Cathay Pacific names new chief operating officer

By BA Staff

Rupert Hogg, 51, will take up the position of Chief Operating Officer of Cathay Pacific Airways from March 2014. At the same time Hogg will become a Director of Cathay Pacific.

Hogg takes over in the role from Ivan Chu, who will become Cathay Pacific’s Chief Executive. The current Chief Executive, John Slosar, will succeed Christopher Pratt as Chairman of the airline, John Swire & Sons (H.K.) Ltd, Swire Pacific Ltd, Swire Properties Ltd and Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd.

Hogg is Director Sales & Marketing – a position he took up in August 2010 with responsibility for Cathay Pacific Group’s sales and marketing activities worldwide. From 2008 to 2010 he was Director Cargo, overseeing all aspects of the Group’s cargo business including operations, marketing and sales.

Mr Hogg joined John Swire & Sons in 1986 and worked with Cathay Pacific from 1988 to 1997 in a variety of management positions, both in Hong Kong and South-East Asia.

From 2002 to 2008, Mr Hogg was Managing Director of James Finlay Limited - a wholly owned subsidiary of John Swire & Sons Limited, and the holding company of a group engaged in substantial tea and horticultural businesses. From 1998 to 2002, Mr Hogg held management positions in the Swire group in Australia.

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Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab sets new solar cell efficiency world record

By BA Staff

Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab recently set a new world record by producing a solar cell that converted 38.8% of solar energy into electricity, more than any other ground-based solar cell not using concentrated sunlight.

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., verified the new record, which beats Spectrolab’s own previous world record by one per cent.

Spectrolab manufactured the high-efficiency multi-junction solar cell, which was developed from new Boeing semiconductor bonding technology. This solar cell technology could be used to power high-power spacecraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

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Finnair celebrates its 90th anniversary

By BA Staff

Finnair celebrated its 90th anniversary on Friday, 1 November 2013.

 The world’s fifth-oldest airline still in operation, Finnair was established in 1923.

Today, Finnair specialises in flights between Europe and Asia, offering direct connections from Helsinki to over 60 European destinations and 13 Asian destinations.

Over eight million passengers per year fly on Finnair’s all-Airbus fleet.

CEO Pekka Vauramo says:

“We build on a legacy of building better connections between Europe and Asia and our vision of doubling our Asian revenue by 2020."

Finnair celebrated its 90 years of flying in various ways. As one of the special events to mark its jubilee year, Finnair distributed a special Finnair-themed edition of the Donald Duck comic book to all passengers on long-haul flights on Friday, 1 November. Finnair also commissioned a special batch of posters by Finnish graphic designer Erik Bruun to celebrate its 90th anniversary.

As part of the jubilee year, Finnair renewed its service concept and now uses tableware and textiles designed by Marimekko for Finnair on all flights in both Business and Economy Class. (See video below)



In addition, Finnair launched cooperation with two renowned Finnish chefs, Pekka Terävä and Tomi Björck, in September. (See video below)



The entertainment systems of Finnair’s aircraft have also been upgraded, nearly doubling the selection of entertainment on long-haul flights with 72 films and over 150 television programmes available in both Business and Economy class.

Finnair is harmonising its fleet and became the first airline to take delivery of the new Airbus 321 Sharklet aircraft in September. Finnair is also installing new, fully reclining seats in most of its long-haul fleet from January 2014 onwards. See fleet video below.



In spring 2014, Finnair will open a new Premium Lounge at Helsinki Airport. The Premium Lounge will be located next to the existing Finnair Lounge between gates 36 and 37 in the non-Schengen area and will complement its services. As part of the renewal, a sauna and private showers will be opened between the lounges, and a new tax free shop will be opened in front of the existing Finnair Lounge.

Finnair has received international recognition in its anniversary year: Finnair became the first airline to be selected in the Leadership Index of the global Carbon Disclosure Project on carbon dioxide emissions. Finnair is also the only Nordic airline to be awarded four stars by Skytrax, and it has been named Northern Europe’s Best Airline at the World Airline Awards for the last four years. In addition, it was recently named Best European Airline at the annual TTG Travel Awards. Finnair is a member of oneworld alliance, which is formed by the world’s leading airlines.

See more videos from Finnair celebrating various aspects of their 90 years in aviation.

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Airbus receives prestigious European Award

By BA Staff

Airbus has won an award in recognition for its contribution to European economy and integration. The prestigious “Golden Victoria for the European Idea of the Year”, awarded by the German Association of Magazine Publishers (VDZ), was handed over by European Union Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger to Airbus Chief Operating Officer Günter Butschek at the “Publishers’ Night” in Berlin. It is the first time the accolade was given to a company. Previous laureates include European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Günter Butschek said:

"Airbus is European integration in action. Our success highlights what Europe can achieve when working together. From start-up to world market leader in such a strategic and competitive industry – I hope that our success story sends a signal to other European business leaders and decision makers."

 The VDZ Board considered Airbus to be an outstanding example of European leadership, stating that Airbus highlighted the strength of the European ideal and the immense achievements that can be accomplished by a joint European undertaking, when stakeholders align.

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PR: THAI in-flight magazine “Sawasdee” wins Award of Excellence in Magazine Design

Thai Airways recently won an award of excellence for its in flight magazine "Sawasdee." Find the press release below.

18th August, 2013 

THAI in-flight magazine “ Sawasdee ” wins Award of Excellence in Magazine Design

Image Credit: Thai Airways

Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) announces its Award for Excellence in Magazine Design for the in-flight magazine, Sawasdee. 

THAI’s in-flight magazine, Sawasdee , recently won its third award. The Excellence in Magazine Design was announced earlier by The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA), and gaining this comment from the judges, “dramatic use of art photos, goes beyond the standards of the in-flight magazine genre.” The SOPA Awards for Editorial Excellence were established as a tribute to editorial excellence in both traditional and new media, and were designed to encourage editorial vitality throughout the region. Previously Sawasdee also won an Award of Excellence at the 2012 Asian Publishing Awards and the Bronze Award in the category of Design: Most Improved Publication, B2C at the Custom Content Council’s 2012 Pearl Awards.

Dr. Sorajak Kasemsuvan , THAI President, said THAI is most honored to have received this award. Through the dedication of the editorial teams at THAI and Publicitas (Thailand), Sawasdee ’s publisher, in developing quality publication that customers on board and on the ground can enjoy a variety of contents, including striking images, information about places to discover, and cultural events.

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The best wines onboard your flight. 2012 Cellars in the Sky awardees.

Once again it is that time of the year to combine two passions, flying and wine.

The annual Business Traveller 'Cellars in the Sky' awards were presented for the year 2012. The awards have been running since 1985, recognising the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide. Over 75 carriers were contacted in the summer of 2012, with a total of 33 airlines entering.



In repeat of last year, Australian carrier Qantas, took home the greatest number of awards, winning the prizes for Best Overall Wine Cellar, Best First Class Sparkling (shared with Oman Air), Best Business Class Sparkling (shared with Singapore Airlines), and Best-Presented First Class Wine List. A surprise winner this year is the resurgent Malaysia Airlines which also picked up two prizes, for Best First Class Red and Best First Class Cellar.

Blind tastings took place in December 2012 at the Brigade Bar and Bistro, London, with four judges independently scoring the wines. The judges were:

• Charles Metcalfe, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge and food and wine matching guru;
• Tim Atkin, Master of Wine and award-winning wine columnist;
• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and international winemaking consultant;
• Peter McCombie, Master of Wine and top restaurant wine consultant.

The airlines that took part were: Aer Lingus, Air Astana, Air Canada, Air France, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Eva Air, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Iberia, Jetstar, KLM, Korean Air, LAN Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, TAM Airlines, TAP Portugal, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia.

The list of awardees:

FIRST CLASS

Best First Class Red

Malaysia Airlines – Schubert Marion's Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2010, Wairarapa, Martinborough, New Zealand
Emirates – Château Clinet, 2001, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France
Lufthansa – Château Canon La Gaffelière, 2007, Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France

Best First Class White

British Airways – Vincent Girardin Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru le Champ Gain, 2007, Burgundy, France
Emirates – August Kesseler Lorcher Schlossberg Alte Reben Riesling Spätlese, 2010, Rheingau, Germany
American Airlines – Henri Darnat Meursault Clos de Domaine, 2010, Burgundy, France

Best First Class Sparkling

(JOINT) Oman Air AND Qantas – Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, 2000, France
(JOINT) Emirates AND Malaysia Airlines – Champagne Dom Pérignon, 2003, France
Cathay Pacific – Champagne Amour de Deutz Brut, 2002, France

Best First Class Fortified and Sweet

All Nippon Airways – W and J Graham's 30 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal
(JOINT) Oman Air – Dr Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese, 2006, Mosel, Germany
AND Qantas – Seppeltsfield Paramount Collection Rare Muscat, NV, Rutherglen, Australia
Air France – Château Guiraud, 2006, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Best First Class Cellar

Malaysia Airlines
Qantas
Lufthansa

Best-Presented First Class Wine List

Qantas
Cathay Pacific
Qatar Airways

BUSINESS CLASS

Best Business Class Red

TAM Airlines – Château Bel-Air-Ouÿ, 2007, Jean-Luc Thunevin, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France
Singapore Airlines – Bodegas Roda Rioja Reserva DOCa, 2007, Spain
Cathay Pacific – Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir, 2010, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand

Best Business Class White

Oman Air – Sancerre "La Porte du Caillou", 2010, Henri Bourgeois, Loire, France
Jetstar – Main Divide Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, 2011, New Zealand
(JOINT) Aer Lingus – Lawson's Dry Hills Riesling, 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
AND Emirates – Metis Sauvignon Blanc, 2009, Trinity Hills/Pascal Jolivet, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Best Business Class Sparkling

(JOINT) Qantas AND Singapore Airlines – Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, NV, France
Qatar Airways – Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvée NV, France
(JOINT) Air France AND Cathay Pacific – Champagne Deutz Brut Classic, NV, France

Best Business Class Fortified and Sweet

KLM – The Stump Jump Sticky Chardonnay Riesling Semillon Pinot Gris, 2010, Adelaide Hills/McLaren Vale, Australia

Finnair – Niepoort Colheita, 1998, Douro, Portugal

Air New Zealand – Winter Solstice Glacier Wine, 2010, Reliance Wines, Marlborough, New Zealand

Best Business Class Cellar

Singapore Airlines
Qantas
Aer Lingus

Best-Presented Business Class Wine List

Air New Zealand
Finnair
LAN Airlines

OVERALL

Best Overall Wine Cellar

Qantas
Singapore Airlines
Qatar Airways

Best Airline Alliance

Oneworld

Read more »

News Digest - Press Releases - 2nd half January 2013

Japan Airlines releases nine month traffic data ending December 2012

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MIAL awards contract for duty free at New T2 at CSIA

Duty free shops awarded to a consortium led by Aer Rianta International cpt.

Fashion, Luxury and Lifestyle awarded to Nuance Group India Pvt Ltd

Mumbai, January 24, 2013 – Mumbai International Airport Private Limited (MIAL), managed by GVK-led consortium today awarded the duty free retail contract for the upcoming new Terminal 2 (T2) at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA). The contract for the duty-free shops has been awarded to the consortium led by Aer Rianta International cpt., spread over an area of 50,850 sq ft. The Nuance Group (India) Pvt. Ltd. has been awarded the contract for Fashion, Luxury and Lifestyle Duty Free concession that includes luxury and premium fashion apparel and accessories, jewellery, watches, and luxury concepts spread over an area of approximately 12,690 sq ft.

The consortium led by Aer Rianta International cpt will run the core duty free operations (including categories such as tobacco, liquor, perfumes, confectionery) and Electronics (on arrivals), Nuance Group (India) Pvt Ltd will be responsible for designing and building the shopping environment, sourcing a wide range of international luxury brands and developing a strong promotional strategy for duty free shopping at T2 at CSIA.

Speaking on the occasion, GV Sanjay Reddy, Managing Director, MIAL said, “At a time when CSIA is undergoing a major transformation, we decided to associate with duty free partners that showed innovation in all areas of the business and a commitment to provide superior choice to passengers. Both the partners selected are experienced operators who currently operate duty free concessions at several world-class airports and are best placed to understand the T2 consumers. Their offer combined creativity along with dynamic and engaging concepts and a strong operational strategy to maximise opportunities for CSIA and passenger experience at T2”

Announcing the award of the contract, Rajeev Jain, CEO, MIAL said: “Duty free shopping is a significant component of passenger experience at any world-class airport. We would like to provide passengers at CSIA with a truly world-class shopping experience, across brands, product variety and price points. This is also in line with our stated endeavor to take CSIA to international standards”

Both the selected parties will operate the concession for their respective categories for the period until March 31, 2024. The key criteria that were considered while selecting these parties included amongst others, a promise to get the most comprehensive range of brands and products available, operators who understand Indian consumers via their existing Indian operations and someone with a great sense of place in their design and customer centric approach.

With a vision to provide passengers with unique and bespoke concepts, products and services to deliver a premium and memorable experience at T2 , the commercial space includes amongst others 6000 sq. m. of F&B and 465 advertising sites (both indoor and outdoor) along with duty free and luxury, specialty retail and other services.

The new integrated terminal 2 currently being built is the perfect expression of Mumbai’s achievements, its ambition and its imagination. This iconic terminal will serve 40 million passengers each year, creating an inspiring experience and a welcoming gateway to Mumbai and India. With its meticulous planning and state-of-the-art technology, the terminal offers passengers a seamless journey that is punctuated by a series of wonderful experiences. Moreover its overall design will give passengers a distinct ‘Sense of Place’ and a clear awareness that they are in Mumbai

About MIAL

Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd. (MIAL) is a joint venture between the GVK led consortium. MIAL was awarded the mandate of modernizing, upgrading and expanding Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in May 2006. CSIA catered to 30.75 million passengers and 657469 tonnes of cargo between April 2011 – March 2012. MIAL’s vision is to transform CSIA into one of the world’s best airports that consistently delights customers and to be the pride of Mumbai

About GVK

GVK is a leading Indian conglomerate with presence across energy, resources, airports, transportation, hospitality and life sciences sectors. GVK set up India’s first independent power plant and has around 6000 MW projects under generation and development. It is the first company in India to develop six-lane road project under PPP model and has around 3000 lane km expressway projects under operations and development. As one of India’s largest private sector airport operators, GVK handles 44 mppa through India’s first brownfield airport under PPP model - Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai and Bengaluru International Airport, Bangalore and will develop two airports in Indonesia. Having already invested over USD 3.3 billion, GVK has projects worth over another USD 6.6 billion in the pipeline, in India. It has acquired Australian Coal Mines in Queensland with 8 bt reserves for USD 1.26 billion and envisages an investment of USD 10 billion to for setting up mines, 500 km rail project and 60 mtpa port project which will form one of the world’s largest integrated coal mining operations.

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NTSB CHAIRMAN SAYS ‘WE HAVE NOT RULED ANYTHING OUT’ IN INVESTIGATION OF BOEING 787 BATTERY FIRE IN BOSTON

January 24, 2013

WASHINGTON – In a press conference today, National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman released preliminary findings from the NTSB’s ongoing investigation into the Jan. 7, 2013, Boeing 787 battery fire in Boston. “We have not ruled anything out as a potential factor in the battery fire; there are still many questions to be answered,” Hersman said.

Noting that there was a B-787 battery incident in Japan on Jan. 16, 2013, which is being investigated by the Japan Transport Safety Board, Hersman said, “One of these events alone is serious; two of them in close proximity, especially in an airplane model with only about 100,000 flight hours, underscores the importance of getting to the root cause of these incidents.”

The investigation revealed that the battery in the B-787 fire in Boston showed signs of short circuiting, and had indications of thermal runaway, a situation in which a significant temperature increase can initiate a destructive chain reaction.

Chairman Hersman also expressed concerns about the adequacy of the systems to prevent such a fire from occurring. “The investigation will include an evaluation of how a fault that resulted in a battery fire could have defeated the safeguards in place to guard against that,” said Hersman. “As we learn more in this investigation, we will make recommendations for needed improvements to prevent a recurrence.”

Investigators developed the following timeline of the events on Jan. 7, which was released at today’s briefing:

10:06 am EST – Aircraft arrived at gate in Boston from Narita, Japan
10:32 am – Cleaning and maintenance crew noticed smoke in cabin
10:35 am – Mechanic noted flames coming from APU battery in aft electronics bay
10:37 am – Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting notified
10:40 am – Fire and rescue personnel arrive on scene
12:19 pm – Fire and rescue personnel report event was “controlled”

The batteries were manufactured by GS Yuasa for the Thales electrical installation and are unique to the Boeing 787. The same battery model is used for the main airplane battery and for the battery that is used to start the auxiliary power unit, which is the one that caught fire in Boston.

Radiographic examinations of the incident battery and an exemplar battery were conducted at an independent test facility. The digital radiographs, or computed tomography (CT) scans, generated from these examinations allowed NTSB investigators to document the internal condition of the battery prior to disassembling it.

Ongoing lab work includes an examination of the battery elements with a scanning-electron microscope and energy-dispersive spectroscopy to analyze the elemental constituents of the electrodes to identify contaminants or defects.
NTSB INVESTIGATIVE TEAMS

In addition to the activities at the NTSB lab in Washington, members of the investigative team have been conducting work in Arizona, Seattle and Japan. Their activities are detailed below.

ARIZONA
- The acceptance test procedure of the APU battery charging unit was conducted at Securaplane in Tucson, Ariz., on Jan. 21.
- The battery charging unit passed all significant tests and no anomalies were detected.
- Members of the airworthiness group examined the APU start power unit at Securaplane in Tucson. The same team traveled to Phoenix to conduct an examination of the APU controller at UTC Aerospace Systems.

SEATTLE
- NTSB investigators are working with Boeing teams as part of root cause analysis activities related to the design and manufacturing of the electrical battery system.
- The two JAL B-787 general purpose module units, which record airplane maintenance data are being downloaded at Boeing to obtain information that was recorded after the airplane’s electrical power was interrupted.

JAPAN
- The NTSB-led team conducted component examination of the JAL B-787 APU battery monitoring unit at Kanto Aircraft Instrument Company, Ltd., in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.
- The team cleaned and examined both battery monitoring unit circuit boards, which were housed in the APU battery case. The circuit boards were damaged, which limited the information that could be obtained from tests.

Additional information on the Japan Airlines B-787 battery fire incident in Boston, including materials from the presentation at today’s briefing, can be found at http://go.usa.gov/4K4J.

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Boeing Statement on U.S. National Transportation Safety Board 787 Investigation Update

SEATTLE, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) welcomes the progress being made in the 787 investigation discussed today by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, D.C. The regulatory and investigative agencies in the U.S. and Japan have dedicated substantial resources to these investigations, and we appreciate their effort and leadership.

Boeing continues to assist the NTSB and the other government agencies in the U.S. and Japan responsible for investigating two recent 787 incidents. The company has formed teams consisting of hundreds of engineering and technical experts who are working around the clock with the sole focus of resolving the issue and returning the 787 fleet to flight status. We are working this issue tirelessly in cooperation with our customers and the appropriate regulatory and investigative authorities. The safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is our highest priority.

In order to ensure the integrity of the process and in adherence to international protocols that govern safety investigations, we are not permitted to comment directly on the ongoing investigations. Boeing is eager to see both investigative groups continue their work and determine the cause of these events, and we support their thorough resolution.

Boeing deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the operating schedules of our customers and their passengers.

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CATHAY PACIFIC INTRODUCES NEW PREMIUM ECONOMY CABIN AND BOOSTS FREQUENCIES ON MUMBAI-HONG KONG ROUTE

Cathay Pacific Airways today announced that passengers can enjoy a new level of luxury when travelling between Mumbai and Hong Kong with the introduction of its new Premium Economy Class cabin on the route. Along with the product enhancement, Cathay Pacific will also increase the number of flights between Mumbai and Hong Kong, operating 10 weekly non-stop flights between the two cities from 2 April 2013.

The airlines’ new Premium Economy Class was designed with the entire customer experience in mind. It features a quieter, more spacious cabin than the traditional Economy Class with between 26 and 34 seats per aircraft. The seat pitch is 38 inches – six inches more than Economy Class – and the seat itself is wider and has a bigger recline. It has a large meal table, cocktail table, footrest, a 10.6-inch personal television, an in-seat power outlet, a multi-port connector for personal devices and extra personal stowage space.

The new schedule will see the additional non-stop flights from Mumbai arrive in Hong Kong at 0705 in the morning, giving passengers greater choice and convenience when connecting to the airlines’ extensive global network to destinations in China, South East Asia, Australia, Japan and Korea.

Cathay Pacific General Manager - South Asia, Middle East and Africa, Charlie Stewart-Cox said: “Cathay Pacific’s Mumbai service is now better than ever. Travellers from India will soon be able to take advantage of improved arrival times in Hong Kong to enjoy smooth and seamless connections to their destination of choice on Cathay Pacific’s network. Our Premium Economy class will also bring a new level of comfort to passengers travelling between the two cities.”

Cathay Pacific has recently introduced new award winning in-flight products in Delhi and Chennai and has also extended its presence in India with a new four-times-weekly service between Hong Kong and Hyderabad. Together with sister airline Dragonair, the group now operates 46 weekly flights from six cities in India.

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QATAR AIRWAYS VOTED BEST LONG-HAUL AIRLINE AT PRESTIGIOUS LONDON AWARDS

Five-Star Carrier Voted By UK Travellers at 18th Annual Business Travel Awards Ceremony

Continues Airline’s Winning Streak for Superior Quality and Service

New Delhi – Qatar Airways has been voted Best Long-Haul Airline at the 18th annual Business Travel Awards ceremony held at the Grosvenor House hotel in London this week.
Organised by Buying Business Travel magazine, UK travellers awarded the Five-Star carrier for its commitment to quality and superior in-flight service.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said he was delighted that the airline’s award winning streak has continued into the New Year.

“This is a great start to 2013 and we thank our loyal UK travellers for giving us this vote of confidence.

“We are very proud to receive this honour, testament to the world-class service and personalised treatment that we provide all of our customers.

“2013 will be another big year for Qatar Airways as we continue to expand our worldwide network, welcome more aircraft into our ever-expanding fleet, and of course look forward to the opening of the new Hamad International Airport on April 1,” Al Baker said.

Qatar Airways Vice President Commercial Europe, Paul Johannes, collected the award on behalf of the airline.

Johannes said: “We are very pleased with the level of support we have received from our UK customers, which further highlights the appreciation of our attention to detail and passenger comfort. We look forward to continuing to serve our existing UK-based travellers and welcoming new customers onboard.

Editor of Buying Business Travel, Paul Revel, said: “The judges felt that Qatar Airways is right up there with the best. A very impressive submission, underlining the youth and dynamism of this carrier. A great product, rapidly expanding network and plenty of innovation.”

The past twelve months have seen Qatar Airways honoured with a host of several awards from around the world, including being named Airline of the Year for the second consecutive year by the prestigious Skytrax organisation.

The award follows other recent accolades from Business Traveller’s sister publications around the world; Best Business Class in the World by Business Traveller Middle East and Best Airline in the Middle East and Africa by Business Traveller Asia Pacific.

One of the world’s fastest growing airlines, Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 118 aircraft to 124 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas with the aggressive expansion continuing well into 2013.

Over the next few weeks and months, Qatar Airways will launch services to a diverse portfolio of new routes, including Phnom Penh, Cambodia (February 20); Chengdu, China (March 19); Chicago, USA (April 10); and Salalah, Oman (May 22) with many more new start-ups planned.

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Analysis: Jet Airways Spinning Off Jet Priviledge

Mumbai based full service carrier Jet Airways recently released its annual report for fiscal year 2011-2012, and amongst the many things discussed was this (not so) little nugget about Jet Airways' frequent flyer program JetPrivilege.

The loyalty industry is evolving in India. Your Company proposes to leverage this evolving business opportunity by setting up a marketing services company engaged in the business of managing reward points and loyalty programs for its program partners. Initially, the marketing services company will be a 100% subsidiary company. As and when negotiations with the potential knowledge partners crystallize into a concrete decision, it is proposed that some percentage of the Company’s stake be offered to the knowledge partners.

Your Company currently runs a frequent flyer programme, the JetPrivilege programme, through which members can earn and redeem JPMiles. The JetPrivilege programme is managed and operated in-house. Your Company proposes to transfer the JetPrivilege programme to the marketing services company and in the process transform the JetPrivilege programme into a larger retail-based coalition loyalty program and through its operations unlock greater commercial value.

Approval of the Shareholders for transfer of the JetPrivilege programme to the subsidiary company will be sought through postal ballot in due course.

Therefore, the Board of Directors, at the Meeting held on 24th May, 2012, granted its unanimous approval for an investment up to 100% in the Share Capital of the proposed maketing services company.

While Jet Airways did not give any timeline for the move, it is still interesting that they would choose to spin off JetPriviledge, especially in light of their comments about increasing ancillary revenue during the first quarter analyst's conference call. Jet Airways is certainly not the first airline to spin off its frequent flyer program and use it for profit generation (known as a profit centre). Air Canada's Aeroplan and American Airlines' AAdvantage are both run separately as profit centres where the airline will sell off its miles to various partners (primarily credit cards), and then allow those partners to use the miles as rewards for their own loyalty programs, then provide award space where those miles can be redeemed for flights. At Western airlines, such profit centre frequent flyer programs have annual turnover of more than $1 billion and profits that run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The move also comes at a time when Jet is almost entirely remaking JetPrivilege. The program already has a ton of airline redemption partners, and the recently announced entrance into Star Alliance (pending government approval) will only make the frequent flyer program more attractive. Jet also recently dropped its 10 year partnership with CitiBank in favor of three different miles-earning credit card partners.

I think that the spin-off is likely to be very beneficial to Jet, as their frequent flyer program is already the most attractive one in India, and the potential addition of the entire Star Alliance global network to the redemption options will make Jet Airways frequent flyer miles a very valuable commodity. At the same time, Jet Airways has to be careful not to overuse the profit centre capability. Have you ever heard the saying, "if everybody's rich, then no one is?" Similarly, if the spin off creates a ton more Jet miles, then the existing miles will be devalued. The prices for award redemption would go up, which could anger and drive away current Jet Airways frequent flyers, who in the end are much more important to the company's prosperity than transitory mileage program partners.

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Qantas has the best wine cellars in the sky

Photo by Flickr user Star5112.

Australian carrier Qantas is the big winner at Business Traveller’s 2011 Cellars in the Sky airline wine awards, winning in six categories. Other winners include Delta, Jetstar, LAN Chile, Qatar Airways, TAM, Emirates, Air France and Cathay Pacific.

The awards recognise the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide, with around 250 wines entered by a total of 32 carriers.

Wines were selected via blind tastings with five judges independently scoring them. The five judges were:

• Charles Metcalfe, TV wine presenter and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge
• Tim Atkin, Master of Wine
• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and winemaking consultant
• Peter McCombie, Master of Wine and accredited tutor for the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
• John Worontschak, leading winemaker and wine business development consultant

The detailed winners list is:

FIRST CLASS

First Class White
1. Emirates – Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, 2006, Margaret River, Western Australia
2. Qantas – Tyrrell’s Winemaker’s Selection Vat 1 Semillon, 2005, Hunter Valley, Australia
3. Malaysia Airlines – Frédéric Magnien Meursault Coeur de Roches, 2009, Burgundy, France

First Class Red
1. TAM – Clos Canon, 2008, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France
2. British Airways – St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz, 2006, Barossa Valley, South Australia
3. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways – Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, 2007, Labouré-Roi, Burgundy, France
AND British Airways – Château Smith Haut Lafitte, 2004, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France
AND Singapore Airlines – Louis Jadot Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru, 2007, Burgundy, France

First Class Sparkling
1. (JOINT) Air France – Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, 2000, France
AND Qantas – Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, 1999, France
2. Cathay Pacific – Champagne Deutz Amour de Deutz Brut, 2002, France
3. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways/Qatar Airways – Champagne Krug Grand Cuvée, NV, France
AND Emirates/Malaysia Airlines – Champagne Dom Pérignon, 2002, France

First Class Fortified and Sweet
1. Cathay Pacific – Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira Ten Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal
2. Qantas – Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Rutherglen Muscat, NV, Victoria, Australia
3. (JOINT) British Airways – Jackson Triggs Proprietors’ Reserve Vidal Icewine, 2007, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada
AND Emirates – Quinta do Noval Vintage Port, 2000, Portugal
AND Qatar Airways – Domaine Weinbach Clos des Capucins Furstentum Grand Cru Vendanges Tardives, 2008, Alsace, France

First Class Cellar
1. Qantas
2. Qatar Airways
3. Air France

Most Improved First Class Cellar
TAM

BUSINESS CLASS

Business Class White
1. (JOINT) Delta Air Lines – Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay, 2010, Monterey, California
AND Jetstar – Waipara Hills Sauvignon Blanc, 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand
2. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways – Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2010, Marlborough, New Zealand
AND Qantas – Leo Buring Leopold Riesling, 2008, Tamar Valley, Tasmania, Australia
AND Qatar Airways – Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese, 2007, Mosel, Germany
3. (JOINT) Eva Airways – Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett, 2008, Dr Carl Von Schubert, Ruwer, Germany
AND Malaysia Airlines – Stonier Chardonnay, 2009, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia

Business Class Red
1. Qantas – Mount Langi Ghiran Cliff Edge Shiraz, 2008, Victoria, Australia
2. (JOINT) All Nippon Airways – The Lucky Country Shiraz, 2010, McLaren Vale, South Australia
AND Emirates – Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 2008, Rhône, France
3. (JOINT) Eva Airways – Valduero Reserva, 2006, Ribera del Duero, Spain
AND Virgin Atlantic – Ottoventi Nero D’avola .20, 2009, Sicily, Italy

Business Class Sparkling
1. LAN Airlines – Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier, NV, France
2. Qantas – Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, NV, France
3. Qatar Airways – Champagne Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame, 1998, France

Business Class Fortified and Sweet
1. Qatar Airways – Kopke Colheita Port, 1974, Portugal
2. Qantas – Seppeltsfield Para Grand Tawny, NV, South Australia
3. (JOINT) Emirates – Dow’s Ten Year Old Tawny, NV, Portugal
AND Korean Air – Inniskillin Icewine Vidal, 2007, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

Business Class Cellar
1. Qantas
2. Jetstar
3. Qatar Airways

Most Improved Business Class Cellar
Cathay Pacific

Photo courtesy Flickr user Star5112.

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Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi airports score high on ACI service quality world rankings

Three Indian airports have received awards during the 2010 annual airport service quality (ASQ) survey of Airports Council International (ACI).

This year, the top five airports in the world are all from east Asia.

1) Seoul Incheon (ICN), 2) Singapore Changi (SIN), 3) Hong Kong Int'l (HKG) 4) Beijing Capital Int'l (PEK) and 5) Shanghai Pudong (PVG).

As per the ACI release

To be eligible for the annual ASQ awards, an airport must participate in the ASQ Survey during all four quarters of the year. In 2010 the survey was conducted at 153 airports and 140 qualified (full year participation). The survey is carried out in strict accordance with a fieldwork survey plan, developed by ACI, which guarantees a representative sample of the flights, destinations and passenger groups served by the airport. ACI audits the process to ensure compliance and to validate the results.

ACI uses a scale of 1~5 (highest) to score airports. All privately run airports must maintain a level of 3.75 or higher.

Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) won top honours in the 5~15 million passenger size category, while Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) was placed second in the 15~25 million passenger category, and New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) was placed fourth in the 25~40 million passenger category.

In a rating scale of 1 to 5 (best), IGIA has effectively achieved a rating of 4.49, which improved it's rank to 12th worldwide, up from last year’s rank of 32nd. IGIA has been rising in the ASQ rating over the years. In 2007 IGIA’s ASQ rating was 3.02, 3.15 in 2008, 4.16 points in 2009 after the inauguration of Terminal 1 D. 2010 has seen the opening of the new integrated Terminal 3 or T3 which has pushed the airport's rating above 4.5 since, so we can look to a higher rating next year too.

For 2010, CSIA achieved a rating of 4.39 and was ranked 21st worldwide up from 3.96 and rank 68 in 2009. 2010 also saw CSIA opening the intermediate Terminal 1C and in similar form to IGIA the ranking of CSIA are expected to increase in the 2011 survey.

Surprisingly, the Bengaluru International Airport which was awarded with "India's best managed airport" last year, did not feature anywhere in the ACI ASQ award list, though Zurich airport which also manages the airport operations at Bangalore did win third place in the Europe geography. In 2009 BIAL achieved an ASQ score of 4.2.

The full award list is in the graphic below. Click on the image for a larger view.

From January 2011, many Airports Authority of India operated airports have joined the ACI ASQ program. These include Ahmedabad, Goa, Trivandrum, Calicut, Guwahati, Jaipur, and Pune.

Related articles

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Best wines onboard - Cellars in the sky awards presented

It is that time of the year where I get to combine two of my favourite passions. Aviation and Wine.

The annual Cellars in the Sky Awards have been announced, recognising the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide.

The big winner this year was Qantas, which walked away with four awards -- best first class red wine, best first class fortified / sweet wine, best first class cellar, and best presented wine list.

Cathay Pacific won two awards -- best business class red wine and best business class cellar. Lufthansa also bagged two awards -- best business class fortified / sweet wine, and best first class sparkling wine.

Singapore Airlines which used to consistently win awards seems to have been knocked right out of the competition. India's Jet Airways has won fourth place for the best sparkling wine in business class.

Given the economic slowdown and resultant impact on airlines has forced the industry to greater creativity and choosing lesser-known but much more interesting wines.

Judging wines from 34 airlines were five judges:

• Charles Metcalfe, TV wine presenter and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge
• Joanna Simon, author, wine and food editor for House and Garden magazine and co-founder of the Wine Gang
• Sam Harrop, Master of Wine and winemaking consultant
• Derek Smedley, Master of Wine for more than 40 years, consultant and co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge
• Tim Atkin, Master of Wine, wine columnist for The Observer, co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge and co-founder of the Wine Gang.

The results

Business Class

Sparkling wine

1. Delta
Piper-Heidsieck Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 18.25 out of 20

2. JOINT: Qantas, Singapore Airlines
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, Champagne, France
Score: 18

3. Mexicana
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17.75

4. JOINT: Jet Airways, LAN
Louis Roederer Brut Premier, Champagne, France
Score: 17.5

5. JOINT: Cathay, KLM
Billecart-Salmon Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17

Red

1. Cathay Pacific
Spy Valley Pinot Noir Marlborough 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 18.75

2. Korean Air
Tyrrell’s Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2005, Hunter Valley, Australia
Score: 18.5

3. KLM
Tempus Two Barossa Shiraz 2005, Barossa, Australia
Score: 18.25

4. LAN
Altair 2004, Alto Cachapoal Valley, Chile
Score: 18

5. Alitalia
Barone Ricasoli Castello di Brolio, Casalferro, 2005, Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Score: 17.75

White

1. SAS
Tim Adams Semillon 2007, Clare Valley, Australia
Score: 18.5

2. Cathay Pacific
Moët Hennessy, Green Point Reserve Chardonnay 2005, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Score: 18

3. ANA
Weinguter Wegeler, Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett 2007, Mosel, Germany
Score: 17.75

4. Qantas
Peter Lehman Wines Eden Valley Riesling 2005, Barossa, Australia
Score: 17.5

5. Air New Zealand
West Brook Marlborough Riesling 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.25

Fortified / sweet

1. Lufthansa
Vinhos Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage 2004, Douro, Portugal
Score: 18.5

2. Singapore Airlines
Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro, Portugal
Score: 18

3. Air New Zealand
Dr John Forrest, Forrest Noble Marlborough Riesling 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.75

4. Delta
Chambers Rosewood Vineyards, Muscat a Petit Grains, Rutherglen, Australia
Score: 17.5

5. Qantas
Baileys of Glenrowan Founder Series Liqueur Muscat, Glenrowan, Australia
Score: 17

Best business class cellar

1. Cathay Pacific
2. LAN
3. Qatar Airways
4. American Airlines
5. British Airways

First class

Sparkling

1. Lufthansa
Piper-Heidsieck Cuvée Rare, Champagne, France
Score: 19

2. Qantas
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 1999, Champagne, France
Score: 18.5

3. Qatar Airways
Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle 1996, Champagne, France
Score: 18

4. Emirates
Dom Pérignon 2000, Champagne, France
Score: 17.75

5. JOINT: ANA, Singapore Airlines
Krug Grande Cuvée Brut, Champagne, France
Score: 17.5

Red

1. Qantas
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2005, Canberra, Australia
Score: 18.75

2. JOINT:

Emirates
Felton Road Pinot Noir 2008, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand

Korean Air
Château Léoville Poyferré 2004, Saint-Julien, France
Score: 18.5
[Editor's note: Singapore Airlines used to serve this wine and it is indeed a great wine]

4. JOINT:

American Airlines
Chapoutier Coteaux Tricastin 2006, Rhône Valley, France

American Airlines
Château Lynch-Moussas 2006, Pauillac, France

British Airways
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 4 Pinot Noir 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 18

White

1. TAM
Michel Picard Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux 2006, Burgundy, France
Score: 18.5

2. British Airways
Albert Bichot Meursault 2007, Burgundy, France
Score: 18.25

3. British Airways
Salomon Lindberg Reserve Gruner Veltliner 2007, Kamptal, Austria
Score: 18

4. Cathay Pacific
Wente Riva Ranch Reserve Chardonnay 2006, Livermore Valley, San Francisco, US
Score: 17.75

5. Qatar Airways
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 18 Snap Block Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
Score: 17.5

Fortified / sweet

1. Qantas
Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay, Rutherglen, Australia
Score: 18.5

2. Emirates
Château Rieussec 2003, Domaines Lafite, France
Score: 17.75

3. ANA
Taylor’s 20-Year-Old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal
Score: 17.5

Best first class cellar

1. Qantas
2. American Airlines
3. Qatar Airways
4. British Airways
5. Cathay Pacific

OVERALL

BEST-PRESENTED WINE LIST

1. Qantas
2. Air New Zealand
3. JOINT: ANA, Qatar Airways

CONSISTENCY OF WINES ACROSS BUSINESS AND FIRST CLASS

1. Qatar Airways
2. JOINT: American Airlines, Cathay Pacific
3. Qantas
4. British Airways
5. ANA

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Seoul Incheon Singapore Changi Hong Kong HKIA win "best airport" awards

Seoul's Incheon International airport (ICN) won the Airports Council International's (ACI) "Airport Service Quality" award for best airport in the world, followed by Singapore's Changi (SIN), Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Nagoya's Central Japan airport (NGO), and Halifax (YHZ) in Canada.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Incheon the 8-year-old airport serving Korea's capital Seoul, has won award.

ACI an international association of the world’s airports with 1,679 airports from 177 countries around the world, announced the results after collating responses from nearly 250,000 questionnaires completed by passengers in 2008. The survey was taken each quarter throughout 2008, in 34 airport service factors (7 services and 27 facilities/operations), against 126 major airports around the world.

The two new greenfield airports of India commission last year, Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) at Bangalore and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Hyderabad would not have been judged since an airport needs to operate in all four quarters of the year to participate, but BIA's operating partner Zurich Airport won the best airport in Europe award, so can we expect good results next year here in Bangalore?

Read the full results here or download the PDF version here.

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Skytrax awards Qatar Airways best Economy class in the world, Etihad Business, Singapore Airlines First

Qatar Airways has won the annual SkyTrax airline award for the best Economy Class in the world, which means a lot in these tough economic times when passengers are increasingly moving to the back of the plane from the front.


Qatar Airways recently revamped its Economy Class meal service using a more environment friendly, upmarket, appetising and stylish way.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar clearly has his priorities well targeted, summing up his airline's approach

“Most airlines invest heavily in developing their premium cabins and, while we continue to do this, Qatar Airways strives to innovate in Economy Class ensuring our high standards are maintained and passenger expectations are exceeded worldwide.”

Etihad Airways won the prize for the best Business Class, narrowly beating Singapore Airlines, who won the prize for best First Class. Virgin Atlantic won the prize for best Premium Economy Class, a high in demand travel class nowadays

Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates won the top five spots for "Airline of the Year 2009" respectively.

View the full results here.

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The best wine cellars in the sky

Very rarely do I get an opportunity to combine my two passions of aviation and wine and write about it.

A very special thanks to the In-flight Supervisor on a recent Singapore Airlines flight who went in to the first class cellar and served me a superlative Chateau Leoville Poyferre, St. Julien, Bordeaux. Even at 35,000ft, it was one the best airborne wine experiences I had.

Recently Business Traveller magazine, judged and presented its "Cellars in the Sky" awards to various airlines.

A special congratulations to the folks at Jet Airways at making the grade.

What did surprise me is that while many wines from producing powerhouses like France, Italy, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, and Chile, made the grade, the airlines from these respective countries did not. Also missing were producers and airlines from the United States.

Cellars in the Sky: Results for 2008

Business class

Business class sparkling

1. Charles Heidsieck (Mis en Bouteille 2008), Champagne, France. Joint winners: KLM, Singapore Airlines
2. Henriot Souverain NV, Champagne, France. Joint winners: Emirates, LAN
3. Charles Heidsieck (Mis en Bouteille 2007), Champagne, France. Joint winners: Asiana, British Airways, Qantas
4. Piper-Hiedsieck NV, Champagne, France. Korean Air
5. Dom Pérignon 2000, Champagne, France. Jet Airways

Business class white

1. Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett 2005, Mosel, Germany. Qatar Airways
2. Coldstream Hills Chardonnay 2006, Yarra Valley, Australia. Qantas
3. Highfield Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand. Air New Zealand
4. Bernhard Ott Fass 4 Gruner Veltliner 2007, Wagram, Austria. Austrian Airlines
5. Anakena Ona 2007, Alto Cachapoal, Chile. LAN

Business class red

1. Palliser Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2005, Wellington, New Zealand. Cathay Pacific
2. Cline Cellars Cool Climate Syrah 2005, Sonoma Coast, California. British Airways
3. Luis Canas Reserva 2002, Rioja, Spain. Iberia
4. Corbières Gerard Bertrand 2006, Languedoc, France. Lufthansa
5. Casa Silva Los Lingues Gran Reserva Carmenère 2005, Colchagua, Chile. KLM

Business class fortified / dessert

1. Forrest Estate Botrytised Riesling 2007, Marlborough, New Zealand. Air New Zealand
2. Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage Port 2004, Douro, Portugal. Lufthansa
3. Baileys of Glenrowan Founder Series Liqueur Muscat NV, Glenrowan, Australia. Qantas
4. Taylor’s 20-year-old Tawny Port NV, Douro, Portugal. Qatar Airways
5. Jurancon Prestige Cave de Gran Jurancon NV, Jurancon, France. Delta

Best business class cellar

1. KLM
2. Qantas
3. Air New Zealand
4. LAN
5. Qatar Airways

First class

First class sparkling

1. Piper Heidsieck Cuvée Rare NV, Champagne, France. Lufthansa
2. Krug Grande Cuvée, Champagne, France. Joint winners: ANA, Jet Airways
3. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1998, Champagne, France. Joint winners: LAN, Asiana
4. Charles Heidsieck 1995, Champagne, France. Qantas
5. Salon Blanc de Blancs 1997, Champagne, France. JAL

First class white

1. Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2005, Monterey, California. Lufthansa
2. Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2006, Yarra Valley, Australia. Qantas
3. Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Marlborough, New Zealand. American Airlines
4. Joint winners: Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2004, Mosel, Germany. TAM; Wegeler Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Spatlese 2005, Mosel, Germany. American Airlines
5. Manz Riesling Auslese Trocken 2005, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany. Korean Air

First class red

1. Morton Estate Pinot Noir 2005, Marlborough, New Zealand. Qatar Airways
2. Shotfire Shiraz 2005, Barossa, Australia. Lufthansa
3. Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005, Rhône. France, Air France
4. Mungo Park Shiraz 2008, Barossa, Australia. Emirates
5. Pyrenees Ridge Reserve Shiraz 2005, Victoria, Australia. ANA

First class fortified / dessert

1. Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Tokay Muscat, NV, Rutherglen, Australia. Qantas
2. Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003, Douro, Portugal. Singapore Airlines
3. Weingut Neef-Emmich Bacchus Beerenauslese 2007, Rheinhessen, Germany. Lufthansa
4. Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, NV, Andalusia, Spain. Korean Air
5. Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira Porto Ten Anos NV, Porto, Portugal. Cathay Pacific

Best first class cellar

1. Lufthansa
2. Qantas
3. TAM
4. Emirates
5. Qatar

To locate these wines, I recommend wine-searcher.com.

I have written a book entitled Wines Demystified. Please download your free copy in Adobe Acrobat format here.

Read more about the programme including judging procedures here.

Image : Wikipedia

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