International Travel Catering Association
International Travel Catering Association

The Mercurys


Winners of the 2010 Mercurys, presented in Nice, February 2011.

CATEGORY ONE - On Board Service

Asiana Airlines
“ Premium Service for the Child”
Category 1 Winner
Innovation :
We think children passengers are should be regarded as important customers.
Asiana airlines fully understand their desire and needs, finally creates a special service, “Premium Service for the Child”. We strongly believe our children can have a delightful and unforgettable flight with our exclusive and unprecedented service.
‘Premium Service for the Child’ features elaborated procedures and manners.
Every flight, all children are called by their names. Also designated cabin crews take a good care of them through whole procedures; blowing party balloons, taking a cabin tour, making a hand-made cookies and taking pictures.

Quality in Application :
‘Premium service for child’ is consisted of ‘VIP Service’ and ‘Entertainment Service’.
In ‘VIP Service’, recognition service, we make efforts to emotionally communion with children. Presenting give-away, calling their names, introducing cabin crews, and we also let them write a short letter to cabin crews. In intermission time, they can enjoy cabin tour, too.
In Entertainment Service, we offer chances to bake cookies and blow some balloons. Being kid’s tattooed and taking pictures with crews are also available.

Internal and External Customer Satisfaction :
Premium Service for The Child is an interactive service. Our crew members enjoy playing with children, and kids are happy with all activities with crews. We consider them as entire human beings with pure soul.
Before we started this service, children could spend only 15 minutes with cabin crews, but after this, our young customers can spend surprisingly 1hour 30minutes. 3 times more complementary letters also prove kids customer's satisfaction has been risen.
We believe this service can makes children remember their journey unforgettable. Also we expect kids’ parents can remind of their childhoods’ memories.

CATEGORY TWO - Food or Beverage

Emirates Flight Catering
“ Healthier Cooking ”
Category 2 Winner
Innovation :
Emirates Flight Catering has developed a range of ‘zero-added fat’ meals which provide a wider choice of healthier menu choices to passengers on Emirates airline flights. Although not a specific ‘SPML’, this innovation is designed to cater to passengers looking for healthier preparation and cooking method without compromising on taste and variety. Traditionally Indian curries are heavy in added fats yet EKFC prepares these curries without the addition of ghee or oil, thus using only the natural fats of the ingredients. The result is an alternative to a selection of favourite dishes, prepared and cooked in a healthier manner.

Quality in Application :
The selection of meals developed by EKFC have no added oil, fat, margarine, butter or shortening and are prepared using a combination of traditional cooking methods such as quick braising and steaming as well as sous-vide cooking, a technique not usually seen in a typical flight catering facility. These methods allow for the cooking processes to take place without the addition of oils or fats while still retaining the foods nutrients and flavours.

Internal and External Customer Satisfaction :
The concept was trialed on select flights in the Premium cabins through November 2010 and from December onwards will be progressively rolled out to cover all of Emirates flights. “The provision of ‘zero added fat’ meals gives Emirates an opportunity to provide its guests with a wider selection of healthy, fat content-controlled meals which are also balanced and nutritious” says Mr. Dilip Nijhawan, CEO, Emirates Flight Catering.

CATEGORY THREE - Light Equipment

WK Thomas
“ Snackstick”
Category 3 Winner - Light Equipment
Innovation :
Snacksticks are a unique and patented device for use with Asian and ethnic style foods and are designed to replace traditional chopsticks and/or traditional cutlery. They can be used by children and adults alike and are brilliantly effective yet simple.

Quality in Application :
The two separate snacksticks are designed to lock together using the slot at the top.Put simply they are "idiot proof" and are designed to save time, and mess for users who struggle with traditional chopsticks. Other benefits include space and weight saving in stowage versus conventional chopsticks,whilst providing an excellent branding vehicle for operators.

Internal and External Customer Satisfaction :
Snacksticks are a contemporary and fun vehicle for the enjoyment of Asian/ethnic food. Brilliantly simple and easily understood by handlers and users alike they offer a simple and effective solution for those who struggle with conventional chopsticks/implements. Aside from stowage and weight benefits Snacksticks are a totally environmentally friendly product being made from a biodegradeable, sustainable source.They can be wrapped in compostable clear film, or in paper. They also provide a retail opportunity with the potential for operators to re-sell specially branded packs.

CATEGORY THREE - Heavy Equipment

Sri Lankan Catering
“ Airline Food Waste sterilization through Autoclave”
Category 3 Winner - Heavy Equipment
Innovation :
The SriLankan Catering has discovered that the skies are not always friendly when dealing with food waste generated in-flight, averaging more than one metric ton per day. Airline food waste subject to stringently enforced garbage disposal laws as well as strict quarantine regulations to prevent the infiltration of foreign pests and diseases. The company has been spending US$ 105,264 anually to incinerate the airline food waste before the development of the AUTOCLAVE SYSTEM employing principles of steam sterilization techniques. The AUTOCLAVE SYSTEM has never been tried on airline food waste decontamination since the widely used method of disposal at global scale is incineration. The new development enabled to give value addition to airline food waste as an animal feed in a cost effective and environmentally sustainable manner while meeting the demands of quarantine regulations.

Quality in Application :
The AUTOCLAVE SYSTEM is designed to sterilize food waste at 121 0C temperature for 25 minutes. To maximize the environmental benefits, the food waste after sterilization is disposed as an animal feed to a local piggery farmer at a nominal charge so that no material is released to the environment as waste.
The system saves USD 105,264 annual incineration cost. In addition, the AUTOCLAVE SYSTEM reduces the Carbon Foot Print of the organization by saving 95,559 liters of diesel and 24,713 KWh of electricity anually.
The AUTOCLAVE SYSTEM is safe since the process meet the quarantine requirements and laboratory analysis has conformed that the time / temperature combination can effectively inactivate all fungi, bacteria and viruses.

CATEGORY FOUR - Skills Development

DHL
“ Colleague Training Academy”
Category 4 Winner
Innovation :
Our aim is to be the employer of choice within Airline Catering. In order to achieve this and facilitate the largest TUPE transfer and recruitment process in recent Airline history DHL introduced a bespoke and best in class training methodology involving the development of a unique training academy.
This has the core aim of maximising our colleague’s potential, whilst delivering the highest standards in both quality and cost for our client, in a transparently open and fair cultural environment where people feel valued.
We believe this to be the first and only training model of its kind in airline catering.

Quality in Application :
Every colleague goes through a minimum 9 day academy program with both mandatory elements (a 2 day induction, security, safety, health & environment) and specific core skills training. To accommodate the broad range of jobs there are 155 unique training modules incorporating 523 hours of training material.
620 colleagues have been through the Academy enabling those who previously had no experience of systems based operations to learn and develop the new skills required to deliver the highest operating standards within a safe learning environment.
Investment in a thorough induction process on transfer delivered significant improvements in performance, attendance & retention.

Internal and External Customer Satisfaction :
The training academy delivers:
1) Opportunities for all colleagues to learn new skills to further their careers through the talent management scheme.
2) Higher level of on time, complete flight uplifts to the client with an increase in accuracy, reducing wastage, damages and cost.
3) A more satisfied and engaged workforce facilitating DHL in becoming the employer of choice in the industry. Our first Employee survey produced a 96% response rate providing the information to further enhance the working environment.
This is to the benefit of internal and external customers i.e. employees, DHL as the employer and ultimately the client.

CATEGORY FIVE - Processes and Systems

Air Canada
“ globe Information System”
Category 5 Winner
Innovation :
globe Information System and it's sister application globe Mobile are applications designed to provide cabin crew with all the operational and customer information they need in one easy-to-use system, wherever they are. This allows them to focus on providing great customer service and removing the complexity and frustration of using multiple legacy systems and paper documents.
globe also prevents information overload, for example: With just a few clicks we can send a relevant message only to staff operating B767 flights departing Toronto and offering Onboard Café service between December 10-20 – the only way to achieve this previously would have been to send the message to all 7,000 cabin crew.

Quality in Application :
globe is an aggregator application with interfaces to several systems and resources cabin crew no-longer need to access individually: Crew scheduling, reservation/departure control, procedures manuals, paper forms, catering plans, email, bulletin book, etc.; many of which were only available at specific locations.
Now cabin crew can prepare their flights and access all necessary documents and information via a simple website or even on an iPhone or iPod Touch in real-time from anywhere in the world.
globe has simplified processes at crew bases, improved timely/relevant communication and increased cabin-crew self-service.

Internal and External Customer Satisfaction :
Cabin crew are the clear winners with easy access to previously scattered information; no need to remember strange reservation system transactions to view relevant passenger details; all information is in one system that is easy-to-use;
For managers, the task of communicating timely operational information has become a breeze.
As a result cabin crew can worry less about retrieving forms and data and focus on customer service.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

Sri Lankan Catering
Category 6 Winner