HIGHER HOSPITALITY READY-FOR-TAKEOFF TRENDS FROM AIRLINES, AMENITY KIT SUPPLIERS AND CATERING COMPANIES
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Adaptive Learning
The month of September traditionally marks the end of summer vacation and the beginning of a new school year. Twin that with the fact that Boston, this year’s location for the IFSA and APEX expos, is renowned for its numerous colleges, and you’ll see why this edition of Higher Hospitality is focusing on education. They say it’s never too late to learn, after all! Indeed, the mission of the International Flight Services Association (IFSA) is to lead, develop and represent the global business interests of the onboard service industry. That’s why we’ve included a detailed look at what the association is currently doing to address concerns around food labeling regulations in the United States. We’ve also included a piece on amenity kits that showcase stories about American heritage and culture, and added the “IFSA Recommends” section to highlight resources for further learning about our industry. It’s sharing these stories and insights that allows us all to grow and learn together with a view to providing the seamless passenger experience air travelers are telling us they want.
As an international organization, IFSA is dedicated to providing a global forum to research, develop and communicate information to members, the industry and the public. Knowledge-sharing and continued education is key to a thriving industry, and through IFSA’s diligent Government Affairs and Education Committee, we have been able to serve as a hub for thought leadership and learning. Through tools such as our World Food Safety Guidelines, which services the onboard service supply chain, coupled with our efforts to advocate for the industry and provide representation before regulatory entities, IFSA along with other industry groups, has enabled a constant dialogue of new and creative solutions to issues we face, allowing for continued growth among members and their companies. Coordination and collaboration of this nature means greater efficiency and results for the entire industry. This edition of Higher Hospitality will delve into the importance of collaboration and education, while also discussing food labeling, upcoming trends, all-American favorites, and useful resources.
Best regards,
Best regards,
Stephanie Taylor Contributor and Special Projects Manager APEX Media
Paul Platamone IFSA President Harvey Alpert & Company
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American Stories
Whether you’re headed to Florida for Disney World, Wyoming for Yellowstone National Park, or Boston for the APEX and IFSA expos, these in-flight products with their own American story are sure to hit home – especially with US-bound travelers.
But First, Tacos The breakfast tacos on United Airlines’ Choice Menu took over a year to develop and involved the input of more than 800 customers and flight attendants to determine the final ingredient combo – egg and chicken chorizo. Extensive in-flight testing was performed to ensure the tacos don’t fall apart during boarding and consumption: A special holder cradles the tacos, which are enclosed in an oven-safe paper packaging created and branded specifically for the product. “These handheld favorites with a breakfast twist were also called out as one of the top food trends for 2018, and our desire was to incorporate unique, trendy new offerings that also had a wide appeal for our customers,” says Rob Bradford, managing director, Global Product Design and Delivery.
HAVE FOOD WILL TRAVEL
Texas-Mexican, or Tex-Mex, cuisine began in the Rio Grande Valley, but flourished in San Antonio, where Hispanic women known as “chili queens” set up shop and served chili con carne. The popularity of the stew was followed by other Tex-Mex favorites from 1970 onward, including tortillas, nachos, fajitas, frozen margaritas and breakfast tacos.
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UNITED’S BREAKFAST TACOS: Scrambled eggs, chicken chorizo, Monterey Jack and Swiss American cheeses, charred chipotle salsa and chives, served on corn-and-flour tortillas.
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Famous Faces and Places These amenity kits are a hat tip to famous names in America’s cultural history.
American Airlines X Cole Haan Buzz Products Cole Haan and C.O. Bigelow are well-known American brands with international appeal – that’s why they were selected for American Airlines (AA) amenity kits. “We find our customers value an American story,” says Alexa Maher, manager, Customer Experience Product. AA has also partnered with sleep products company Casper on soft goods for its premium cabins. “It’s a good indicator of AA’s direction in future brand collaborations – we want to introduce customers to new brands in thoughtful ways,” Maher says.
BORN IN THE USA
Cole Haan was founded in Chicago in 1928 and garnered a following for its footwear. Over the years, the company expanded its product line to include handbags, sunglasses and other accessories. C.O. Bigelow was founded by a Vermont physician in New York City in 1838. From the 1950s to the ’80s, a soda fountain installed in the 102 Sixth Ave. shop drew a crowd of creatives, including the New York Dolls, the Belushis, the cast of SNL and others.
JetBlue X Hayward and Hopper Clip On Board JetBlue’s latest amenity kits for Mint cabin passengers tell the story of American cultural icons Brooke Hayward and Dennis Hopper, and are the airline’s fourth collaboration with the Hayward and Hopper brands. The bags sport collages daughter Marin Hopper created from her father’s photo archives: Catch a glimpse of Jane Fonda on a Malibu beach juxtaposed with the LA freeway – images Hopper appropriated from a vintage billboard and that Hayward transformed into bathroom wallpaper – and a snapshot of the couple’s Hollywood Hills home. By covering the kit in this mix of quintessentially
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American characters and landscapes, travelers are at once offered a storied keepsake and a utilitarian treat. HOLLYWOOD SCENESTERS
Brooke Hayward was renowned for her taste, style, brains and beauty. Married for eight years to actor, director and photographer Dennis Hopper, whose life and work came to represent 1960s counterculture, the couple epitomized the modern American luxury lifestyle. The Hayward and Hopper brands embody a distinctly American spirit and complement one another: They are flip sides of the same coin.
( IFSA RECOMMENDS )
À La Carte
A selection of resources from across the industry that is sure to engage, inspire and entertain.
READ
Jetliner Cabins: Evolution and Innovation Jennifer Coutts Clay provides a comprehensive survey of the aircraft cabin environment from the 1970s onward, with insights from more than 50 international airline-industry experts. Read about in-flight food and drink menus in chapter six, customer touchpoints in chapter seven and more in the interactive e-book app based on the book. jetlinercabins.com
LISTEN
Jennifer says: “When I fly, I’m always looking at the finer details on board … I think the most important requirement for a good trip is a warm personal welcome from the flight attendants: It’s this memory that lives on after you travel.”
READ
Betty in the Sky With a Suitcase
Soar: How the Best Airline Brands Delight Customers and Inspire Employees
Follow Betty Thesky around the world as she recalls funny stories about pilots, ground crew, passengers and fellow flight attendants in her monthly podcast. Beware, some of her tales aren’t for the faint-hearted! bettyinthesky.net
Why did Turkish Airlines turn its focus from in-flight shopping to food? How does AirAsia increase buy-onboard sales? These are just some of the questions Shashank Nigam, founder and CEO of SimpliFlying, answers in his book. simpliflying.com/soar
Betty says: “On a recent flight, a man’s sole fell off his shoe. His irate daughter wanted to know what we were going to do about it. I guess that day we weren’t boarded with our shoe repair kit.”
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Shashank says: “I recall flying with kulula to Cape Town once and the captain had to circle a bit longer than usual. Upon landing, he announced, ‘Sorry for the delay. Welcome to Zimbabwe!’ We all laughed, since the airline only flies domestically. That was not a one off for kulula. Successful airlines have six factors that I explore in-depth in Soar.”
( IFSA RECOMMENDS )
LEARN
Reimagining the Passenger Experience: The Importance of Building a Customer-Centric Strategy
LEARN
IFSA World Food Safety Guidelines, 4th Edition The IFSA Government Affairs and Education Committee updates its guidelines every few years to reflect ongoing changes within the airline catering industry. It monitors industry positions on new food and beverage labeling regulations, preclearance, food contact materials, ramp safety, special meal codes and halal guidelines. ifsa.aero/world_guidelines
“With on-demand companies like Uber, Blue Apron and Netflix raising the bar for consumers, passenger expectations have dramatically increased,“ says Stephen Freibrun, principal at aviation consulting company ICF. In this white paper, the authors explain why, when designing any facet of the consumer experience, it’s important to see the journey through the passenger’s eyes. icf.com
“
The only comprehensive survey of the aircraft cabin environment from the 1970s to the present day. Airliner World
JETLINERCABINS:Evolution & Innovation E-BOOK APP by Jennifer Coutts Clay Available on Amazon, Apple iTunes®, and Google Play™
More information available on www.jetlinercabins.com
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Higher Education
September is back-to-school season, so it’s time to look at the ways the in-flight services industry is doing its part for education, whether it’s for younger passengers, cabin crew or students.
IFSA offers a range of scholarships to outstanding applicants with a wide variety of interests thanks to financial support from companies such as LSG Group, which has been participating in IFSA’s scholarship program for over 15 years. Dirk Kleer, director of Sales and Services, North America, LSG Group, and member of IFSA’s board of directors, says the company has employed some of the recipients, but adds, “Developing talent to ensure the industry continues to grow, whether it is with our company or another organization, is a benefit to our industry as a whole.”
Environmental Education
To educate passengers on the toxic impact some sunscreens are having on Hawaii’s coral reefs, during April, Hawaiian Airlines cabin crew offered passengers traveling between North America and Hawaii complimentary samples of Raw Elements’ Eco Formula sunscreen – and full-size
bottles at a discounted rate. “This was our first time offering sunscreen in flight,” says Renee Awana, managing director of Product Development at Hawaiian Airlines. “We were thrilled with the positive response we received from both guests and employees, and look forward to more opportunities to promote sustainability in Hawaii.” In conjunction with the program, passengers were also able to delve further into the issue by watching an educational video, Reefs at Risk, on the in-flight entertainment system.
FUN FACT
Since its inception, IFSA had awarded over $825,000 across a total of 167 scholarships. Thirtyfour scholarships were awarded last year, nine of which were new. To find out more about IFSA’s scholarship opportunities, head to ifsa.aero.
Making the Grade This year marks the third OMG! Conference, Training and Awards event held by Alpha LSG for Thomas Cook Airlines cabin crew. The event includes seminars and workshops on how to achieve better sales performance,
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and rewards outstanding achievements across eight categories. The initiative is clearly working: This year, Thomas Cook Airlines achieved record-breaking in-flight retail sales results for the second consecutive year.
PHOTOS: BUZZ PRODUCTS, QATAR AIRWAYS, HAWAIIAN AIRLINES, FLATICON
Sharing Is Caring
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Creature Comforts Saudia’s Creature Crew kits, designed by Buzz Products, help kids learn more about the various people involved in their journey, like cabin crew, pilots and ground staff. Each kit includes a satchel with a surprise in the front zip pocket, a drawstring bag, playing cards, a headband guessing game, a drink bottle, branded earbuds and color pencils. Miranda Hill, kids expert at Buzz Products, says, “Through their journey, kids are engaging with the world around them, experiencing new sights and having new adventures. Buzz
believes the ideal kids amenity kit should do three things: engage and educate, provide comfort and relaxation, and entertain and help pass the time on long-haul flights.”
KITS IN CHARACTER Creature Crew is a brand designed specifically for Saudia. The kits are available in four different characters, with different versions for short- and long-haul routes.
Unwavering Loyalty Qatar Airways is hoping to build loyalty in its next generation of passengers. Alongside its Oryx Kids Club onboard program, the carrier is also introducing the Oryx Kids Loyalty Programme, aimed at its youngest guests. Children aged two to 11 will be able to earn Qmiles as per the tier of their associated adult member, which can be redeemed for attractive rewards. They
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will also be eligible to earn Qpoints (75 percent of the associated adult member Qpoints chart) across the Explorer (entry) tier and Jetsetter (higher) tier. Importantly, Qatar points out that it’s the associated adult member’s responsibility to manage usage activities, including reward tickets, reward upgrades and shopping at Qatar Duty Free.
( COMMUNIT Y )
IFSA Asks
Members share their thoughts on how to cater to emerging food and service trends.
“We will see airlines experiment fearlessly with new designs and service concepts. All elements of the journey will be carefully studied and mapped out to assure comfort, ease and satisfaction. As an industry, we need to embrace this change with open arms.” MANOJ PRIDHANANI, CREATIVE MANAGER, KAELIS GROUP
“We’re witnessing a major shift in retail distribution channels. This coincides with the rise of millennial brands that favor going direct-to-consumer. To keep up with the times, the industry will definitely need to rethink how to select and assess brand programs.” PETROS SAKKIS, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, WESSCO INTERNATIONAL
“We feel sustainability and eco-awareness will continue to become an expectation when developing new products. We are already offering sustainable/ recycled textiles and options for plastic-free packaging, but this needs to be reflected in all areas of the supply chain and service to try and help ‘close the loop.’”
?
What major shift will come to the in-flight services industry and how will you prepare for it?
JOANNA SHIPP, DESIGN MANAGER, JOHN HORSFALL
“It’s easy to forget the North American airline catering industry was devastated with the removal of most complimentary food offerings following 9/11. While a full restoration of pre-9/11 service levels is unlikely, a steady reintroduction of food offerings is reshaping our outdated business model. Investment must be made toward current and future infrastructure so stakeholders can continually improve on the passenger experience. APEX and IFSA strive to push this agenda and be this intersection for this activity.” PAUL PLATAMONE, IFSA PRESIDENT HARVEY ALPERT & COMPANY
“Millennial and Gen Z travelers are influencing what’s being served in flight. They’re demanding more natural and organic foods, more fresh and healthy meals. We are seeing increasing requests for dairyfree meals, which includes vegan and vegetarian choices. Our culinary team is focusing on revolutionizing our menus to provide a wider selection for the expanding variety of passengers we serve.” SAMUEL LEVY, HEAD OF SALES, BORENSTEIN CATERERS
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( REGUL ATIONS )
Food Labels for Thought
In February 2018, the International Flight Services Association (IFSA) responded to a request for information from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in relation to products regulated by the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN). The aim was to identify regulations that could be modified, repealed or replaced while still allowing the FDA to achieve its public health mission and fulfill statutory obligations. Current FDA regulations require that packaged food served by airlines has to meet the same labeling requirements as packaged food sold in retail stores – that the container include a statement of identity, ingredient list, net contents statement, manufacturer or distributor name, placeof-business statement and allergen statement. These requirements are in place so that consumers can make informed decisions about their diet. IFSA wholly supports this mission, but notes that when it comes to
the unique context of airline food service, passengers often make a choice without seeing the product first, since they typically wouldn’t review the package until they have purchased and received it from the flight attendant. For this reason, the association believes the current framework imposes significant costs on airlines
IFSA estimates airlines and catering companies spend nearly $137 million on preparing, printing and affixing labels for each food item served on flights originating from the US alone.
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and airline caterers with no public health or consumer protection benefit. Robin Padgett, divisional senior vice-president, International Catering, dnata, sums up IFSA’s position when he says, “It is in the traveling public’s best interest that this information is provided. Ensuring the information is provided in a way that delivers value is what needs to be addressed.” When it comes to costs, IFSA estimates that each year, airlines and catering companies spend nearly $137 million on preparing, printing and affixing individual labels for each food item served on flights originating from the US alone. These costs could be a result of the fact that sometimes more than one company is involved in preparing and packaging an airline’s food, meaning the labeling process is fragmented and therefore less efficient. For example, Jody Jones, vicepresident, Operations and Business Development, DFMi, comments, “The suppliers provide all the information
ILLUSTRATION: ANGÉLICA GEISSE
IFSA maintains an open dialogue with relevant regulatory and legislative bodies worldwide to represent members’ interests. At the moment, the association is focusing its energies on food labeling, which has proven to be a great source of cost and anxiety for the airline industry.
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Cheese
Currently, labeling practices for packaged food sold in retail stores also apply to packaged airline food.
required. Then, the caterers or packaging companies that pack the items create printed boxes or labels that include the required information.” Nicole Blackshear, IFSA’s general manager, further explains the unique challenges faced by the airline industry: “Compared to food products sold in retail stores, food served on airlines is prepared in relatively small quantities and packaged in a range of containers and coverings, some of which are much less practical to label than others.” “Because airline food product offerings are changed
“Ensuring the information is provided in a way that delivers value is what needs to be addressed.” ROBIN PADGETT, DNATA
as frequently as on a monthly basis, it’s significantly more cost-efficient for airline caterers to use the same packaging for
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multiple varieties of food rather than developing and purchasing separate packaging specific to each food product they prepare.” So, what happens now? IFSA’s government affairs experts from member companies plan to meet with the FDA and CFSAN. “IFSA fully supports the FDA’s goals to ensure the consumers have the information they need to make informed choices, and we will work collaboratively to determine the best way to achieve them given the unique challenges presented by this industry,” Blackshear says.
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