Dataline: asia - Brief Article

The Australian airline Ansett is using fine dining prime wines as and an integral part of its strategy to carve a niche in the lucrative Asian market. Since it first went international on its Asian routes six years ago, the Melbourne-based carrier has stressed its catering-based values. It's an argument that works with both Asian customers who extol fine cuisine and with expatriates who appreciate the attention paid to elegant dining.

The standards of wine served on Australian and Asian airlines are considerably higher than on American carriers. The dining experience is seen as one reason foreign airlines gain such significant market share.

To make the wine selection, the airline asks a selected number of leading wineries to submit products, giving guidelines for grape variety, price and volume. After an initial collation, the list goes to the legendary wine guru James Halliday, Ansett's consultant, and he assesses the wines.

Halliday makes up a short list and sets a tasting date. That's a popular day at Ansett's head office in Melbourne. Senior executives, line chefs, marketing and supply staff and some just plain folks (representing passengers) sip the samples. Wines are picked on the basis of quality and market profile. Price, of course, is a factor.

The airline also educates its staff, with special flight attendant familiarization training. The result of this meticulous and well-tested system is a selection of some of the best wines in the air.

The wine offerings are an integral part of the airline marketing strategy. Ansett executives say the culinary stress, which includes inflight chefs cooking individual meals in first and business class, has helped boost their market share on the Asian routes against such tough competition as Cathay Pacific, Singapore, JAL and Qantas.

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