PAX May/June 2011 VOL 15. NO. 3

PLU

S! CHECK OUT PAX ONLINE AT

www.pax-intl.comMHA meets in Orlando > 11AIX: news

and views > 8

M A Y / J U N E 2 0 1 1 I V O L . 1 5 , N O . 3

BusinessTravel onEurostar:

New Menus,New Features

Summer outlook > 14

N E W S A N D A N A LY S I S F O R T H E P A S S E N G E R S E R V I C E S E X E C U T I V E

PAX_MAYJUN11:PAX_SpringSummer05 17/05/11 3:33 PM

www.servair.fr

A taste of the world

53 destinations worldwideServair brings you a taste of the world – a taste journey into four continents for our airline, company and group clients.What’s more, we prioritise great service and the respect of local specifi city in order to better meet our clients’ needs.

Finally, we offer our clients the highest possible quality professional restaurant and airport standards, see we meet

their service expectations.

m A y / J U n E 2 0 1 1 V o l U m E 1 5 , n U m B E r 3

INTERIORS INDUSTRY MEETS IN HAMBURGApril 5-7 saw the aircraft interiors industry gather en

masse in hamburg, as it does this time every year, to

show or shop for the latest innovations for all things found

within the aircraft cabin.

MHA’S 26TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND

TRADE SHOW DRAWS HUNDREDS TO

ORLANDOApproximately 800 delegates representing every

branch of the family-like tree that is the marine hotel

industry came together in orlando to meet, work, dine

and discuss the issues that affect them all in various

ways.

SUMMER TRAVEL SEASON UPDATEPAX International talks with caterers and iAtA officials

about summer travel possibilities and what it means for

cabin services.

THE EUROSTAR GENERATIONthe high-speed rail line has revamped its Business

Premier service with the help of a michelin star chef,

service changes and technological improvements even as

it continues to write a new history in train travel.

TABLE OF CONTENTS |

On the cover: StandardPremier Service onEurostar. It is one of threecabin classes offered bythe rail line. Photocourtesy Eurostar

Editor’s CommEnts 4

nEws 5

AssoCiAtion nEws 7

CAlEndAr 7

whAt’s hot 18

DEPARTMENTS

16

30

14

11

8

11

8


A premiumpackage

EDITOR’S COMMENTS |

4 | PAX INTErNATIONAL | May/June 2011

PAX International is published six times a year

(January/February, March/April, May, June/July/August,

September/October, November/December) by PAXInternational, 26 Pearl Street, Mississauga, Ontario L5M

1X2, Canada. International Distribution. Subscriptions: $200

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editor. May/June 2011, Vol. 15, No. 3. Printed in Canada.

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The delicious olive treat, now at 30,000 feet!LOVE IS IN THE AIR!

Visit: www.oloves.com or email: [email protected]

he passenger services industry recently held two successful events on theheels of the well-attended International Travel Catering Association Exhibitionearlier in the year. Both of events seemed to point to the promise of a suc-cessful year despite the widespread political unrest and numerous natural dis-

asters that have captured recent headlines.Nearly 8,000 people attended this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo during April in

Hamburg. Shortly afterwards, the Marine Hotel Association hosted a successful eventin Orlando.

The cruise line industry will launch 14 new vessels before the year is out. At theAIX event, panelists again pointed out the success and the importance of the premiumeconomy product as a way to satisfy passengers.

This move by the airlines to emphasize comfort for the passenger is also beingnoticed by several of the airline caterers who provided input for our airline trafficreport found on page 13.

“Premium carriers continue to place emphasis on their inflight services and manyare still keeping their premium class menus, with little change in their budgets,” saidTan Chuan Lye, Executive Vice President, Food Solutions of SATS in Singapore.

Airlines in the region are feeling the fresh air of economic recovery. Last year, SATSposted a healthy increase in meal production. Nicolas Rondeau of Flying Food

Group has encountered a similar trend taking shape. “Strong load factors andincreased competition for passenger business are driving a trend towards premiumproducts and upgrades,” he says.

This is good news for those passengers who can afford to pay across-the-boardhigher fares for summer travel. But what takes place after people return home andget down to work in the fall is still an open question. And for companies that makesupplies for the packed aircraft that are expected this summer, the need to walk thefine line of supplying high-quality products while holding the line on cost remainsthe constant challenge in good times and bad.

RICK LUNDSTROMEditor-in-Chief, PAX International

T


w w w . p a x - i n t l . c o m | PAX InTErnATIOnAL | 5

NEWS

LSG Sky Chefs torestructure businessLSG Sky Chefs Deutschland GmbH willbe split into 12 individual companieswith the limited liability designationGmbH, the caterer announced May 2.

“This re-alignment in the Germanmarket will strengthen the entrepreneurialscope of the individual locations and offeran improved perspective for all partiesinvolved,” said LSG Lufthansa ServiceHolding AG CEO Walter Gehl.

Establishing limited liabilitycompanies will give the individual firmsflexibility to adjust to market conditionsand improved competitiveness andgrowth, said the company.

LSG Sky Chefs Deutschland’smembership in the employersassociation will be transferred to thenew companies, which ensures that thecollective agreements and laborcontracts remain unchanged, said LSGSky Chefs.

Servair opens duty free outlet, plans expansion in ConakryA new duty free shop and snack bar operated by Servair subsidiary Guinean Servicesopened recently in Gbessia Airport in Conakry, Guinea. Servair announced the opening March 21. The duty free shop is 285 square meters

and offers a range of perfume, spirits, tobacco, small leather goods, jewelry and con-fectionery. Chanel, Dior, Kenzo and St. Lawrence products are featured. There is a cigarroom and a dedicated corner for Lancel products. Also part of the opening is a new snack bar. Servair also plans to open a new airline-

catering unit of 450 square meters in Conakry in October of this year. “Both new structures fit in with the airport’s modernization program,” said a release

from Servair. This is the third duty free operation opened by Servair. The caterer has duty free oper-

ations in La Réunion in the Indian Ocean and in Dakar, Senegal. Servair also handlesonboard duty free sales through its subsidiary, Logair. Last December, Servair took over the management of the duty free sales on Air Sey-

chelles. The sales take place on five jumbo jets operating 30 flights per week.

From slow food vendors to and sustainable food outlets to a selec-tion of succulent offerings in First Class and for sale, Terminal 2 atSan Francisco Airport and Virgin America began a new chapter inpassenger food service this April. SFO’s newly designed Terminal 2 opened its doors to passengers

April 8. Along with the openening, Virgin America began its springinflight menu to celebrate the opening, with offerings from FoodNetwork Chef Tyler Florence and Iron Chef Cat Cora. The food purveyors at T2 were showing visitors their offerings at

a “Taste of T2” event in early April serving the food on utensils andcontainers that can be composted.Virgin America claims that the ingredients used in its menus are

sustainable and fresh from local sources and are prepared with pre-mium meat and artisan breads. First Class breakfast on Virgin America has a selection of fresh

tropical fruit and berries tossed with a passion fruit puree and toppedwith roasted coconut; an herb egg quesadilla with chorizo; fresh trop-ical fruit with yogurt, granola, pineapple and a selection of citrusfruit; a mini tea sandwich with fruit and cheesecake; and a fresh

grapefruit topped with caramelized sugar served with raspberries. Entrees and appetizers in First Class are: an exotic lettuce bun-

dle with cucumber served with a spring peach vinaigrette andteardrop tomatoes; lemongrass chicken with broccolini, sugar snappeas and peppers on a Thai leaf with coconut curry sauce; and amarinated beet citrus salad with Mache lettuce, orange segmentscapers, endive and chickpeas served with whole grain mustardvinaigrette. Desserts in First Class are apple and fig compote with bacon tof-

fee; chocolate whiskey cheesecake; and Thai coconut tapioca. For sale in the airline’s main cabin is a selection of 18 Rabbits

Granola with fruit, milk and yogurt; Umpqua Oats; a Spanish tunasalad sandwich; a chipotle chicken hand roll; a fruit and cheeseselection and a vegetable Cobb salad. Meal boxes sell for US$7 onVirgin America.Oakfield Farms is among the suppliers of snacks for sale on Vir-

gin America. A selection of brand name products from Mott’s Apple-sauce to Bumble Bee Tuna to Ocean Spray Craisins and Tobleronechocolate sell for between US$3 and $4.

Aer Lingus takes EAZYway for trolley orderAer Lingus will lease 3,000 AeroCat ATLAS-standard trolleys through the company’sTheEAZYway program.

AeroCat announced the letter of intent April 5. The lease includes the trolleys, softwarefor the unit’s RFID functions and RFID infrastructure.

The AeroCat is made of polymer and is fully recyclable. Several firms have been involvedthe development including Solvay, Bemis, Zetes, Econocom and gategroup.

Aer Lingus’s director of catering, Adrian Power said that the decision to take the AeroCat wasbased on the desire to keep ahead of trends in design and operation of galley equipment. “Weforesee, on the horizon, a significant change with regard to the overall concept behind aircraftgalley design and believe that the flexible lease model we are working towards with the EAZY-way team will enable us to plan ahead and keep our options open in this regard,” he added.

CATERING

Food options abound at SFO T2:Virgin America joins with new offerings

A fruit and seven cheese selection is

available for sale on Virgin America.


NEWS

CATERING

Lufthansa picks new Star Chef inducteeWahabi Nouri, the newest entrant in theLufthansa Star Chef group will have hisFrench/Asian inspired dishes in the front cabinservice on Lufthansa German Airlines in May. Nouri was born in Morocco and was

named German Chef of the Year 2010 by theGault Milau restaurant guide in Germany.In First Class, Nouri has developed a selec-tion of three starters: lobster terrine withbaby leek, curry cream and papaya relish,beef a la Mechoui with carrot pesto andasparagus mousse with mixed salad. Thesecond course features a selection of seafoodand shellfish bisque with cilantro; a salad offrisee, romaine lettuce and arugula withherb mushroom and carrots served with atomato and tarragon or yogurt and dill dress-ing. Main courses are lamb shoulder tajlinewith stewed eggplant and zucchini andsweet potato; breast of guinea fowl filledwith almonds accompanied by beans andMacair potatoes; and fried turbot in orangeand port sauce with braised fennel and bas-mati rice. For dessert in First Class is a spicychocolate delise with cherry sauce andmango sorbet or cream of Ras el-Hanoutwith raspberries.In Lufthansa Business Class, there will be

an hors d’oeuvre offering of coffee mari-nated salmon with Asian potato salad and

peppermint oil. Main courses will be braisedlamb stew with saffron and ginger presentedwith chickpeas and mashed potatoes.Desserts served are a soft fig and date cake,fruit salad, curd mousse and marinatedstrawberries.In both cabins, Lufthansa plans to serve

cheese and nuts. Among the cheesesselected for the service are Halloumi, Lab-neh and Sumac. Lufthansa also serves longtime favorites

known as Lufthansa Classics. In May andJune, First Class will have freshly harvestedasparagus with Hollandaise sauce and aham assortment with parsley potatoes. InBusiness Class, the airline will be servingSwabian dumplings in vegetable broth inMay and spaetzle cheese noodles with friedcaramelized onions. Nouri was born in Morocco and grew up

in Frankfurt, completing chef training atWeingut Nack Restaurant in Gau-Bischof-sheim in Rhine-Hesse. Later, he was namedchef de cuisine at international caterer Kofler& Kompannie. In 2000, he opened his ownrestaurant, Piment in Hamburg and waslater awarded a Michelin Star. In 2004 and2006, he won the German Masters competi-tion and represented the country in theBocuse d’Or competition.

Newrestacquires Gate Gourmetunit in LisbonNewrest has purchased Gate Gourmet'sinterest in airline catering units in Lisbonand Madeira, Portugal, the twocompanies announced jointly on April 4.

Newrest will fully own the operation inLisbon unit and maintain a 50/50partnership with Funchal Airport inMadeira, a resort island in the AtlanticOcean.

Terms of the agreement were notannounced.

Gate Gourmet stated that, “Aftercareful analysis the decision was made todivest the Portuguese operation as itdoes not fit with the network strategygoing forward. As the operations andworkforce have transferred to the newowner in their entirety, the transfer will bewithout consequence to airlinecustomers,” said an April 4 release fromGate Gourmet.

For Newrest, the purchase representsan expansion in the Portuguese market.The company operates a unit in Faro anddoes rail catering in Lisbon.


w w w . p a x - i n t l . c o m | PAX INTErNATIONAl | 7

2011International Flight Services Conference and Exhibition September 12-

14, Airline Passenger ExperienceAssociation September 11-15, AircraftInteriors Expo/Americas September 12-14,

All are at the Washington State Convention

Center, Seattle. For more information Contact

IFSA at (404) 252-3663, e-mail

[email protected] for APEX call (212)297-

2177, e-mail [email protected], for Aircraft Interiors

Expo call 44 (0)208 910 7126 or e-mail

[email protected]

ITCA Dubai Exhibition 2011 October 25-

27, Dubai International Convention and

Exhibition Centre for more information, contact

ITCA at +44(0)1483 419449

Cruise Shipping Asia November 16-18,

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. For more

information [email protected]. Or

call 609-759-4700.

2012International Travel CateringAssociation ITCA ’12, March 6-8, Nice. For

more information, contact ITCA at +44(0)1483

419449

Cruise Shipping Miami, March 12-15,

Miami Beach Convention Center. For more

information [email protected]. Or

call 609-759-4700.

Aircraft Interiors Expo, March 27-29,

Hamburg. For more information call

44 (0) 208 910 7126 or e-mail

[email protected].

Marine Hotel Association Conference& Trade Show, April 15-17, Peabody Hotel,

Orlando. . For more information, contact the

association at (415) 332-1903

ASSOCIATION NEWS |

Green at seaCLIA notes Earth Day with cruise line accomplishments

RAIL

Amtrak plansadditional railcaracquisitions forFY 2012Adding to contracts that will replace200 cars in its system, Amtrakannounced in early April that it wouldseek to procure 40 additional cars forit Acela Express service bringing itscapacity to 20 high-speed trainsets.

The additional high-speed cars willbe acquired should funding be identi-fied, adding frequency to the Acelaservice. Amtrak also is at work on anext generation equipment acquisi-tion that would add bi-level and sin-gle-level cars and a high-speed diesellocomotive.

Last year, Amtrak awarded con-tracts to replace 130 single-level carsfrom the oldest part of the fleet andawarded contracts for 70 electric loco-motives for those now in use on theNortheast and Keystone Corridors.

In other news, work on a high speedrail line linking Chicago and St. Louismoved ahead as the workers laid 96miles of track and railroad ties on theroute between the two cities. This year,the high-speed rail construction willtake place between Elkhart and Dwightin Illinois. The Chicago to St. LouisCorridor is a $1.1 billion project thatincludes construction of the track,locomotives and passenger cars, sta-tion improvements and roadway andpedestrian gates.

his year, 14 new ships will join theworld’s cruise line fleet; and on theoccasion of Earth Day, April 21, theCruise Line International Association

(CLIA) took time to review the environmentalefforts of its membership.“It is rewarding to take a look at some of their

green initiatives that go beyond the environ-mental regulations we already meet,” said CLIAPresident and CEO Christine Duffy in the April 21release of the Association’s Earth Day initiative. On this year’s Earth Day, CLIA released its

Environmental Quiz to educate visitors onenvironmental efforts of the cruise industry. Itcan be found on the CLIA website under Crui-seIndustryFacts.com. CLIA says member lines meet and often

exceed all applicable environmental regula-tions on a ship’s voyage. Each country a shipvisits may have its own rules and regulations,and therefore cruise lines and their environ-mental staff must ensure the ship is compliantat all times. In the release, CLIA listed several member

lines’ environmental efforts. CLIA member lines recycle more than

79,000 tons of garbage per year includingpaper, plastic, aluminum cans and glass.Lines work with suppliers to reduce the

amount of packaging materials coming ontothe ships and require that in-cabin amenitiesbe packaged in recyclable materials. As part ofthis, one of its member lines reduced theamount of waste landed ashore by 19 percentfrom the previous year and 47 percent from2007 levels. Members of the Fleet of 2011 are utilizing

highly efficient insulation and heat reflective

paint, which diminishes the need for chillers,pumps and distribution piping, allowing onenew ship to be constructed with 25 percent lessHVAC equipment.One member line has partnered with the

non-profit organization “Clean the World” torecycle leftover toiletries, donating 388 poundsof soap and 1,203 bottles of shampoo and con-ditioner in 2010 for distribution to people inneed.One new ship’s public areas are served with

a clock system that is pre-programmed. Duringquiet hours, the lighting automatically lowersto reduce the load and therefore reduces powerdemand.A number of member lines use fabric bags –

including laundry, dry cleaning, and shoeshinebags, reducing plastic from the waste stream.Many lines are using ecological, non-toxic,

slick hull coatings that save as much as 5 per-cent of fuel usage for propulsion.Various ships are installing high-efficiency

appliances onboard their ships in order to min-imize their impact on the environment. Everytype of appliance onboard the ships is evalu-ated for efficiency, including TV's, coffee mak-ers, ovens and dishwashers.Halogen and incandescent light bulbs on

many lines have been replaced with LED lights,which last 25 times longer, use 80 percent lessenergy, and generate 50 percent less heat.A number of lines have invested heavily in

the use of shore-based power, allowing shipengines to be shut down while at port.Many lines are in various stages of employ-

ing advanced wastewater purification systems(AWPS) that produce water cleaner than whatis discharged from most municipalities.

UPCOMING EVENTS


8 | PAX InternAtIonAl | May/June 2011

The annual Aircraft Interiors Expo is organizedby Reed Exhibitions and held at the HamburgMesse beside the city’s great television tower.It is regularly attended by hundreds of com-mercial and private sector operators who

come to see what is new from more than 500 exhibitors. All told, the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) attracted

approximately 7,900 visitors to the North German portcity of Hamburg and each year the event seems to gain

more momentum, not to mention physical size, atevery turn. While just a decade ago the show waslargely considered to be a ‘hardware’ or ‘nuts andbolts’ event, Reed Exhibitions’ continuous effortsto grow and diversify the Expo have paid off.Aircraft Interiors now draws a sizeable share ofthe exhibitors and buyers from inflight enter-tainment and connectivity (IFEC) sector as wellas a sampling of adventurous amenity, paper

product, headset, cleaning and cateringequipment suppliers typically found attravel catering events in the UnitedStates and Europe.Just one hour after the doors to the

three-day show were officially opened, apress conference featuring a diverse table

of industry names began - setting the toneand effectively defining the main themes ofthe days ahead. During the conferenceinternational journalists had the opportu-nity to grill men like Alex Hervet, LongHaul Products Director for Air France, John

Yeng, Director Product Marketing at UnitedAirlines and Tom Plant, Vice President and General

Manager Seating Products at B/E Aerospace aboutmarket directions and trends to watch. Premium Economy cabins were a hot topic and

many questions from the press revolved around thesubject. All five panelists spoke favorably about thedirection of the concept, cementing an already com-

AIX HAMBURG REVIEW

Interiorsindustrymeets inHamburgApril 5-7 saw the aircraft interiorsindustry gather en masse in Hamburg,as it does this time every year, to showor shop for the latest innovations for allthings found within the aircraft cabin

BY MARYANN SIMSON

On Tuesday April 5th, a press conference was held at Aircraft Interiors Expo. The

distinguished panellists who contributed were: (from left to right) Alex Hervet – Long Haul

Products Director for Air France, Bob Lange – Head of Aircarft Interiors Marketing for Airbus,

Tom Plant – Vice President & General Manager Seating Products for B/E Aerospace, Doug

Cline – CEO of Lumexis and John Yeng – Director Product Marketing at United Airlines

At 280 metres high, Hamburg’s Fernsehturm, or TV Tower,

is the city’s tallest building and a poplar place for tourists to

visit. It stands beside the Hamburg Messe

The LSG Sky Chefs booth featured a

demonstration of the new In-Flight Equipment

Highlight Catalogue, which is now up and running

at http://equipmenthighlights.lsgskychefs.com


www . p a x - i n t l . c om | PAX InternAtIonAl | 9

AIX HAMBURG REVIEW

mon view that the option is becoming increasingpopular with both passengers and airlines. “I dobelieve there is great potential. What we knowworks is Economy-Plus. We believe that thechange of pitch helps out passengers,” said Yeng,adding that passenger satisfaction ratings doubledwhen passengers upgraded to this newest cabin. Hervet also weighed in on the topic, revealing

that 90 percent of Air France’s fleet has been retro-fitted to include a Premium-Economy section andthat the carrier will soon take delivery of its firstA380 with the class. Utilizing product alreadyfound onboard, he revealed, is how Air France hasbeen able to achieve a successful Premium-Econ-omy program without complicating matters logis-tically. “We put all the focus on the seat and tookall the product and food from either economy orbusiness,” he shared with the group. “Cateringcomes from economy, while the blankets comefrom business.”The IFEC crowd came out swinging with con-

tract announcements and product launchesgalore. Newcomer Intelligent Avionics enjoyedmuch attention with its new seat-centric AuraIFE offering that one visitor to the curtained-offbooth described as “disruptive technology” sureto shake up the sector. The more established seat-centric system providers dueled for hype withfibre-optic wiring and handheld options (includ-ing purpose-made handheld units already popu-lar within the consumer market) while theever-impressive and ultra-exclusive Panasonicstand looked a lot like a popular nightclub. Infront of the round blue goliath, an ever-presentcrowd mingled hoping to win an appointmentand catch a glimpse of what advanced technologysat behind its ‘velvet rope’. The regular pack of onboard connectivity solu-

tions providers were present, yet seemed to keepa lower profile than in previous years. Aside froman announcement that the French firm OnAirwould be working together with show organizersto develop a mobile portal for the expo and someother minor news, announcements from bothsatellite and land-based communications compa-nies did not abound. Trolley-makers rolled out their best, hoping to

prevail in the highly competitive sector. Compa-nies like Diethelm-Keller Aviation, Norduyn,Iacobucci HF, Bucher, Aerocat, SkyMax andDriessen have each stepped up to the plate withadvanced lightweight trolleys, made either fromcomposite materials or traditional aluminumengineered for lightness and durability, or a com-bination of both. Irish firm Onboard Logistics,previously known for its Flex-E-Bag waste col-lection solution, had an exceedingly positiveresponse to its simple, yet innovative CastorAlignment System, which stops trolleys fromrolling about onboard.LSG Sky Chefs took a large stand for the third

consecutive year, sharing the spotlight with its

many valued partners such as Canadian trolleymaker Norduyn, British point of sale specialistsInitium Onboard and Formia, a Singapore-basedluxury amenity firm. LSG Sky Chefs used theoccasion to access airlines with the purpose ofdiscussing current trends, mood generation,equipment optimization and its unique abilityto provide tailor-made, end to end solutions inaddition to catering. A comprehensive newonline catalog launched just days before theshow was also being demonstrated to visitors.Of the many of announcements coming from

the major air framers, one in particular caughtthe attention of many in the catering equipmentand galley world, thrilling some and disappoint-ing others. On the last day of the event it wasmade public that the contract for all line fit galleyand stowage installations on the A320 aircraft hadbeen awarded to Driessen-Zodiac Aerospace. “We are very pleased of Airbus’ choice for

Driessen as a supplier to its most successful air-craft on the current market, the A320 family,”said Paul Verheul, CEO of Driessen-Zodiac Aero-space. “This close partnership with Airbus willimprove the robustness of the supply chain, sup-porting the increase in production rates. Thisfurther strengthens Driessen-Zodiac Aerospace’sunique market position in the single aisle galleyand stowage market.”

The IMS Company is making waves in

the IFE business as the first maker of

seat-centric IFE to begin landing airline

contracts, not to mention a crystal cabin

award for its RAVE embedded system

The Crystal Cabin Award The Crystal Cabin Award is the onlyinternational prize for innovations in the field ofaircraft cabins. A high-caliber judging panelmade up of academics, engineers, specialistjournalists and airline and aircraft manufacturerrepresentatives comes together under theslogan “Let Your Ideas Take Off” to honorinnovative cabin concepts and products.

CATEGORIES 2011 WINNERSEntertainment andCommunication

The IMS Company for itsRAVE embedded IFE System

RECARO Aircraft SeatingGmbH and Co. KG for itsBL3520 Seat

Passenger Comfort RECARO Aircraft SeatingGmbH & Co. for itsSkyCouch on Air NewZealand

Greener Cabin, Healthand Safety

Schüschke Solid Elektro-Metall Export GmbH for itsNon-Touch Waste Flap

Material and Components

Lufthansa Technik for itsGalley Light

University Category Munich University ofApplied Sciences for itsAirgonomic InteriorDesign Concept

Judges CommendationPrize

THALES for its TouchPassenger Media Unit

Industrial Design/Interior Concept


10 | PAX INTerNATIoNAL | May/June 2011

AIX HAMBURG REVIEW

News headlines on Singapore AirlinesPassengers on Singapore Airlines flights equippedwith the Panasonic eX2™system will be getting textnews headlines from Channel NewsAsia.The channel will supply Singapore Airlines with

scrolling headline text covering Asia Pacific, Singa-pore, business, sports and entertainment. AgenceFrance-Presse will handle international reports. This is the first time that Singapore Airlines has

offered a news ticker-style service. It will first be on its777-300ER’s and later on its A340-500, A330 and A380s.

Thales unveils new TopSeries AVANTThe new TopSeries system, now called AVANT, was featured by the company infour stylish seats from B/E, Recaro, Weber and Contour at the Aircraft InteriorsExpo. Inspired by the value seat-centric solutions bring to airlines, Thales andseat manufacturers have redefined the passenger’s environment, making it morefunctional and appealing to the eye. Thales is working closely with Airbus to havethe TopSeries AVANT offerable on all other Airbus platforms. The Thales AVANTembraces the Android™ operating system. Starting with the system’s Avionaward-winning Touch Passenger Media Unit, this hand-held unit also won a 2011Crystal Cabin Award.Thales is simultaneously opening an App Portal that embraces the growing

number of Android based applications. They intend to make it easier for airlinesto review and select capabilities already tested and integrated to the new system.

Transaero points to Lumexisfor its inflight entertainmentLumexis CEO Doug Cline announced at this year’sAircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg that Transaero air-lines has selected Lumexis to supply its inflight enter-tainment for its first class 777 on a 23-inch screen. Lumexis is currently working in co-operation with

the airline flydubai, supplying inflight entertainmentonboard 44 aircraft over the next four years.

German companies make AIX debutFlight Service Products (F.S.P.) GmbH, an internationally operating supplier of spe-cial papers and non-woven products to airlines, the catering trade medical carecompanies exhibited at Aircarft Interiors Expo for the first time in Hamburg. F.S.P. is a medium-sized company combining a wide variety of different tech-

nologies and manufacturing facilities that is best known for its innovative non-slip tray liners, napkins and headrest covers. Bachflower Innovations, another innovative company that made its debut at

this year’s International Travel Catering Association Exhibition in Nice, presentedsome new passenger comfort applications alongside F.S.P. GmbH. Both compa-nies we situated in a dedicated pavilion subsidized by the German governmentto promote growing local companies. Bachflower’s products are 100 percent natural foods or food additives, that the

company says help to give a positive sense of inner peace, joy and serenity.

Browsing at 35,000 feetAIM Aviation and Korean Air showed visitors amockup of what will be the world’s first flying dutyfree shop. It will debut in June with the airline’s firstdelivery of the A380.Eventually, Korean Air will operate the shops on 10

of their aircraft, which will seat 407 passengers. Econ-omy Class will hold 301 passengers, Prestige Class willhold 94 passengers and First Class will hold 12 people.Korean Air plans a selection of cosmetics, fra-

grances and spirits for sale. Bottles are held in the dis-plays with the help of a strong magnet. Passengers willbe able to make their selections and pay at the shop.

Lightweight and more from Sell GmbHSell GmbH brought a new generation of galley insertsto this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo.The new line of ovens, coffee makers, beverage

makers, bun warmers and water boilers are moreergonomic and weight less than its previous genera-tion. They have been made with advanced lockingmechanisms and technical improvements for safety.

Skinny on seatsRecaro’s new economy class seat, the Basic Line 3520has been developed to weigh less than 11 kilogramswhich is 30 percent lighter than its predecessor. TheBasic Line has been made with a seatback pocket thatis higher from the bottom giving passengers a greaterdegree of comfort, even when seat pitch is reduced.The company is also offering the comfort of the

Skycouch that converts three seats into a lie-flat bed.The Skycouch also has an ergonomic footrest that canbe raised to an angle of 60 or 90 degrees.

Mezzo launches the CareSystem TVs at AIXUK-based passenger entertainment service provider Mezzo launched its CareSys-tem Platform at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. The Mezzo CareSystem Plat-form is a range of tablet-style portable TVs that use android touch screen tablettechnology to deliver super-enhanced gaming and a graphical user interface (GUI)that uses all the latest “gesture” commands.The Mezzo CareSystem Platform enables revenue generation solutions for air-

lines, including onboard rental, advertising, pay per view, pay per play, retailingand passenger research. It has been designed to deliver valuable new insightsinto passenger usage and behavior, enabling continuous improvement and opti-mization of the passenger experience and increase in profitability.

Hamburg news in brief



MHA REVIEW

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MHA’s 26th Annual Conference and Trade Showdraws hundreds to Orlando

BY MARYANN SIMSON

On Saturday, April 16th, the 26th annual Marine HotelAssociation (MHA) Conference and Trade Showwrapped up with a swinging Grand Finale sandwichedbetween the emerald green golf links and the expansive

pool area of the luxurious J.W. Marriot Hotel and Resort in Orlando,Florida. Attendees who stayed for this, the last planned social event of

the three-day industry gathering, were treated to a jazz ensemblecomplete with vocals, numerous food and cocktail stations and atop-notch congregation of industry colleagues in the gentle breezeof a beautiful central-Florida evening. Over the three days preceding this Grand Finale, approximately 800

delegates representing every branch of the family-like tree that is theMarine Hotel industry came together to meet, work, dine and discussthe issues that affect them all in various ways. Overall, the goal of theyearly meetings, and furthermore of the Association itself, is toenhance the quality of the cruise experience by providing a forum foropen and ongoing dialogue between cruise lines and suppliers.

“Your participation tells us that you have made the decision to bepart of our event and that you also support the proactive approach,”Peter Tobler, Vice President, Food and Beverage Operations forPrincess Cruises and outgoing MHA President said in a writtenaddress. “You are out there looking for new opportunities or, as thecase may be, deciding to be part of the show to reassure existing cus-tomers or your company’s continued interest and support.”Most attendees got their first impressions of the three-day event

during the outdoor welcome reception held on the evening ofThursday, April 14. The reception went well into the evening andcame after a long day of exhibitor set up for some, or a long day ofgolf for those who had enrolled in the daylong tournament spon-sored annually by MillerCoors. Despite the great weather outdoors and the fun had by all the

night before, 8 a.m. the following morning saw hundreds of dele-gates in the conference area dressed sharply and ready for the day.The conference breakfast, sponsored by J.M Smucker, precededTobler’s official welcome, where he thanked all the conferencesponsors, cruise line members, delegates and exhibitors for theirpatronage. Tobler reminded the gathering of the fundamental prin-ciples upon which the MHA was founded and the importance of“meeting each year as members on equal footing in the pursuit ofan enhanced cruising experience”.Keynote speaker Howard Putnam, Chairman of Intech Aerospace

and former CEO of Southwest Airlines entertained with a lively pres-entation highlighting the value of vision, leadership and service aslearned from his many years with the groundbreaking national carrier.He frequently referenced a novel called Start With Why by a youngmarketing consultant named Simon Sinek, who urges individuals andorganizations to consider the Why (purpose, cause, belief) first, thenestablish the How (guiding principles) and finally turn attention to theWhat (tangible proof, results) as a route to true success. Putnam suggested delegates start with why and to keep things

simple. “Complexity is the enemy of reliability,” he said. He also

Shaun Mitchelitis,

Stephan Czapalay and

Andrew Fisher of

Clearwater Seafoods

pose with a lobster

Leigha Cornett (second from right) and Ron Schroeder (second from

left) smile with some happy winners at the annual golf tournament


breakfast stage. Chef, author, culinary consultant and proud motherJoyce sat opposite her son Evan, President and CEO of Full CircleWine Solutions, in a ‘town hall’ type discussion with cruise indus-try-related questions coming initially from Tobler, then afterwardsfrom the audience. The pair weighed in on creating “taste memo-ries” in the minds of passengers and the validity of the recent “loca-vore” movement that many foodies seem to be embracing, or at

asserted that the leadership development is a cornerstone of goodbusiness, telling the group about Southwest’s policy of hiring forattitude and teaching skills to those individuals with the enthusi-asm necessary to provide the best passenger experience; candidateswho understand the Why.

On the morning of the second day the mother-son team in foodand wine expertise, Joyce and Evan Goldstein, took the conference


MHA REVIEW

Back in the year 2000, a major cruise linecame to its drink ware supplier, WhirleyDrinkWorks, with a problem that needed asmart solution. The cruise line was lookingfor an effective way to stop certain guestsfrom abusing soda refills. People were takingadvantage of self-serve soda programs and itwas affecting bottom lines.

Pete Dorney, an inventor of sorts and salesrepresentative for the company, took up thechallenge and set to work designing amachine that he thought would eventually putthis practice to an end. His idea was to createa self-service machine that intriguedpassengers, saved money for the cruise linesand used cutting edge technology to ensurethat only those guests who had paid for softdrinks were able to pour them.

Four years later, in 2004, the first applicationwas submitted to patent Dorney’s ground-breaking ValidFill Solution. The idea wascomprised of special souvenir mugs embeddedwith RFID (radio frequency identification) tags,a cup programming station and a self-servesoda machine outfitted with RFID tag readers.

“Whirley DrinkWorks actually funded theprototype as a way to expand their offering,”said Greg Edelson, President of ValidFill LLC,a sister company to Whirley DrinkWorkscreated specifically to make and marketValidFill. “In 2004 they filed all the patentwork and then waited for the RFID technologyto progress and for prices to reach a pointthat made the solution economically attractiveto the cruise lines and other potentialcustomers.”

The idea was to have vacationers pay aset amount per day for almost unlimitedaccess to the soda fountain. The fountainwould be able to read the RFID tag in the“validated” cup and dispense the desired

amount of beverage. When the paid timeperiod expired, the cup would no longer workunless the guest brought it to a staff memberand paid the fee to have it re-programmed. Tocontrol sharing, the machine can be alsoprogrammed to not dispense additionalbeverage within a certain time frame of thelast full pour.

In the beginning Dorney had his naysayers.Many experts believed that it was simply notpossible to reliably use RFID tags nearcarbonated beverages, as they are known toalter electrical signals. Dorney and his teamprevailed in the end though, finally workingout the system’s bugs and securing apartnership with soft-drink giant Coca-Cola.

In August 2010, Royal CaribbeanInternational became the first cruise line to testthe ValidFill System. After a positive reactionfrom guests on Freedom of the Seas, RoyalCaribbean tested the system out on Majesty ofthe Seas, which at the time was operating avery different itinerary. The system went overwell with customers and crew,proving that it could be suitablefor all demographics. As a resultof the testing the cruise line hasnow committed to roll out thesolution fleet-wide, a processthat is already underway.

“Guests absolutely preferself-service soft drinks and notto be dependent on a server ora bartender,” Bob Midyette,director of fleet beverage

operations for Royal Caribbean Internationaland Azamara Club Cruises told the CruiseIndustry News. “It is quite simply faster – forthem and for us.”

In addition to helping Royal Caribbeanbolster sales significantly and speed up barservice on the pool deck, Whirley DrinkWorkshas created yet another machine that has cutdown on time and labor in the galley. The RFIDsouvenir mugs that activate the soda fountainnow arrive at the ship pre-sanitized and readyfor sale, thanks to an innovate new UV lighttunnel at the Whirley DrinkWorks factory.Sanitized by lights of varying wavelengths, thecups no longer need to be opened, cleaned,and re-assembled by staff onboard.

Installation is simple, says Edelson, as longas the desired location has water, electricityand the ability to drain to the appropriatewaste area. “After that, launching the programis just an extension of an existing sodaprogram. The freedom to avoid the servicebar leads to exceptional sales growth.”

Shown here is the ValidFill Solution

onboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of

the Seas. The concept has come a long

way from inception and now features a

monitor that can be used for advertising

or other promotional media

Soda solution sets sail

Keynote speaker Howard Putnam, Chairman of Intech

Aerospace and former CEO of Southwest Airlines

entertained with a lively presentation highlighting the

value of vision, leadership and service



MHA REVIEW

very least attempting to. “Locavore is the latest and hottest,” Joyce Goldstein, who can-

not go a day without her imported coffee, told the group. “It’swhere people try to consume foods produced within 100 miles ofwhere they live. In theory it’s terrific but in reality you cannot be alocavore, you have to draw a line.”

On the topic of food and wine pairing, Evan Goldstein suggestedthat wine and food, like love, are blind. “The wine doesn’t knowwhere the food came from and the food doesn’t care where the winecame from,” he said. His mother added that not every meal needs tobe a formal occasion; that good food comes in many forms, as evi-denced by the popularity of street food vendors in many large cities.Other topics the duo shed light on included smaller portion sizes withmore vegetables, reducing obesity-causing sugars and starches, reduc-ing sodium, the popularity of open kitchens that connect patrons tothe person preparing their meal. Finally, the pair talked about howcruise lines can save money in their wine programs by offering aneclectic mix of wines by the bottle, or by looking into keg wine.

On the tradeshow floor, first time exhibitors and new membersshowed next to veteran supporters, and the cruise line buyers tooktheir time visiting as many of the more than 200 booths filled withsweet and savory foods, service ware, linens, cleaning products andexotics wines and liquors as possible. While enthusiasm could befound everywhere, rising prices of food and oil were on the mindsof all attendees. If the coming months see no change, or furtherincreases in prices, they are sure to present hardships to the cruiseindustry and others that are closely connected.

It is part of the natural business cycle,” commented GregMatthews of Stefco Industries, a Cellynne Holdings Company andleading provider of papers to the cruise line industry with cus-tomers that include Royal Caribbean International, CelebrityCruises and Carnival Cruises, among others. “Although,commodities/raw materials for all types of business areat or near historic highs.”

Matthews went on to say that despitethis discouraging trend, this year’s show(which has been highlight of the com-pany’s trade show schedule for closeto 10 years) was particularly benefi-cial to him thanks to the atten-dance of “most, if not all thedecision makers” thathe wanted to see.

Jumbo shrimp being prepared at the welcome reception

On the evening of April 15th, ticket-holding attendees were bused to an aviation

museum for a Casablanca themed cocktail and gala dinner complete with a

collection of antique aircraft and actors playing various characters from the film

Boasting a relationship with MHA spanning a quarter century andmore than 20 appearances as an exhibitor at the annual trade showwas WESSCO International, an amenities and hotel product supplierfamiliar to many in the flight services industry. In additional to a well-developed list of airline clientele, WESSCO also provides goods tomany cruise lines including, but not limited to, the Carnival Corpo-ration, Disney, Crystal Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Silversea.

In a post-show interview Jennifer Green, Sales Account Manager,Cruise Lines, Hotels and Resorts for WESSCO told PAX Internationalthat MHA provides an unmatched opportunity to really connectwith cruise lines in an environment conducive to open dialogue.“MHA is a great opportunity for suppliers to have a chance to meetface to face and speak with respective buyers and decision makersin a non-formal setting to better understand cruise line needs. MHAis also a great way to showcase new and innovative products to themasses and get immediate feedback. We had a great turnout at ourbooth and were able to meet new contacts as well as catch up withour day-to-day contacts. We feel hopeful that many new proj-ects/bids will arise from this year’s show.”

Unlike Matthews at Stefco Industries who cited commodityprices a primary challenge, Green claims that one of WESSCO’s cur-rent tasks is trying to encourage customers to incorporate new andinnovative products and ideas into tight budgets.

“We were able to discuss some of these issues and learned wemust not give up. If we have an innovative idea/product that weknow is a great fit for the cruise industry, just keep presenting. Some-times approval for such can be a very long process.”

Many exhibitors came prepared to show cruise line just howinnovative they could be, highlighting products and services meantto increase logistical efficiency and cost savings such as an RFIDequipped self-serve soda-dispenser (see sidebar) that uses speciallychipped plastic cups and portion control, to IT systems for effectivepassenger and crew handling.

Suppliers of high-end products like hollowware, caviar and finewines showed concern over rising oil and food prices, but only min-imally so. They, like the industry itself and the MHA have weath-ered the markets ups and downs and have prevailed throughteamwork and communication in the end.


A mixed bag

On April 1, six agencies workingwith the United Nations ruled thatdespite problems with Japan’sFukushima Diachi nuclear power

plant, airline passengers entering the countryneed not be screened for radiation or issueda joint statement that the country’s airportsare safe for travelers and transport workers.

For Japan, the statement was anothersmall step on the long road back to nor-malcy. But the events from the sad days ofthe early March earthquake and tsunamiwere being felt around the world. Add tothat the turbulence in the Middle East, andfluctuations in oil prices and something of amurky picture has emerged as the airlineindustry heads into its most important travelseason of the year.

It’s the task of the International Air Trans-port Association (IATA) to watch the impor-tant and tragic events in the world andpragmatically weigh their affects on the 230airline members. In March, when the organ-ization issued its latest international trafficresults, events in Japan and the Middle Eastand North Africa were cited as the maincontributors for the sharp decrease in airtravel for the month.

“The profile of the recovery in air transportsharply decelerated in March,” said GiovanniBisignani, Director General and CEO of IATA.“The global industry lost 2 percentage pointsof demand as a result of the earthquake andtsunami in Japan and the political unrest inthe Middle East and North Africa.”

The countries that were at the fulcrum ofrecent unrest naturally experienced thegreatest impact on air travel. Egypt andTunisia experienced traffic levels of 10 to 25percent below normal for the month. InLibya, military activity has civil aviation ina literal shutdown.

Even though events around the worldhave had their negative affects on the indus-try, signs of stability are found in the state-ments of IATA and the outlook of a few ofthe companies that supply products andservices to the airlines.

IATA still looks across the worldeconomies and sees positive trends in theunderlying growth. A better economic out-look has seen business confidence and cor-porate profits hold the promise of increasedinternational trade and investment. In IATA’s

Industry Financial Forecast, issued inMarch, the group projected that businesstravel could remain strong through the restof this year, “albeit at a slower pace than thepost-recession rebound of 2010.

“As long as the major economies remainstrong, this growth could be profitable,though less profitable than 2010, despite oilprices remaining close to US$100 a barrel.”

Oil prices were again on the minds ofIATA industry watchers two months later asthey headed into the group’s annual generalmeeting set for June 5-7 in Singapore.

“The big uncertainty is the prices of oil,”said Bisignani. “Even in the $120 per barrelrange, it appears that strong economic growthin markets outside of Europe is continuing.We see this in the strong demand from busi-ness for premium travel, which maintained7.7 percent growth through February. Butmany leisure travelers are putting off flyingbecause of the impact of high oil prices.”

The continuing affects of high-priced oil(though the price per barrel took a consid-erable drop, below $100 in early May) have

already caused IATA to predict that this yearwill be significantly less profitable than theprevious year. Profits for member airlinesare now on track to only reach US$8.6 bil-lion in 2011, a 46 percent decrease from the$16 billion in 2010, when the industry sig-nificantly rebounded from the worldwidefinancial downturn.

IATA expects 2011 oil prices to averageapproximately US$98 per barrel for BrentCrude, which is up from USD$84 per barrelin 2010. This could bring the industry fuelbill to US$166 billion for this year.

“Compared to levels in 2010, oil prices arenow expected to be 20 percent higher in2011. Fuel is now estimated to represent 29percent of total operating costs, up from 26percent in 2010.”

The high oil prices have put airline cater-ers in the familiar position of having to workwithin tight cost structures provided by theairlines.

“With rising fuel prices, we must workmore closely than ever with our customersto control costs, while maintaining quality,”

INDUSTRY REPORT

BY RICK LUNDSTROM

World events have historically shaped the economic picture for air travel, and thisyear is no different as the industry heads into the busy summer travel season


Airline foodspending seeingslight uptickAirlines in the United States have,in the past few years, spentapproximately US$2 billion peryear on food; and this year couldend with an incrementally greateruptick than in recent years.

The U.S. Bureau ofTransportation Statistics had notyet completed its yearly tally ofairline operating numbers for 2010at press time. But figures for thefirst three quarters of last yearshow modest spending increasesthroughout last year. During thefirst three quarters of 2010, airlinesin the United States spent a totalof $1.49 billion on passenger food,according to the BTS.


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INDUSTRY REPORT

said Nicolas Rondeau Flying Food GroupExecutive Vice President of Airline Sales. The Chicago-based Flying Food Group

stands to gain from any increase in premiumand international travel. From its 17 units inthe United States, the company has estab-lished itself as one of the suppliers of choicefor products on competitive internationalroutes. “Strong load factors and increased com-

petition for passenger business are driving atrend towards premium products andupgrades,” Rondeau says. “The net result isthat we are partnering with customers forcreative, innovative premium products atcompetitive prices.” Among the innovative programs recently

cited by Flying Food Group is the company’swork on the West Coast with British Airways.Starting June 1, Flying Food Group will

cater British Airways’ daily 747-400 flightsbetween San Diego and London Heathrow,by transporting meals from its kitchen atLos Angeles International Airport with spe-cially equipped trucks. In an earlier announcement of the pro-

gram, Rondeau noted that “Servicing ourcustomers at smaller airports by utilizingFFG kitchens at larger, nearby airports is asuccessful new model.”

World events and the price of oil werebeing closely across the ocean at gategroup’sheadquarters in Zurich. Andrew Gibson,Interim CEO at gategroup, said that the priceof oil has had a near-term effect on the costof raw materials for the company. The com-pany is also affected by fluctuations in thecurrency markets. The Swiss franc has been“extremely strong” at present. “Having said that, flight and passenger

volumes continue to increase in conjunc-tion with the general global economic recov-ery,” said Gibson. “Like the airline industry,our strongest quarters traditionally are dur-ing the summer travel months and it wouldbe premature to forecast how the rest of theyear will unfold.“At this time, we have not seen any sig-

nificant shifts among our customers fornear-term seat capacity plans or cabin serv-ice. Our growth strategy remains in place,and as a company we continue to steadilyexecute against it.”In Asia, SATS is dealing with the twin

problems of higher fuel prices and theresulting inflation. Tan Chuan Lye, ExecutiveVice President, Food Solutions of SATS tellsPAX International that the company’s fullservice carrier customers are adjusting somemenu specifications.

“Premium carriers continue to placeemphasis on their inflight services and manyare still keeping their premium class menus,with little change in their budgets,” he said.SATS continues to manage its costs dili-

gently. Tan said the gateways service andfood solutions provider has been able toleverage its base volume to obtain betterpricing for raw materials. Chefs have beencalled on to help our customers plan anddesign a wider range of ethnic cuisines thatare most cost-effective and yet appeal to thepalates of their discerning passengers. “We are cautiously optimistic that meal

volumes will increase during the summertravel season,” Tan said.SATS ended the recent fiscal year with a

gross meal production of 25.06 million, a 6.8percent increase, which prompted the Singa-pore company point to “the continued recov-ery of the aviation industry.”Unit meals, which represent the work-

load handled by catering staff increase 6.7percent on the year at 19.78 million. For thefourth quarter of the year, which ended inMarch, gross meal production increased 4.9percent at 6.27 million and unit meal pro-duction climbed 5.2 percent to 4.95 million.Passengers handled by SATS increased

7.2 percent on the year to 35.38 million.

Passenger Food Spending U.S. Airlines

Billions of Year U.S Dollars2005 2.0052006 1.9342007 2.0062008 2.0382009 1.933Source U.S. Bureauof Transportation Statistics



RAIL SERVICE

“We haveimproved our businessmarket sharesubstantially,and createdwhat I think is a uniqueproduct in the train industry”Arnaud Masson, Eurostar’s Head ofOnboard Services

The high-speed railline has revamped its Business PremierService with the helpof a Michelin Starchef, service changesand technologicalimprovements as itcontinues to write a new history in train travel

BY RICK LUNDSTROM

urostar’s appointment of a Michelin-starred chef todevelop a range of new menu items for its improvedBusiness Premier Service was out of more than just adesire to add a big name and a new selection of fine

food to the rail line’s service; it was also designed to bring homean image of train travel that crosses important borders.

The rail line announced in April that is has selected Chef AlainRoux to develop a line of menu items for business travel productthat appeals to passengers seeking flexibility and speed as much asa good meal. Arnaud Masson, Eurostar’s Head of Onboard Servicesalso sees the selection the French chef as its culinary ambassadoras an important step to link its destinations culturally and build ona growing share in the short haul travel market.

“We have improved our business market share substantially,and created what I think is a unique product in the train industry,”

Masson tells PAX International. Roux was a perfect fit for the Business Premier service, says

Masson. The chef comes from well-known culinary familyfrom France. What’s more, Masson said Roux has also forgeda successful career in London, now patron of the renownedWaterside Inn in Berkshire. Increasingly, Masson said thatFrench-trained chefs are seeking out the British capitallocated three hours by high-speed train from Paris.

“Fifteen to twenty years ago, it was not uncommonfor a French person in Paris to consider British food notvery tasty,” said Masson. “Actually, now London hasbecome — over 20 years -— a world center for chefs andgastronomy and we hope we played a little role in that.”

In addition to providing Eurostar with a bankablename in its two most important cities of service, Rouxalso provides a wealth of talent, recognizable to an impor-tant business passenger demographic. Business Premierhad its own premier in September of 2005 as a productthat offered flexibility, easy processing and shorter waitsat the station for the executive travelers between the Euro-pean capitals. Immediately, it began competing head tohead with the airlines for short haul service. It providedrelief from crowded airports and a more leisurely journey.

This is the second time Eurostar has mined the talentof a local chef for its Business Premier service. Last year,


Business class, outward travel buoy eurostar in 2010Eurostar carried 9.5 million passengers in 2010, giving the railline further evidence that it has established itself as a preferredalternative to short-haul air travel. Overall, passenger numbers were up 3 percent compared

to 2009. Sales revenue for 2010 jumped from £675.5 million(US$1.1 billion) to £790 million (US$1.3 billion), a 12 percentincrease from the previous year. “During the year, the business market has performed well,

reflecting the bounce-back in business activity first reported inthe second quarter,” said a release earlier this year fromEurostar. “This shows recognition among business travelers ofthe ease, speed and comfort of high speed rail travel and theproductive working time whilst in transit.”The rail line has also learned a few more things about the

traveler base. An increasing number of passengers are optingfor rail travel beyond Eurostar stops in Paris and Brussels.Once arriving at the main stations, many are again boardingtrains to the Netherlands, Germany and the south of France.Part of the reason, is the transformational year for Eurostar,

as it formed a partnership with the rail lines SNCF, LCR andSNCB “to a single unified corporate entity.” Eurostar is also inthe midst of a £700 million capital investment this year, whichwill include an overhaul and redesign of its existing fleet as wellas the purchase of 10 new trains. The e320s will extend thereach of the Eurostar line’s city center routes to London-Parisand London-Brussels. “With the expansion of new routes and services we are

witnessing a real renaissance in rail travel,” commented NicolasPetrovic, Chief Executive at Eurostar, in the yearendannouncement of revenue and travel. “The combination of shorterjourney times and environmental concerns are prompting moreand more customers to choose high speed rail over a plane.”The new e320s on order will carry more than 900 passengers

at up to 320 kilometers per hour, giving the line access to severalcities, including Amsterdam, Cologne, Lyon and Marseille.

Standard Premier

service on Eurostarpassengers enjoyed a selection of menu items designed by GrahamGarrett from The West House restaurant in Kent. But the most recentselection represents a more comprehensive commitment to the chefpartnership. “We have the knowledge and the expertise on how to produce

delicious meals for an on-rail environment and Alain Roux’s culi-nary expertise has helped us to refine this and give flair and finesseto our dishes,” said Masson. Each year, Eurostar develops a summer and winter menu with

six rotations. Meal selections are changed every week and up to fivedifferent meal selections per day could be offered. This creates aninventory of up to 200 different dishes in addition to the specialmeals that can be requested from 24 to 36 hours in advance. But the perks for business travelers do not stop with food in the

revamped Business Premier service. The day Masson spoke withPAX International, Eurostar announced a “guaranteed boarding” pro-gram for the Business Premier customers. Under the new plan, Busi-ness Premier passengers will be offered access to the train of theirchoice regardless of their reservation. The option is available atEurostar stations on the same day of travel. In addition, Business Pre-mier passengers have access to the trains’ dedicated lounges at St.Pancras in London and Gare du Nord station in Paris. Lounge spacewill soon double in Brussels with the remodeling of the Midi station. For Eurostar, the new feature gives flexibility to business travel-

ers who are running late or have a change in plans. “Our newBoarding Guarantee is part of a range of improvements and invest-ments in our Business Premier class in 2011,” said Nick Mercer,Commercial Director at Eurostar. “Which will help to ensure itremains a benchmark for short haul travel.”Other changes will be technological. Starting this summer,

Eurostar plans to launch mobile apps for iPhone and Android users.With the features, business travelers will be able book tickets whileon the move and secure taxis while on board the Eurostar trains. Business Premier sections on Eurostar trains hold between 24 and

39 people depending on which carriage is in service. It is one of threeclasses of service offered by the rail line, the others being StandardPremier and Standard Class. For its onboard service product for allclasses it looks to U.K. based Momentum Services, a joint venturesubsidiary of the Italian rail catering company Cremonini S.p.A. andSSP Financing UK, Ltd. Momentum Services has selected food serv-ice suppliers at the three cities Eurostar serves. In London, Eurostaris supplied by Jeanie Marshall Foods and Fresh Organic. In Francethe rail line uses OAT and Festins de Bourgogne. In Brussels GrainsNoir supplies products. Sourcing locally has become an importantrequirement, as Eurostar works with its suppliers, said Masson. “A wide range of on-board food is now sourced from the coun-

try of departure, with some organically sourced as well,” says Mas-son. “All tea, coffee and sugar is certified organic, Fairtrade andRainforest Alliance.”Eurostar’s environmental commitment goes back to its Tread

Lightly initiative launched in 2007. In addition to sourcing moreproducts locally, Eurostar is expanding its recycling, reducing theuse of materials and supplies and has plans to cut its carbon diox-ide emissions 25 percent per travel journey by 2012.So far this year travel volumes have been high, says Masson. As

Eurostar prepares for busy summer travel season its role is againevolving as it finds itself a part of a more integrated European net-work of rail travel and a passenger base that enjoys the comfort andconvenience of city-center-to-city-center travel.“They actually appreciate the comfort of traveling by train,” says

Aude Criqui, a spokesperson for Eurostar. “They really see the trainjourney as the beginning of the holiday.”



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only available in travel retail channels.

Available in milk and dark pralines with

hazelnut or almond cream, they are

individually wrapped and come in 190

gram (17 chocolates) or 510 gram

(45 chocolates) boxes. They are ideal

as an affordable gift and a great

product for in-flight sales.

All-natural ice creamCompany Name: Purbeck Ice Cream

Company Location: Dorset

Description: Purbeck Ice Cream

presents new flavors for

2011 such as tiramisu,

banofee ripple (a delicious

combination of banana ice

cream and toffee) and joe’s

cider sorbet. All Purbeck ice

cream products are produced

on the Dorset farm with local

fresh milk, thick double cream

and natural ingredients. The

ice cream is gluten-free, nut-

free and doesn’t contain eggs.

Delicious meaty snackCompany Name: Vermont Smoke

& Cure, GoPicnic

Company Location: Chicago, Illinois

Description: Vermont Smoke & Cure,

brought to the travel catering industry

by GoPicnic, offers high-quality tasty

meat snacks for passengers. The all-

natural beef and pork sticks are offered

in BBQ flavour and Cracked Pepper

(100 percent beef) and contain no

preservatives. They are antibiotic-free

and shelf-stable and great for a la carte

programs. The meaty snacks are available

in full size or mini 0.5 ounce stick for snack

boxes or first class snack programs.

18 | PAX INTerNATIoNAl | May/June 2011

Spill proof drinkwareCompany Name: Nautspill Drinkware

Company Location: Spit Junction,

Australia

Description: Nautspill Drinkware

provides a stylish solution for

drink spillage due to turbulence or

hazardous conditions during flights.

The line of drinkware has a support

on the glass base to prevent tipping

and a baffle insert to avoid spillage

from knocks, movements and

bumps. Available in a wine glass,

champagne flute, tumbler and hot

drink cup, the drinkware is made from

polycarbonate and melamine and is

dishwasher safe.


Your onboard service partner for over 30 years

[email protected]: +1(310) 477-4272F: +1(310) 477-7910

www.wessco.net

For over 30 years, WESSCO has specialized in supplying a wide range of products for our airline customers worldwide. From amenities, to passenger comfort, to food & beverage service ware, we design and deliver the items you need to provide an exceptional experience for your passengers.

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PAX MayJune2011 - WESSCO ad.pdf 5/16/11 10:21:21 PM

PAX May/June 2011 VOL 15. NO. 3

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