PAX Readership Awards 2024: Products, photos and words from the winners
This is a special feature from PAX International and PAX Tech's July 2024 issue, on page 28.
Iberia accepts the award for Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Europe
PAX International and PAX Tech hosted the annual Readership Awards at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Hamburg on May 29, 2024. Attendees gathered by invite only in the hotel’s Sydney Room at 6:00 pm for the celebration, recognizing the best of the industry, voted on by PAX International and PAX Tech magazines loyal readers.
Industry leaders and nominees were welcomed by Publisher Aijaz Khan, followed by an award presentation by Managing Editor Jane Hobson, Business Editor Robynne Trueman and Senior Editor Alex Preston.
Please find images from the event here, plus more images below!
International Airline Awards Winners
Etihad Airways accepted several awards at the PAX Readership Awards 2024 ceremony
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier North America
Winner: United Airlines
United Airlines is elevating the inflight dining experience with free snacks, non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks on every flight. Passengers flying United First or United Business can choose from additional options such as cocktails and craft beer.
Best First & Business Lounge North America
Winner: United Polaris Lounge
The United Polaris Business Class Lounge experience is available to United Airlines passengers travelling in United Polaris on long-haul international flights. There are six locations in the U.S.: Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles.
Most Improved Airline North America
Winner: Porter
Porter Airlines is expanding its network and delivers an elevated food and beverage service to make Economy travel more enjoyable than ever.
“We’ve always offered a different level of service, but at the end of the day, it’s an Economy product—and one that is different from our competitors. The fact that your readers recognize it is really rewarding.” – Michael Deluce, CEO, Porter Airlines
Airline Caterer of the Year North America
Winner: Flying Food Group
Flying Food Group provides exceptional meals for the world’s premiere airlines, including ITA Airways, Starlux, ANA, Hainan Airlines, SWISS and many more.
Airline Caterer of the Year North America
Winner: LSG Sky Chefs
Following the LSG Group’s acquisition by AURELIUS in 2023, the company saw steady growth throughout the year. In April 2024, the company announced a new CEO, CFO and COO for LSG Sky Chefs Americas.
“We are incredibly proud and grateful for this acknowledgment, and it inspires us to keep pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve.” – Greg Anderson, CEO, LSG Sky Chefs Americas
Best Cabin Interior Passenger Experience North America
Winner: Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines delivers connected and comfortable inflight experience with the Hughes Inflight connectivity solution. Delta is the first US-based airline to integrate LiveTV into seatback screens on wide-body aircraft, working with Viasat and DIRECTV.
Outstanding Food Services by a Carrier South America
Winner: LATAM Airlines
LATAM Airlines is expanding its offerings across all classes with a new menu in Premium Business. The airline also introduced a special selection of wines chosen by Master Sommelier Héctor Vergara.
Airline Caterer of the Year South America
Winner: gategroup
gategourmet has 14 units and a presence in eight countries, developing culinary concepts from menu design to execution.
“This achievement is a testament to the talent, passion and perseverance of our people.” – Rodrigo Decerega, Regional Chief Commercial Officer Latin America, gategroup
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier China
Winner: Hainan Airlines
Hainan Airlines prides itself on delivering healthy and modern inflight cuisine to passengers in Economy, Business and First Class, along with Special Meals accommodations.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Asia
Winner: All Nippon Airways
ANA updated its menu offerings in February in collaboration with THE CONNOISSEURS, a group of 12 celebrity chefs and liquor professionals from Japan and abroad. The menu includes Japanese, international and special meals, delivering something for everyone.
Airline Caterer of the Year Asia
Winner: SATS Ltd.
SATS Ltd. feeds and connects communities around the world through airline catering services. With a focus on eating well, the SATS Ltd. aviation catering team integrates fresh and responsibly sourced ingredients into its inflight menu options.
Airline Caterer of the Year Asia
Winner: Royal Brunei Culinary
Along with catering for Royal Brunei Airlines, RBC also operates a halal and HACCP-certified central processing and remains at the forefront of restaurant and F&B innovation in Brunei.
"It is a great honour to be recognized by our industry peers for our commitment to quality product and services.” – Royal Brunei Culinary
Best First & Business Class Lounge Asia
Winner: Sông Hồng Premium Lounge & Bar
Sông Hồng Premium Lounge & Bar is located in the Departures area of the International Terminal of Vietnam’s Noi Bai International Airport. Designed to connect travellers to nature, the lounge is flooded with natural light and vibrant greenery.
Best Inflight Duty Free Program Asia
Winner: Korean Air Catering and Duty Free
Korean Air Catering and Duty Free delivers onboard meal services and duty free products to passengers inflight, such as cosmetics, liquor and electronics.
Most Improved Airline Asia
Winner: Thai Airways
Thai Airways has a customer-centric approach at the forefront of its post-pandemic recovery prioritizing a passenger-centric experience; commercial excellence; cost competitiveness and a culture of continuous improvement.
Best Cabin Interior Passenger Experience Asia
Winner: Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines has line-fit 13 new A350-1000s with Panasonic Avionics’ IFE solutions. The system brings 43-inch screens to First Class, 24-inch to Business, 16-inch screens to Premium Economy and 13-inch to Economy. The system also integrates with JAL’s mobile app.
“These accolades affirm our dedication to excellence in every aspect of our guests' travel experiences.” – Japan Airlines
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Central Asia
Winner: Air Astana
Air Astana brings the culinary experience into the journey with a focus on regional and seasonal produce, using traditional ingredients and flavours specific to regional cuisine.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Middle East
Winner: Royal Jordanian Airlines
From elegant dining in Crown Class to traditional hospitality in Economy Class, Royal Jordanian Airlines serves exquisite meals to all passengers.
“This award underscores the hard work and dedication of our culinary team and our unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.” – Royal Jordanian Airlines
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Middle East
Winner: Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways delivers meals prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients, inspired by the destinations it services. Etihad takes a farm-to-table approach, sourcing ingredients from both UAE and regional farms nearby the destinations to curate truly fresh dishes.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Middle East
Winner: Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways is known for its inflight dining experiences including a comprehensive Special Meals program and the option to dine-on-demand with an à la carte menu when travelling in First or Business Class.
Airline Caterer of the Year Middle East
Winner: Emirates Flight Catering
Emirates Flight Catering boasts the world’s largest flight catering facility, producing an average of 225,000 meals per day for airlines including Emirates and flydubai.
Best First Class Lounge Middle East
Winner: Etihad First Class and Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi
Etihad’s First and Business Lounge in Abu Dhabi offers a private sanctuary exclusively for guests of The Residence, First Class and Business Class, including food, drinks and access to private shower suites.
Best Cabin Interior Passenger Experience Middle East
Winner: Qatar Airways’ Q Suites
Qatar Airways’ Q Suites deliver a First Class experience in Business Class. Passengers can turn the seat into a social area for working, dining or socializing at 40,000 feet, and turndown service is available.
“This is a testament to our commitment to putting passengers’ comfort at the forefront of our priorities.” – Xia Cai, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Design, Qatar Airways
Best IFE and Connectivity by a Carrier Middle East
Winner: Emirates
Emirates IFE system ice offers passengers a selection of up to 6,500 channels of movies, TV shows, music and games, on-demand and in multiple languages. Select routes offer passengers Wi-Fi plans to stay connected.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Europe
Winner: LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines offers a variety of inflight food and beverage options, from complimentary Economy and Premium Class meals to paid snacks from the LOT Sky Bar.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Europe
Winner: Iberia
Iberia’s Economy, Premium Economy and Business Class menus are inspired by Spanish flavours and designed by DO & CO. In Economy, the Gastrobar service offers savory and confectionery snacks and alcoholic beverages.
“It highlights the excellent service all the teams involved provide to our customers and the investment we have made in this area.” – Melanie Berry, Director of Customer Experience, Iberia
Airline Caterer of the Year Europe
Winner: Cateringpor
Cateringpor is a market leader at Lisbon Airport, delivering a meal concept focused on using raw materials. Recipes are developed by chefs with the values of safety, innovation and sustainability.
Best Cabin Interior Passenger Experience Europe
Winner: TAP Air Portugal
Last year, TAP Air Portugal introduced the TAP Local Stars Project, a partnership with The Art of Tasting Portugal, running until April 2025. The project features 12 Business Class menus by local chefs on long-haul flights departing Lisbon.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Australasia
Winner: Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand’s inflight menu reflects the fresh, innovative cuisine of the nation with dedicated menu options for each cabin class.
Airline Caterer of the Year Australasia
Winner: dnata
dnata prepares 300,000 meals per day across more than 60 global locations. The caterer also operates food and beverage outlets and lounges around the world, including in Australia.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier Africa
Winner: Royal Air Maroc
Business Class passengers can select French or Moroccan wines inflight and receive a signature drink. On short- and medium-haul flights, cold or hot light meals are served with a selection of cheeses. For long-haul flights, à la carte service allows passengers to select meal time and menu items.
“This prestigious accolade highlights our commitment to providing passengers with delightful dining experiences during flights,” says Amine El Jaouhari, VP Customer Experience, Royal Air Maroc
Airline Caterer of the Year Africa
Winner: Servair
Servair strives to make every meal a “privileged moment,” offering buy-on-board, religion-based cuisine, world tastes, wine steward services and more.
“This competitive award is an official recognition of the hard work and dedication of the 4200+ employees of servair in Africa. It gives us energy and confidence to always serve our customers better in the 17 countries where we operate.” – Marc Vatel, Vice President, servair Africa
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier South Asia
Winner: Air India
Air India serves at least one major meal on all international flights and on domestic routes longer than 120 minutes. Cold snacks and drinks are available on shorter domestic flights.
Outstanding Food Service by a Carrier South Asia
Winner: SriLankan Airlines
The menu selection features flavours and recipes passed down through generations, giving passengers a taste of Sri Lankan cuisine including kurakkan, ginger, clove and kuruluthuda.
“The ‘SriLankan Flavours’ menu plays a crucial role in our strategy to offer passengers an authentic Sri Lankan experience onboard. Our experience and the innate hospitality of Sri Lankans have enabled us to perfect this strategy. We are deeply honored that the readers of PAX International also share this sentiment.” – SriLankan Airlines
Airline Caterer of the Year South Asia
Winner: TajSATS
With more than 46 years’ experience and producing 150,000 meals per day, TajSATS brings warm Indian hospitality to everything it does, valuing a progressive mindset and embracing technology to unlock the potential and future of the food industry.
Amenities Awards Winners
Kaelis and Azores Airlines accept the award for Business Class Amenity Kit Europe
First Class Amenity Kit North America
Winner: Linstol for United Airlines
United Airlines introduced amenity kits for United First passengers traveling between the continental U.S. and Hawaii. The reusable pouch features artwork from local artist Christie Shinn inspired by the local landscape.
Business Class Amenity Kit Europe
Winner: Kaelis for Azores Airlines
The collection features a pouch made of sustainable canvas and natural materials featuring a geometric design inspired by the Azores Airlines’ logo.
First Class Amenity Kit Middle East
Winner: Buzz For Etihad Airways
The Business Class kits come in two unisex styles: a clutch bag and a cube. The clutch, called “The Dunes,” is inspired by the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi. The cube bag features a geometric shape for convenient packing and reusability. Passengers in The Residence and First Class receive a Giorgio Armani and Etihad branded large folio bag.
“Receiving these accolades, from an industry organization as well-regarded as PAX International, fills us with pride and builds momentum for us to continue to build remarkable, memorable and innovative experiences for our guests to enjoy. We thank the industry, our partners, suppliers and customers for their ongoing support and collaboration.” – Etihad Airways
Children's Amenity Kit Middle East
Saudia’s Minions children’s kits, created by Buzz, feature the beloved movie characters from the animated films. Young passengers find the Minions memory game, a character keyring and other items in the travel backpack made from recycled fabric.
Economy Class Amenity Kit Middle East
Winner: Kaelis for Etihad Airways
The design highlights the airline’s 2003 livery with a red and gold band on an ivory background. An alternative design showcases icons that are associated with Etihad’s growth over the years. Each bag is made from a 500-millilitre PET bottle rescued from oceans and landfills.
“The PAX Readership Award not only enhances Kaelis’ brand visibility and reputation but also provides a platform for increased exposure.” – Manoj Pridhanani, Chief Design Officer & Head of Sustainability, Kaelis
Premium Economy/Economy Class Amenity Kit Middle East
Winner: Kaelis for Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways and Kaelis launched a bespoke Hajj amenity kit with an assortment of essentials for the pilgrimage journey in a reusable bag; a prayer mat, a pouch with tasbih, a digital counter tasbih, wet wipes and anti-skid dotted socks.
First Class Amenity Kit Asia
Winner: WESSCO International for Japan Airlines
These four First Class amenity kits feature Heralbony artwork lining the interior of both soft and hard-shell Zero Halliburton bags. Each bag contains premium L'Occitane skincare products and an assortment of personal care items.
Business Class Amenity Kit Asia
Winner: FORMIA for Japan Airlines
The collaboration between FORMIA, JAL and Heralbony celebrates diverse artists and exemplifies FORMIA’s commitment to social responsibility. The artwork featured drives social change while exposing passengers in Business Class to art and the personal story of the artists behind the creation.
“We believe it is important to recognise and celebrate the many innovations and achievements across the industry, and with these awards being nominated by PAX readers, this accolade is particularly meaningful for us.” – FORMIA
Premium Economy Kit Asia
Each version of the Premium Economy kit is adorned with a unique landmark and displays the brand’s signature monkey. The kits are reusable and contain eyeshades, socks, a dental set, a comb, earplugs and Hudson Made lip saver and face cream.
“This is a prestigious award, and we are delighted to be recognized.” – Clip
Business Class Amenity Kit South America
Winner: WESSCO International for LATAM Airlines
Each kit features a bamboo toothbrush with a sugarcane lid, earplugs wrapped in kraft paper, a sleep mask and socks. The larger kits also include cosmetic products from Feito Brasil, each with a unique design and story captured by the artist on the bag.
Economy Class Amenity Kit Central Asia
Winner: Kaelis for Air Astana
This kit transforms a bottle holder into a pouch to hold essentials or keep travellers hydrated. It also includes a dental kit, socks, eye mask, earplugs, pen and hand cream with no single-use plastic packaging.
Children's Amenity Kit Central Asia
Winner: Watermark for Air Astana
These children’s kits are designed to educate and inspire young minds on sustainability. Made of rPET and eco-friendly materials, kids learn about renewable energy sources and embracing the principles of the four R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repair.
International Awards Winners
Best Solutions Company International
Winner: AMI Group
For more than four decades, AMI Group has delivered food and beverages as the solutions provider for the airline industry worldwide. AMI Group manages airlines’ complex programs to serve passengers around the globe, annually provides airlines with more than 50 million meals, 28 million servings of wine and other inflight snacks and beverages.
“The PAX Readership Award for Best Global Solutions company underscored that what we do for our partners everyday matters.” – AMI Group
Best Onboard Retail INTERNATIONAL
Winner: gateretail
gateretail delivers a range of travel retail services, boasting a global portfolio of more than 20 clients who serve 300 million passengers each year across more than 1,000 aircraft. gateretail also delivers training, a holistic supply chain solution and data-science to create offers that align with a brand and boost revenues.
“Receiving this prestigious award exemplifies the quality and excellence of gateretail’s programs, designed to drive increased revenue streams for our customers.” – Javier Conde Gonzalez, Global Director Business Development, gateretail
Technology Awards Winners
Panasonic accepts the awards for Technology, Bluetooth Solution
Winner: Panasonic Avionics Corporation for Bluetooth Solution
Panasonic Avionics first integrated Bluetooth into the X Series inflight entertainment system in 2015 and has been continually testing different elements of Bluetooth usage and performance in commercial aircraft since. The NEXT Series features a patented solution to deliver an augmented cinematic experience in every cabin class.
“The award for Bluetooth Solution highlights our commitment to revolutionizing the inflight experience through innovative IFEC solutions.” – Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Winner: Inflight Dublin for Everhub iPad Solution
Inflight Dublin’s Wireless IFE solution leverages the robust infrastructure to deliver content remotely to a server anywhere in the world. Everhub’s flexible software has been future-proofed for convenient configuration with any IFE system.
“This award is a testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation over the past year.” – Philip McCarthy, Commercial Director, Inflight Dublin
Winner: Linstol for Business Class Headphones on Singapore Airlines
These custom headsets, crafted from recycled plastic, boast soft-touch finishes, mesh-style ear caps, debossed logos, and replaceable cables to extend the product's lifespan. An effortless "easy fix" inner ear cap mechanism ensures swift and hassle-free leatherette replacement during headset refurbishment.
Winner: IdeaNova Technologies Inc. for Inplay Edge
Inplay Edge makes onboarding new content easy. Airlines can provide passengers with the online content they want without spending on connectivity. It meets SVTA specifications for caching SVOD content on the headend server, which airlines can then redistribute using the cabin’s Wi-Fi network.
“It's a very important recognition of our place within the industry and almost two decades of dedicated work.” – IdeaNova Technologies Inc.
Voted on by our readership
The PAX Readership Awards will return in April 2025 and are voted on by PAX International and PAX Tech Magazine’s loyal readership. Subscribe to our enewsletter to receive updates and ensure you do not miss the chance to vote!
