Hawaiian Airlines, the only U.S. domestic carrier offering complimentary meals to guests in all cabins, and Executive Chef Chai Chaowasaree are proud to announce the launch of a new inflight culinary program featuring specially-designed menu creations from five of Hawai’i's burgeoning top chefs including: Jon Matsubara of Japengo; Lee Anne Wong of Koko Head Cafe; Wade Ueoka of MW Restaurant; Andrew Le of The Pig & The Lady; and Sheldon Simeon of Mala Wailea and MiGRANT.


L-R: Jon Matsubara, Japengo; Andrew Le, The Pig & The Lady; Chai Chaowasaree, Hawaiian Airlines’ Executive Chef and Owner of Chef Chai at Pacifica Honolulu and Waikiki; Lee Anne Wong, Koko Head Cafe; Wade Ueoka, MW Restaurant; and Sheldon Simeon, Mala Wailea and MiGRANT


Through 2017, dishes created by each local chef will be featured on a six month rotation in the First Class cabin of all flights from Hawai’i to the Mainland. Chef Chai will continue to prepare menus for all Mainland flights returning to the islands. Together, this all-star line-up will give guests the opportunity to enjoy delicious regional, savory cuisine when traveling domestically.


“We are dedicated to creating an authentic Hawaiian experience, calling on the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the islands so our guests can begin their Hawai’i journey from the moment they board the plane,” said Renee Awana, senior director of product development for Hawaiian Airlines. “The guest chef program represents Hawaiian’s continued support of local talent, giving our guests the opportunity to sample world-class dishes from rising stars in our dynamic culinary scene.”


Chef Jon Matsubara, Chef de Cuisine of Japengo Restaurant, officially kicks off the Hawaiian Airlines Featured Chef Series today. Each of his locally inspired, handcrafted dishes will include distinctively Hawaiian ingredients like Maui Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Kalo (taro) Mash or Kalo (taro) poke with Seaweed, Inamona and Scallions.
“I’m so excited to join the Hawaiian Airlines’ ‘ohana,” added Chef Jon Matsubara. “I truly feel that our land produces some of the richest flavors, and I’m honored that guests will have a lasting impression of our beautiful islands through these dishes as they embark on their journey home.”
The timeline for each guest chef includes:
June 1 – Nov. 30, 2015: Chef Jon Matsubara, Chef de Cuisine, Japengo Restaurant
Chef Jon has elevated Japengo to a new level in the time he has held the position of Chef de Cuisine. Matsubara has been featured at the James Beard House in New York City and on the Food Network, Travel Channel and the TODAY Show. Prior to Japengo, Matsubara was at Azure, where he helped the restaurant win Honolulu Magazine’s 2010 Hale Aina Award for Hawaii’s Best New Restaurant and the 2010 Ilima Award for Hawaii’s Best Restaurants Critics’ Choice.


Dec. 1, 2015 – June 1, 2016: Lee Anne Wong, owner/chef, Koko Head Cafe
Since she traded her fashion career for the culinary world, Chef Lee Anne Wong has been bringing her modern-global fusion cuisine to the people. She appeared as a “cheftestant” on Season One of Bravo’s Top Chef, and later served as the show’s Supervising Culinary Producer. In December 2013, Wong made the move from New York City to Honolulu to open up Koko Head Cafe, an Island-style brunch house.


2016: Wade Ueoka, Owner/Chef, MW Restaurant
Specialists in Hawai’i Regional Cuisine, Chef Wade Ueoka and his wife Michelle Karr-Ueoka opened their first joint venture, MW Restaurant, in Honolulu in 2013. Both have traveled around the world, and draw inspiration from their journeys, but none greater than the melting pot of Hawai’i and its local bounty. In February 2014, MW Restaurant was nominated by the James Beard Foundation in the category of Best New Restaurant.


2016 – 2017: Andrew Le, Creator/Owner/Chef, The Pig & The Lady
Considered one of the “new kids in the kitchen” in the Hawai’i Regional Cuisine movement, Andrew Le is making his mark on Hawaii’s culinary scene by using his cultural roots to inspire his menus. The mastermind behind the innovative restaurant The Pig & The Lady, Le creates contemporary food featuring Vietnamese flavors – a foundation built on delicious memories first introduced by his mother. His menus have included the exotica of pandan leaves, waterlily herbs, betelnut and nuoc mam (fish sauce).


2017: Sheldon Simeon, Executive Chef, Mala Wailea and MiGRANT
One of Hawaii Magazine’s Top 5 Best Hawaiian Chefs of 2014, Chef Sheldon Simeon offers a playful, unexpected take on classic dishes. His mix of modern cuisine and tradition create a distinctive experience that legions of loyal fans have come to love. Simeon welcomes customers to his restaurant as he would his home with a relaxed family atmosphere and the slogan “Come My House. Eat!”


Chef Chai, owner and chef of Chef Chai at Pacifica Honolulu and Waikiki is recognized as one of Hawaii’s top Hawaii Regional Cuisine chefs. Known for fusing fresh Hawaii ingredients with the exotic flavors of Asia, Chef Chai has created a culinary style that reflects the cultural diversity of Oahu and the Hawaiian Islands. Since 2010, he has designed the domestic and international in-flight meal program for Hawaiian’s First Class guests.
“The great thing about working with a company like Hawaiian Airlines is that they continue to introduce creative ways to showcase local talent,” said Chef Chai Chaowasaree. “With each chef’s diverse background and signature cooking style, travelers have yet another reason to choose to Hawaiian.”


Foodies and wine enthusiasts alike can also witness each participating guest chef live in action at this year’s Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival. As a major sponsor, Hawaiian Airlines will host two signature events during the festival on both Maui and Oahu. Hawaiian Airlines Presents Legend of Shep Gordon will take place on September 6, 2015 at Napili Garden at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa and will celebrate Gordon’s life and achievements with a six-course dinner created by six of his chef friends. On September 12, Hawaiian Airlines Presents Corks & Forks Pacific Coast will feature over 20 of the most coveted red wines from the Pacific Coast as well as 20 celebrity chefs on the rooftop of the Hawai’i Convention Center.


Through both the featured guest chef series and the signature events at the 2015 Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival, the islands’ top culinary minds are able share the diversity and breadth of island cuisine in a unique way that only Hawaiian Airlines can provide.
Guests traveling to Hawai’i for the 2015 Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival from any of their 11 gateway cities will receive a 5% discount when booking through Hawaiian Airlines.



Source:- Hawaiian Airlines

The further developed Patient Transport Compartment (PTC) is now available on Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380 flights from the Lufthansa Hubs in Frankfurt and Munich

From June 2015, the globally unique “flying intensive care unit” will be available on all planes in the entire Lufthansa long-haul fleet. The Patient Transport Compartment (PTC) was developed by the technology company Lufthansa Technik in cooperation with Lufthansa’s Medical Service. Lufthansa can now offer its PTC in its entire network of long-haul flights leaving from its hubs in the German cities of Frankfurt and Munich. The company has already been using the PTC on its Boeing 747-400 and Airbus A340 and A330 aircraft types since 1999. A total of up to 100 intensive care patients are transported in the PTC by Lufthansa every year. A further developed version of the PTC has now been designed for the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8 sub-fleets and installed in the modern long-haul jets.

The PTC boasts a multitude of advantages compared to a conventional air ambulance, for example a time saving of up to 50 percent due to the fact that it is installed in an airliner and lower costs. The spacious interior of the PTC offers enough space for a patient bed, two seats for the doctor treating the patient and a Lufthansa crew member (PTC Medical Crew Member) and intensive care equipment together with the required material and medication.

With its wide range of medical products, Lufthansa is the world’s leading airline. Patients who do not require intensive care with a PTC can book medical services such as the so-called “stretcher” or, where necessary, a separate oxygen supply for their flight in advance. The services available from the Medical Operation Centre (MOC) not only include matters concerning suitability for flight transport, but also the preparation and provision of medical offers. Lufthansa also runs the “Doctor on Board” programme, which has already been joined by more than 9000 doctors all over the world. At all of its destinations, Lufthansa is able to put passengers in contact with contracted doctors for a fee in the case that they fall ill or require medical assistance.


Sourcee:- Lufthansa

Korean Air has announced that the existing codeshare agreements it has with fellow SkyTeam members Air France and Alitalia will be expanded.

As from 1st June 2015, the Air France codeshare agreement will be expanded to include two French domestic destinations and eight international destinations. The Korean Air flight code KE will be available on Air France flights to French cities Lyon and Toulouse and also Barcelona, Madrid, Geneva, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Stuttgart and Casablanca. It will also double the frequencies on its existing codeshare routes between Paris-Nice and Paris-Marseille from seven weekly to 14 weekly.

In addition, commencing June 4th, Korean Air will expand its codeshare agreement with Alitalia. Under the agreement, Korean Air will codeshare on flights newly operated by Alitalia between Rome and Incheon, doubling the frequency on the route from three a week to six. Alitalia will continue to codeshare on Korean Air operated flights between Incheon-Rome and Incheon-Milan.

Korean Air will also codeshare on Alitalia operated flights from Rome to three domestic destinations – Milan, Venice and Bologna, as well as seven international destinations – Athens, Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, Budapest, Cairo and Casablanca.

As a result of expanded codeshare agreements between SkyTeam partners, passengers are provided with seamless travel to worldwide destinations. The agreement also enables members of Korean Air’s frequent flyer program, Skypass, to earn mileage on all codeshare flights.

Korean Air currently has codeshare partnerships with 33 airlines on 198 routes worldwide, including SkyTeam Partners such as Air France and Alitalia. Korean Air will continue to expand opportunities for codeshare partnerships to provide the most convenient schedules for its passengers.

Source:- Korean Air

WestJet announced today that its flight attendants have voted in favour of a new work agreement with 81.7 per cent of eligible flight attendants voting.

A tentative agreement was negotiated between WestJet and the WestJet Flight Attendant Association Board (FAAB), the association representing its flight attendants, and was agreed to on April 21, 2015. Voting began on May 22, 2015, and ended May 28, 2015, at 9 a.m. MDT. Items in the ratified five-year agreement include compensation, work rules, standardized processes and a formal framework for discussion between WestJet flight attendants and the airline.

FAAB is a subgroup of WestJet’s Proactive Communication Team (PACT), the wholly-elected employee association representing close to 9,000 WestJetters. This is the first ratified agreement between WestJet and its flight attendants.

“These results reflect our collaborative efforts towards a fair and balanced agreement, developed in the best interests of our people and our business,” said Tyson Matheson, Vice-President, Inflight. “The strong voter turnout shows a high level of engagement with our flight attendants and we are pleased we have reached a five-year agreement. I thank all of our flight attendants for the remarkable guest experience they continue to provide for our guests every day.”


Source:- Westjet