. •

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84 / CALEDONIAN SLEEPER

Sweet dreams

As airlines add mattress toppers and designer duvets to the onboard experience, Roger Williams discovers how the UK’s Caledonian Sleeper is targeting business with a new rail sleeping experience

U

ntil now, UK and European sleeper Firing up an appetite trains have offered very little An improved onboard food and drink offering luxury, but now it seems a new has been developed with the help of catering dawn is breaking. partner RG, comprising a traditional Scottish Aiming to attract a whole new demographic, larder of some of the very best produce that the and targeting ‘budget flyers and hotel snoozers’, country has to offer, with emphasis very much Caledonian Sleeper is introducing a long-awaited on traceable provenance. next generation of trains. The new coaches, The service aims to take passengers on a constructed by CAF in Spain culinary tour of Scotland, at a cost of over £150m, menus include classic dishes offer passengers significantly of the region such as haggis, improved hospitality, with neeps and tatties through The improved F&B a range of facilities and to contemporary delights offering focuses on a comforts. like Great Glen venison Passengers can choose charcuterie platter, with traditional Scottish from Club, Classic or green peppercorn salami, larder Comfort rooms. Some with mustard and white pepper en-suites, Arran Aromatics salami, and smoked venison, toiletries ‘Sleep Pack’ or inter-connecting rooms, served with wholemeal bread, oatcakes and plus upgrades with lounge access and breakfast. chutney.

But the most surprising change, and certainly For those who want a little ‘fire’ in the belly one that grabbed the headlines, is the before bedtime, the drinks menu has a wide introduction of the Caledonian Double – a double range of 10 to 12-year-old malts and blended bed en-suite – well who said romance on the Scottish whisky. Craft gins, beers and a decent railways was dead? selection of wines are also available. onboardhospitality.com

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CALEDONIAN SLEEPER / 85 won’t find Hogwarts at the end of it as you do in the movies!

Snooze don't lose

This sleep-as-you-go option rather reflects the trend in airlines, where overnight long-distance flights have made significant improvements for customer well-being and quality of sleep (for those that can afford it).

With top airlines offering zero gravity beds, higher privacy screens, increased space and storage, and on some planes even fully enclosed bedroom areas, it’s encouraging more customers to see the red-eye option as an advantage, rather than something to be done as a last resort.

Getting ahead

Room service

Room service is optional or customers can walk to the seated car. Morning choices include hot Scottish breakfast with Ayrshire bacon, Scottish smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, or porridge.

Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s managing director for Caledonian Sleeper, says: “Travelling on our service will be a truly magical experience that will transform travel between London and Scotland. Caledonian Sleeper is competitively priced and means guests can now avoid the hassle or additional costs of getting to and from the airport. It is the only way to be at your destination in plenty of time for early morning meetings or a full day’s sightseeing without the cost of a hotel.”

Initially operating on the Lowlander route to Glasgow and Edinburgh, the new trains will subsequently debut on the longer scenic Highlander route between London and Aberdeen, Inverness and Fort William. And with Fort William one of the gateways to the privately run West Highland Line, Harry Potter aficionados can arrive in time to travel by steam train across the amazing Glenfinnan Viaduct, although you

Caledonian will certainly hope their investment pays off in the same way, and their new direct booking website (launched to coincide with the new trains) has a 12-month booking window, meaning that potential passengers can plan their travel well in advance.

That is a major advantage over other train operators and some airlines, where cheaper advance fares are usually only available nearer the date of travel. And with no hidden costs and passengers allowed to bring multiple suitcases (or excess baggage) onboard without incurring any additional charges, this centre-to-centre travel option is not only one of the most civilised ways to travel – it is also quite possibly the most cost-effective. Suddenly I’m feeling quite sleepy! •

Facing page: The Caledonian Double This page from top: Classic room; Club car and Caledonian Sleeper exterior

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trolley washer

tray dishwasher

flight type dishwasher

Warewashing systems for up

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to 50 000 trays/day

DISKOMAT is your supplier of customized and professional flight catering solutions. Together with our partner WEXIODISK we supply the flight catering industry with Swedish high quality products.

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lighten up As governments prepare to ban plastics, onboard caterers are looking for tableware alternatives. Cutlery specialist, Sola, tells Julie Baxter it has the solution face facts

As the EU prepares to ban all singleuse plastics onboard by 2021, suppliers are hunting alternative materials for tableware products from avocado pips to potato starch, bamboo to sugarcane, but cutlery specialist, Sola believes it has a way to help with its new range of stainless steel products.

loose weight

The company has developed three new cutlery designs each of which can compliment onboard tray settings but in addition is uniquely light. The first, Oasis, is rounded, the second, Palm, is more square shaped while the third, Manhattan, has more of a curve to the handle. They are all produced in 0,5 mm thickness, and weigh just 7-10 grams per piece. They are produced in the same steel as normal cutlery and have been designed with strengthened necks to prevent bending. They are fully rotable.

add style

Hans Engels explains: "The main difference in our new designs compared to the usual airline cutlery is the thickness, weight and price.

We’ve reduced the thickness of the material we use so our cutlery set weighs, on average, 70% less than a regular Economy class cutlery set and it is also considerably cheaper depending on criteria volumes, design and delivery location. Using steel is also so much more stylish."

eco credentials

Fact file Sola's new lightweight range is 70% lighter than the average Economy cutlery set Each piece weighs just 7-10 grams

and is 0,5mm in thicknes Sola believes stainless steel is the ultimate sustainable material, ideal for the replacement of plastic cutlery onboard

The cutlery sets can be branded if required and delivered to food hygiene standards. Manufacturing waste is cut to a minimum as the steel used comes in the exact thickness and length required to avoid any cutting loss. The final finish is done by tumbling machines that use only recycled water. Engels adds: "We believe that a replacement for plastic cutlery doesn’t necessarily have to be a dull or boring design or wait for new materials to be trialled and tested."

Inbuilt recyclability

As to the growing demand for recycling, stainless steel ticks boxes here to. It is a natural product that ultimately returns to its original shape – ore, but in the shorter term can be taken back into Sola's system and recycled, into new stainless steel - in a totally circular process. •

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88 / CABIN CONCEPT

Virgin Atlantic has reinvented its Business cabin with an innovative new loft space, Julie Baxter got a sneak preview prior to the launch

V

irgin Atlantic has taken the wraps off its long-awaited Airbus A3501000 aircraft, which includes an entirely new Upper Class cabin with brand new suite and social space called The Loft. Due to fly from late summer 2019, the design team’s goal was to raise the bar and embed innovation into the new cabin.

The Loft builds on the Clubhouse experience, taking lounge-style service to the skies with menus and tableware purpose-designed for those using the space. Passengers are offered a range of cocktails here, can dine together or take the Mile High afternoon tea by Eric Lanlard. New dishes by Donal Skehan are being developed for service here too.

The six seats of The Loft

area include seat belts (so passengers can stay there during turbulence) and by using Bluetooth headphones passengers can connect to a 32” screen – to catch a show, or watch the live tailcam while in the communal space.

Daniel Kerzner, vp customer experience at Virgin Atlantic, says: “The investment in the A350 gave us the chance to challenge everything we know, and build something to fall in love with.

Innovation was at the heart of the design brief with every detail being reconsidered. The goal was to make this the dreamiest aircraft possible. We have been obsessing over every element, working with fashion houses for new heritage fabrics and taking inspiration from top-end handbag and luxury automobile design, featuring creative stitching and leather work too.

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The goal was to provoke emotions

The message of this aircraft is that it has been designed with love and built for the future.

Getting emotional

“We want to provoke emotion in our passengers, effect how they feel about travelling. We wanted the aircraft to be super comfy and stylish, and unmistakably Virgin. It’s about using this moment as a catalyst for change across our business."

The new Upper Class ‘suites’ were put through considerable ergonomic testing, designed in collaboration with frequent flyers. Every seat now faces towards the window and offers deployable privacy screens. They are laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration, and each has a 44” pitch, with a fully flat bed length of up to 82”.

All have direct aisle access and convert easily from upright to a bed with the touch of a button.

They include an 18.5” screen, controllable by

customers’ own personal device The design gives more usable space and is more adaptable then previously. Mood lighting, with six settings, is said to help passengers beat jetlag.

Premium cabins have also been updated to include 13.3” screens, 7” recline, increased space for storage, a four-way adjustable headrest all in leather. Economy seats have been upgraded with new fabric and adjustable headrests. Economy Light and Classic will offer a 31” seat pitch whilst Economy Delight offers 34” and 11.6” screens.

The entire aircraft will also have access to high speed wifi.

Evolving the experience

Mark Anderson, executive vp customer at Virgin Atlantic, added: “The introduction of our A350 represents a true evolution of our customer experience. We believe flying

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should be exciting, whether it’s your first or 100th flight and that’s why we’ve elevated our offering to provide our something totally unique. The A350 forms a significant part of our fleet transformation strategy and by 2022, we’ll have our youngest, cleanest, greenest fleet in the sky as the aircraft transforms our customer experience, reduces our environmental impact and improves our route economics.”

Carbon efficient

TRAVEL CATERING & COMFORT SERVICES

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Virgin Atlantic has ordered a total of 12 Airbus A350-1000, with them all scheduled to join the fleet by 2021 in an order worth an estimated $4.4 billion (list price.) The aircraft is designed to be 30% more fuel and carbon efficient than the aircraft it replaces and is expected to reduce the airline’s noise footprint at its airports by more than half.

The A350 will also be the first aircraft in Virgin Atlantic’s fleet to feature its new Flying Icons, which are set to replace the airline’s famous Flying Ladies.. The high flyer icons are a diverse range of men and women representing modern Britain, rolled out on the four A350-1000 aircraft this year, followed by a further eight by 2021.• onboardhospitality.com

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debut a new train Roger Williams, chair of rail catering trade association IRCG, discovers how LNER prepared for the launch of its breakthrough ‘Azumas’ Pick your rolling stock

LNER, Britain’s East Coast highspeed intercity railway, is famous for legendary trains such as the Flying Scotsman. Now it has a new star Azuma - meaning east in Japanese.

The fleet of 65 new trains will add 12,200 seats a day to the fleet.

Prepare to impress

Incorporating Japanese bullet train tech, capable of 140mph, they were assembled by Hitachi near Darlington on LNER’s route, fitting nicely with the story that LNER has built around its new ‘Hero Chef’ onboard service offer – one of investing in local communities, local provenance and sustainability.

and coffee makers. A Café Bar In the middle of Standard Class offers hot and cold food and speciality coffees.

Build for change

Catering layouts were chosen at the train design stage five years ago. Because trends change, LNER’s team worked with Hitachi to evolve capabilities. For example, they have invested in a café bar that wasn’t in the original spec. Every factor of customer service was updated, including new menus, service equipment training, communications and logistics.

Set the scene

The train features a First Class galley, capable of providing the ‘Hero Chef’ hot meals, and housing 14 carts (six refrigerated and eight ambient), including programmable Convotherm ovens and Bravilor tea

Empower your heroes

Fact file The new trains replace 45 older trains that date from the 1990s and earlier The first train left London Kings Cross on May 15 as a band played and crowds cheered

The full new fleet rollout will take just under two years There are over 800 onboard service staff all of whom have to be specially trained for the new trains

There are over 800 onboard service staff with around 400 on the initial routes for Azuma. Azuma Pioneers were recruited internally and it spent several months training crews on trial trains. Hero Chefs were chosen from LNER’s experienced onboard teams and helped select new products with food experts RG, LNER’s catering & logistics partner.

Invest in logistics

Logistics catering partner RG worked to bring all the new ‘Hero Chef’ menus and products into the supply chain and loaded the first new train at Kings Cross before departure.

Over 250 RG staff will be trained to work with the train too. •

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92 / ways to pay

Retail buying habits are changing, driven by the ways we pay, communicate and interact – Roger Williams discovers how

O

ur world is busy and time is of the essence. When it comes to onboard retail, transaction times matter, they affect purchasing satisfaction levels, and loyalty. If your kit doesn’t work, can’t connect or takes too long, customers get frustrated and sales are lost.

Payment systems need to be quick and easy, so increasingly operators are turning to technology companies such as ECR Retail Systems for solutions that support swift electronic point of sale (EPOS) but also do more.

Deploy early

Simon Pont, ceo, of ECR says: “Successful retailing in the future depends on early deployment of the latest technologies in the market place. Benefits from new systems and kit need to be tangible for both the customer and operator, delivering the highest standards of security, reliability, extensive functionality and, of course, speed.

“Crews will positively embrace a system that supports what they need to do quickly and easily, whilst operators benefit from wider applications. In turn, passengers will appreciate having a broader choice of products, services and payment types – with enhancements such as pre-order and at-seat

ordering on the rise.”

Certain technologies, like smart ticketing systems, are already transforming the passenger buying experience. Selling F&B with the online ticket purchase is now more prevalent too, with intercity train companies seeking new ways to impress.

Smarter revenue

It’s not always new revenue gained from such developments but it’s 'smarter revenue' – income achieved without waste. It also offers the customer instant choices without queuing to place an order.

Leading travel market food retailer, SSP, has recognised this with the Go Grab app that allows restaurant and café customers to choose at the table, then click and collect from a service point.

Similarly, several caterers have an at-seat click and serve option for onboard retail.

Price blind

There are more subtle advantages in the retail technology too – for example the ‘price blindness’ of paying electronically. Customers paying by card onboard are less likely to be aware of price differences than if counting out cash, so small price adjustments go unnoticed. With a fully-integrated system and centralised control

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of electronic tariffs, price adjustments, special promotions and category control can be done with ‘time of day’ alterations.

Whilst chip and pin payments work in this way to some extent, they still produce a customer receipt automatically, potentially highlighting the amount just spent. With newer wave and pay or tap and go contactless payments however many decline receipts for small purchases and few know if their coffee and bun cost them 3.69 or 3.96.

Contactless is fast out-pacing chip and pin as the preferred payment method onboard trains. Over a nine month period ECR saw chip and pin payments fall from 59% to 40% of transactions with Apple Pay and contactless up, to 60%. That change is advancing incrementally as habits morph towards full digitalisation.

Personalised offers

ECR’s project manager Kate Hutchinson adds: “To enable logistics to work effectively as part of a wider personalised passenger management strategy it’s best if PoS technology covers both the front and back-end. In this way you can access data on consumers’ favourite products, purchase styles, and payment preferences.”

This helps get the most out of PoS software; but, crucially in this era of customer advocacy ratings, passengers receive a more personalised service, multi-buy deals, loyalty rewards and destination-

led offers.

PoS can also be used to communicate with passengers about special dietary requirements, and assist with queue-busting, enabling staff to multi-task ticket sales and other services from the same lightweight handheld device.

Connectivity is obviously key, with type 22 authorisations for payments needing to be factored into the mix. This means PoS technologies need to work in all connected environments (e.g. wifi, 4G and 3G), and ensure payments can be trusted to go through correctly within a 24-hour window.

New opportunities

For a higher quality retail experience onboard, up-to-date PoS systems are essential. They can provide information about the customer lifecycle and generate revenue and cost efficiencies, greatly improving customer satisfaction.

By including an app, linked to a suitable PoS system, the retailer also has the chance to personalise services and link into the relationship the rail companies have with their passengers.

Apps pushing useful travel information to personal devices, for example, can also offer deals, i-coupons and delay compensation.

The ‘intelligent train’ is at a station near you, and whilst the journey may be incomplete, progress is intuitive and surely irresistible. •

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drive change Jan Blanchard, chief commercial officer Retail InMotion, shows how flexibility and innovative thinking around technology can help drive onboard change Understand the problem

The need for digitalisation across the passenger journey is clear.

Technology is a disruptor in our sector, changing the way we do things and it can ensure airlines offer the right product, service or information to the right people at the right time.

Set the goal

Technology must support all the passenger touchpoints from logistics and packing to product choice and delivery. We look at technology across the journey for passengers and crew, for inventory and point of sale activities and for pre-ordering.

Remove the barriers

It's important to have a company structure that allows you to innovate in a creative and flexible way. The ideas for our aviation platform grew in many directions as ideas evolved.

Our structure allowed that and helps us move quickly and react to need.

Target progress

We came to three key solutions. A Get Sales solution, a Seat-to-Order solution, and our MCabin crew solution. Each has distinct USPs and uses but all work together across the experience and service delivery.

Be ambitious

We work to push the established solutions further so the point of sale solution not only covers items

Fact file Retail inMotion offers three key tech solutions to support sales, seat-to-order service and crew The company is part of the LSG Group and taps into the wider

network of experts to ensure tech solutions are relevant across the process Retail inMotion systems can be integrated with any seat-back IFE or streaming solution

bought onboard but extends to gate sales too with seat upgrades and extra baggage options. Pre- and in-flight ordering has to address the popularity of the smart phone; and a live inventory is essential to adjust quickly to demand. Our platform's simplicity gives it huge potential.

It can be integrated with any seatback IFE or streaming solution.

Technology also allows airlines to see what is trending and sells best, and how effective promotions are.

The data becomes an enabler that allows them to make better strategic decisions.

Empower your assets

The MCabin crew solution we bought from Lufthansa empowers the crew and makes their life easier. They can see all their rosta and operations information, communicate and get insights for better passenger service.•

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SAVE THE DATE

30 MARCH 2 APRIL

2020

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30 MARCH 2020

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4 LEADING EVENTS

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1 WEEK - 1 DESTINATION Untitled-3 1

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focus on / 97

A Brit of alright As retail partner to British Airways, Tourvest has been helping the carrier link up with great British brands to mark its centenary year. Neal Baldwin reports

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hen (now Oscar winner) Olivia Colman appeared on TV screens in February as the face of the latest British Airways' marketing campaign, it’s a fair bet that viewers weren’t thinking about the tea she was seen drinking.

Well, viewers other than Sarah Strangeway, that is. As global buying manager at Tourvest, Sarah had spent a fair few months pondering the flag carrier’s onboard offering – including hot drinks – in support of the centenary celebrations. With a grand ‘Made by Britain’ strapline, the airline was aiming to reignite its emotional link with UK travellers and featuring strong British brands is key to that.

“Tourvest is responsible for the buy-on-board programme and the ‘Britishness’ of products has always been an underlying part of the supply process,” she explains.

Tourvest sourced products that typified the ‘best’ of Britain. All had to hit the company’s core values: that they ‘surprise and delight, are innovative,

Wales-based jewellers, Clogau. have provenance, and are sustainable.

Elsewhere, the airline's product tasters Jude Winstanley, British Airways’ head played a major role in development. A of ground products, said: “Together we new gin was created with Edinburgh searched the length of the country to distillery Pickering’s – after multiple find some of the best of British brands in-air botanicals to partner with for tasting sessions. And our centenary, and a new organic, fully we are delighted with Products must compostable coffee the limited-edition products that will now surprise and delight, bag from roasters, be available.” have provenance and CRU Kafe, went through the same The resulting be sustainable testing process for an manifest covers all exclusive three bean roast. the bases and all budgets. And apart For kids, the Magic Marvin Snack from the Marmite, everything on the list Box was evolved with fun magic has been specially created or adapted tricks combined with food, and a new to fit the patriotic theme and appeal handcrafted teddy bear has been specifically to British customers. developed by heritage bear-makers One example is the limited-edition Merrythought. "The aim across the version of Mulberry’s classic ‘Bayswater’ range is, of course, to make sure tote bag and scarf, now available in everyone has a great flight experience," British Airways' red and blue for the concludes Stangeway. • first time. And a heart-shaped locket by

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98 / GALLEY GOSSIP

The last post?

During a long career in inflight service George Banks gathered a lifetime’s collection of aviation memorabilia. Here he looks back at the grand tradition of promotional postcards

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hatever happened to postcards? Collectors value them as a snapshot of history, landscapes and events, and in days gone by sending postcards to friends and family was seen as a polite and normal thing to do.

Today they have largely been replaced by photos and e-mails which can be sent in seconds by phone or laptop, and commercial companies, like Moonpig, which will design a postcard around your own photo, write it and send it for you in the click of a mouse.

Postcards have a long tradition. The first commercially-produced postcard was created in 1861 by John P Charlton of Philadelphia, who patented it as ‘a postal card’. Austria became the first country to publish destinations postcard, but the golden age of picture postcards was really from 1902 to 1918. 1907 was apparently the peak year!

The travel industry used postcards as a marketing tool – hotels and cruise lines put them with writing paper in their rooms as do the big cruise lines, and airlines used to regularly hand them out as souvenirs or include them in the inflight pack placed in the seat pocket. Some still do this, but generally postcards are a thing of the past.

Here are a few I have collected over the years.

ARIEL HOTEL

1960s

The unusual circular Ariel Hotel was one of London Airport’s first purpose-built properties [before it was called Heathrow] so was certainly something to write home about!

The 185-room hotel is still in use today.

1972 KENYA AIRWAYS

Postcards were often used to depict highlights of a destination. Kenya Airways supported promotions of its home nation by focusing on safaris and the wildlife on offer. This one from 1972 gave passengers a glimpse of the lions and elephants they were heading towards, with a backdrop of Mount Kilamanjaro.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

Singapore Airlines offered postcards on request. This one from 1973 shows their famous hostesses, and another promotes their Business class 'Spacebed'.

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UNITED ARAB AIRLINES

VARIG AIRLINES

Egyptian history is a big draw for travellers and this, with a picture of the young king Tutankhamen, was presented to passengers on the airline’s new Boeing 707 flying from Heathrow to Cairo via Rome in 1969. The wording on the card read: “Sitting on lap of luxury – onboard United Arab Airlines.”

This very avant-garde card, designed by Tufic Yazbek in 1967, set a futuristic tone as it showcased the onboard style

1967

1969 KLM ROYAL DUTCH AIRLINES

ROME ITALY

KLM was proud of its stretched Douglas DC-8-63 Jetliner. The glossy large postcard was given out on its flagship route from Amsterdam to New York in 1970, informing travellers: “This giant of the skies flies our long intercontinental routes. It is one symbol of our reputation, as the world’s most reliable airline.”

A 1971 postcard depicting Republic Square and Terminus station by night.

This postcard was posted at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport at 8pm on 10 October 1971

1970

1971 BA SUPERSONIC CONCORDE

GULF AIR

This postcard of the Gulf Air VC1O was presented to passengers at the beginning of the airline’s huge expansion in 1974.

This postcard of the icon of the supersonic age, the Concorde, was presented to all passengers on their flights. A beautiful souvenir.

SPANTAX

The Spanish charter airline gave out postcards to passengers in 1970 showing its Convair 990 ‘Coronado’ jet. Spantex operated until 1988.

1988

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100 / GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

The world view We're going global every day by going social.

Meet us in the virtual world via Twitter and Linkedin.

Here's just some of digital chat you may have missed...

Follow us for more: @OBHMagazine and Linkedin.com

Animal attraction Sitting pretty

Airlines looking for a costfriendly way to make their seats more comfortable can now consider handing out LumbarAir shirts, the first shirts designed to relieve back pain onboard.

The design incorporates an inflatable AirCell into a high performance undergarment.

Its integrated ergonomic pillow inflates and deflates with the touch of a button and supports a passenger's lumbar spine and aligns their posture. backtastic.com

VistaJet has spotted a new growth aviation market and has called in the experts to help tap into it. The business aviation company is working with vets, groomers, dieticians and coaches for its new VistaPets programme after seeing a 104% increase in the number of pets flying in the past two year. The programme includes advice and accessories for pets and Random Reward treats created by Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux, a Kibbles travel care kit and natural flower essences to aid relaxation. @vistaJet

Vegging out Spider power

Spider-Man and cast members from this summer’s highly-anticipated movie Spider-Man: Far From Home have taken flight in a new United Airlines’ inflight safety video. Called onboard to help focus attention on the announcement the video also includes cameo appearances

by MileagePlus members who bid miles for the chance to take part. @united

Eurostar has shown its commitment to meat-free trends by featuring a totally vegetarian onboard menu to mark National Vegetarian Week. The move followed research that showed over a third of British, French and Belgian’s have a meat-free day or meal every week Almost a fifth of French, British and Belgians surveyed named sustainability as the most important factor when it comes to food choices. @eurostar

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GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE / 101

Flying noodles

Music motivators

If you think your passengers are motivated to book by the songs they listen too then check out new data research which has revealed the places most mentioned in popular music since the 1960s. According to the data commissioned by Celebrity Cruises, New York ranks top - featuring in the lyrics of 161 charting singles - with London second in 102 songs.

Also in the top 10 are Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, San Francisco, Memphis and Chicago in the USA, Paris and Rome. @CelebrityCruise

Dated

During Ramadan this year Emirates prepared to serve one million dates.

The offering was part of its signature service for the Holy month and was presented during iftar and suhoor, both onboard and on the ground in Dubai. The Ramadan service included specially crafted iftar meals onboard, relevant programming on its inflight entertainment system, and the distribution of dates and water on the ground. @emirates

Toasted

The savoury spread Marmite is the most confiscated food brand left at airport security in the UK. So British Airways has teamed up with the savoury spread producers to create a limited-edition mini jar with which to celebrate its centenary. The jar is conveniently sized to fit within the liquid allowance so will not have to be abandoned on route. @British_Airways; @marmite

Forget flying to Asia for a chicken laksa, passengers flying with Norwegian Airlines can now enjoy a new Coconut Chicken Laksa from Mr Lee’s.

The gourmet instant noodles are marketed as ‘the ideal in-flight meal for those wanting something healthy and wholesome’. They are low in calories, sugar and saturated fats and are made using freeze-dried proteins and vegetables.The laksa is one six global flavours, including two vegan flavours.

All of which are gluten-free, low in added sugar and freefrom artificial ingredients. @MrLeesPureFoods

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102 / EVENTS

APOT.Asia heads to Shanghai

APOT.Asia's annual gathering will this year take place in Shanghai, China.

It will be held at the Inter Continental Expo Hotel, June 16-18.

Day one will kick off with delegate registration and judging sessions for The Mercurys, followed by a range of city tours. Visitors will have their first chance to meet up with colleagues at a welcome drinks in the evening – an event that will feature an array of regional street food.

Day two includes a programme of conferencing, networking, a trade show and gala dinner; while day three is given over to meeting contacts at the five-star Tomson Golf Resort, a Chinese tea ceremony, and cultural river cruise.

To attend, APOT.Asia guests from some countries will need to obtain a visa. The organisation’s website includes the invitation letter needed for your application.

WHAT: APOT Annual Conference WHERE: Shanghai WHEN: June 16-18, 2019

Non-profit APOT is positioned as the region’s leading representative group for professionals in the airline hospitality, services and supply industry. It also aims to promote regional tourism and destinations through its members and their influence. apot.asia/shanghai-2019

IFSA set for LA

The 2019 IFSA EXPO will be held in Los Angeles, California, at the LA Convention Center. The host hotel for the 2019 EXPO will be the Intercontinental Los Angeles, Downtown.

The EXPO will be co-located with the Airline Passenger Experience (APEX) EXPO and the Aircraft Interiors Expo.

WHAT: IFSA & APEX EXPOS WHERE: Los Angeles, CA, USA WHEN: September 9-11 2019

The events are the industry’s largest PaxEx event, exclusive to experts and

decision-makers committed to elevating the level of the worldwide airline passenger experience.

The event features top-notch seminars and debates led by industry experts. The exhibition spaces will host the latest and most comprehensive range of airline related technologies, products and services. There will also be valuable networking opportunities.

The event is expected to attract more than 3,000 industry professionals, including representatives from nearly 100 airlines.

ifsa.aero; expo.apex.aero

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Join IFSA at the epicenter of innovation at the largest gathering of professionals in the onboard industry for:

• An EXPO showcasing new products, presenting

1000+ Attendees 200 Exhibitors 100 Airlines

For more information visit www.ifsa.aero

industry developments and advancements, and spotlighting the best food, beverage, amenity, and onboard products from around the world

• Thought Leadership from leading aerospace

executives addressing trends and future forecasts

• Networking opportunities with a wide group of

colleagues and key leaders to enhance relationships and generate partnerships

CO-LOCATED WITH:

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CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

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expo.apex.aero

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