From amenity kits in all cabin levels to kids’ entertainment and food & beverages, the Onboard Hospitality awards are back to crown the 2017 kings.

Our own Virgin Australia and Qantas stepped up to compete with the rest of the world, taking out a couple of awards.

Virgin was voted best onboard beverages for the St Hallett Barossa Shiraz 2016 Wine with Altitude, while Qantas snagged Highly Commended in the same category. Qantas also won best onboard service equipment (crew), as well as making it to the finals in various other categories.

In a hotly-contested process organised by Onboard Hospitality magazine, the finalists were chosen through an online vote, with the ultimate winners then chosen by a panel of independent industry experts.

The judges were asked to assess the finalists based on the following criteria: First impressions, Quality, Durability, Lifespan, Weight, Usefulness, Design, Functionality, Taste, Content, Adding to the Customer Experience.

In addition, the Ones to Watch category recognised six products not yet onboard but actively targeting the onboard market.

Check out the winners here:

BEST FOR ONBOARD AMENITY KITS (Economy)

WINNER: Formia – Qatar

JUDGES SAID: “This is a great concept featuring a range of lightweight, functional and reusable kits which are simple but creatively presented. They engage the traveller with Qatar’s story and its destinations and include good quality product.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: skysupply – Lufthansa Picard kit
FINALIST: Buzz – Delta Air Lines

BEST FOR ONBOARD AMENITY KITS (Business)

WINNER: Buzz – American Airlines Cole Haan kit

JUDGES SAID: “A fresh, edgy, unisex design with an excellent brand synergy between the airline and the Cole Haan products. Nice quality contents and the bonus of a Cole Haan discount voucher.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Wessco – ANA

BEST FOR ONBOARD AMENITY KITS (First)

WINNER: Spiriant – Lufthansa Jacob Jensen kit

JUDGES SAID: “The Jacob Jensen connection brings an internationally renowned Danish product designer onboard who has put real thought and creativity into the products. The bag design is extremely functional – folding in half – and the high-end La Prairie products are great quality.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Harmony – Singapore Airlines
FINALIST: Matrix – British Airways’ Liberty London kit

BEST FOR ONBOARD KIDS

WINNER: Buzz – Singapore Airlines Moana and Star Wars kit

JUDGES SAID: “An impressive partnership of two big brands. Disney characters are generally a winner with most kids and the included products are engaging, encourage creativity and are of a good quality too.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Buzz – Qatar Kit featuring Hasbro
FINALISTS: Wessco – Air Canada Brussels Airlines – Smurfs Box on Brussels Airlines

BEST FOR ONBOARD BEVERAGES

WINNER: Virgin Australia – St Hallett Barossa Shiraz 2016 Wine with Altitude, supplied by Fine Wine Partners

JUDGES SAID: “A specially-blended wine from an historic wineproducing region, this wine had a great taste on the palette, with a balance of strength and elegance. It also brings an interesting back story and links to the onboard wine service.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Qantas – Four Pillars Australian Gin
FINALIST: United – Bloody Mary Cart

BEST FOR ONBOARD CATERING INNOVATION

JOINT WINNER: Air Europa – Inflight Meals by Newrest

JUDGES SAID: “This is a great concept which looks very stylish, elegant, cool and modern. The Spanish-themed menu is well-planned and tasty and the trayset is stylish, pleasing to the user and practical for crew.”

JOINT WINNER: Brussels Airlines – Foodmaker buy-on-board menu

JUDGES SAID: “This range offers exceptional quality for buy-on-board with truly innovative choice and flavours. Good first impressions, presentation and taste.”

FINALIST: KLM for Double Layers Dessert

BEST FOR ONBOARD SNACKS (Economy)

WINNER: Snackbox To-Go – French Fries on Brussels Airlines

JUDGES SAID: “Chips in a box may not be an original concept but this product has been very well designed and thought through to ensure the fries taste great and are crispy. A practical product that works well using natural oil and no additives.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: United – Dutch Stroopwafel cookie
FINALISTS: Grown Up Chocolate Company – Caramel Smoothy Bars on Virgin Atlantic; Newrest – Krispy Kreme Doughnut on Flybe

BEST FOR ONBOARD SNACKS (First/Business)

WINNER: En Route – Power of Pink products on Emirates

JUDGES SAID: “An innovative product idea and good initiative to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Great message for both crew and passengers and great to see charitable giving beyond the usual collection of foreign coins.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: FlyFit – 70% cacao chocolate tablets infused with probiotics
FINALISTS: Gategroup – Cadbury’s Box on British Airways; United for its Polaris Dessert Service

BEST FOR ONBOARD SERVICE EQUIPMENT (CREW)

WINNER: Qantas – Next Generation Bodum

JUDGES SAID: “This reinvention of the coffee and tea jug brings a premium quality style to the cabin. Its thermal wall keeps tea and coffee warm for longer and an ergonomic design with good grip makes it safe and practical for crew.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Spiriant – Connect Box on Caribbean Airlines
FINALIST: Swiss for Bento Box

BEST FOR ONBOARD SERVICE EQUIPMENT (PASSENGERS)

WINNER: CLIP – Bento Box on Swiss

JUDGES SAID: “A sleek, simple design that is rotable, hygienic and well thought through. Functional and simple to use, it has a cool and surprising shape with compartments for each food item. Replace the lid and it is easy for the crew to remove.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Global-C – ovenable liquid-proof paperboard hot meal box
FINALIST: deSter – Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy and Economy Tableware

BEST FOR ONBOARD WELLBEING

WINNER: Swiss – allergy-friendly certification

JUDGES SAID: “A very positive initiative setting a new standard in onboard allergy awareness in collaboration with the European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation (ECARF). Swiss has set an important benchmark for a growing concern with a strategic investment which puts health first.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Kidworks – the Flying Nanny Kids’ Pack on Etihad
FINALIST: Formia – Saudia Airlines Wellbeing Kit

BEST FOR ONBOARD SUSTAINABILITY

WINNER: DHL Catering Waste Value Recovery for British Airways

JUDGES SAID: “Not a glamorous or eye-catching entry but an essential requirement which caterers should be accepting as standard. In some countries this is already a compulsory requirement and this should become universal. Congratulations to British Airways and DHL for this initiative.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Galileo Watermark – Air Tahiti Nui Business Amenity Kit
FINALISTS: Qantas – sustainably-sourced Brazil Nuts; United for Clean the World Eco-Skies Amenity Kit Recycling Programme

BEST FOR ONBOARD TEXTILES (Economy)

WINNER: Wessco – Café Kit for Air Canada

JUDGES SAID: “A real treat for Economy passengers who want a good sleep. Great presentation and designed with a larger than normal-size blanket and an inflatable neck pillow for added comfort.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: RMT Global Partners – Delta Airline’s cabin blanket

BEST FOR ONBOARD TEXTILES (First/Business)

WINNER: UNITED Polaris Premium Cabin Sleep Amenities

JUDGES SAID: “A wonderful and sophisticated collection of items to support rest onboard. Timeless design, lightweight and soft, achieved through a clever branding collaboration with Saks Fifth Avenue.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Matrix – The White Company Sleepsuits and Slippers for Qatar Airways
FINALIST: Qantas – Business class pyjamas

BEST FOR ONBOARD TECHNOLOGY

WINNER: Spiriant – Skytrack Trolley Tracking on Condor

JUDGES SAID: “A functional technology application adding to existing infrastructure making for a cost-effective tracking solution, saving airline delays, loss and errors.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Virgin Trains – BEAM app
FINALIST: Buzz – Qantas Q Bag Tag

ONES TO WATCH 

CLIP – Sea wool blanket by Kuan’s Living

JUDGES SAID: “An innovative fabric with a soft finish and a great environmental back story.”

Colpac – TOOpac sandwich box

JUDGES SAID: “A really simple but effective way to upgrade the sandwich offer with a separate space for an extra product.”

Frankenberg – new Fairtrade Special and Hot Meals

JUDGES SAID: “Fairtrade certification is not easy to achieve and Frankenberg must be congratulated for achieving this. The range tastes great too.”

FTS Technologies – Flight Butler

JUDGES SAID: “Giving crew wearable technology which helps them respond quickly and effectively to passenger needs and requests has to be positive step forward.”

Kaelis – Rotable High Temperature Casserole dish

JUDGES SAID: “It is exciting to see new innovations for essential equipment items and the colours and heat specifications this offers set it apart.”

Matrix – Hydra Active Textiles Range

JUDGES SAID: “The option to imbed textiles with aromatherapy oils and other properties is an interesting innovation with a wide range of onboard applications.”