Cathay Pacific is Best Inflight Retailer again

BY A CORRESPONDENT
May 30, 2006

Cathay Pacific Airways has – for the second consecutive year– been named the “Best Inflight Travel Retailer in Asia Pacific” by travel retail publisher Raven Fox.

The Raven Fox awards, decided in an industry-wide poll, acknowledge the quality of airline inflight sales products. Cathay Pacific carried off the “Best Inflight Travel Retailer in Asia Pacific” trophy in 2005, 2003, 2001 and 1998. The airline was this year also highly commended in the "Best Website Serving the Asia/Pacific Travelling Consumer" category at this year's awards ceremony held in Singapore.

Cathay Pacific Inflight Sales and Logistics Manager Cindy Lam receives the “Best Inflight Travel Retailer in Asia Pacific” award from (left) Mr. Gavin Lipsith, Asia Pacific Editor for Duty-Free News International of Raven Fox and (right) Mr. Sunny Lam, Chairman of Toscow.

Cathay Pacific has in recent years totally transformed its inflight shopping experience by offering a greater selection of goods – many of which are sold exclusively on Cathay Pacific flights. Shopping has become as much a part of the inflight entertainment experience as movies, music and food.

The airline took inflight shopping to a new high with the launch of “Discover The Shop” magazine, which goes beyond the traditional boundaries of a simple catalogue to include the kind of short features and an exclusive fashion shoot usually seen between the pages of glossy fashion and lifestyle magazines. From October last year, passengers have been able to pre-order goods on a special section the airline’s web site to collect and pay for on their flight.

Cathay Pacific currently offers 197 different items for duty free sale, including special 60th anniversary gifts - an IWC limited-edition Classic Pilot Chronograph watch, an Aigner "Andrea Palladio" lady’s pen with 60 diamonds and Tasaki pearl necklace with 60 Akoya pearls. This will exceed 200 in the next season, starting July. Items range from traditional cosmetics and liquors to exclusive jewellery items. Skincare, perfume, cosmetics, jewellery and watches currently account for almost two-thirds of the airline's inflight sales, and most active sales are on routes to and from Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Innovate promotions, such as “Discover the Gold” earlier this year in which one in every 20 boxes of Goldkenn had five gram 999.9 purity gold bar have created a buzz among passengers and through the industry, helping the airline clinch the Raven Fox title.

Cathay Pacific Director Service Delivery Quince Chong said: "Cathay Pacific provides not only premium service but premium inflight sales products as well. Winning the Raven Fox award for the second straight year – and in our 60th anniversary year as well – reflects the way we select our inflight sales products, the alignment of the brand with CX's brand, the quality, our partnership with our suppliers and our overall commitment to our passengers. Our thanks go to every member of staff who helped make it happen."