WTCE 2026 Launches Discover Zone Connecting Onboard Food and Beverage Brands with Airlines
World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) 2026 is debuting the Discover Zone, an interactive product‑discovery space at its April 14‑16 Hamburg show. The zone, located next to the VIP Buyer Lounge, showcases more than 30 food, beverage and wellness brands and is powered by the Colleqt QR platform. Attendees, including procurement teams from over 100 airlines, can scan QR codes to collect product data and request personalized sample bags. This digital layer streamlines lead capture and curates the sampling experience for airline buyers.
FlightPath3D Expands Leadership and Operations
FlightPath3D announced a senior leadership expansion and a major operational upgrade in Irvine, California. The company now counts over 5,000 commercial and 1,500 business or government aircraft using its immersive inflight map platform. New hires include a Vice President for...
SAS Airlines Brings BBC Nordic Onboard
SAS Airlines has become the first carrier to launch a dedicated BBC Nordic on‑demand channel, thanks to a partnership brokered by Touch Inflight Solutions. The new offering provides passengers with a curated selection of British titles, ranging from murder mysteries...
SEKISUI KYDEX Unveils Latest Eco-Conscious Product Development
SEKISUI KYDEX introduced KYDEX® ECO™ 6565HI, a new aviation‑interior material built on renewable raw materials and verified life‑cycle assessment data. The thermoplastic sheet delivers an 8% cut in global warming potential and a 195% reduction in acidification potential while remaining...
AMI Group Secures New Office Space in Chicago’s West Loop
AMI Group has signed a 10,641‑square‑foot lease in Chicago’s West Loop, establishing a new office and test kitchen for its Culinary Design Solution team. The facility will serve as a collaborative hub to develop and refine onboard dining concepts for...
WTCE Roundtable Explores Digital Path to Profitable Inflight Food Retail
Ahead of the 2026 World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo, a WTCE‑hosted virtual roundtable explored how airlines can turn inflight food and beverage (F&B) from a cost centre into a profitable, digitally enabled retail experience. Panelists highlighted a mindset...
SH Airport Lounge Builds Scalable Hospitality Brand Across Vietnam Airports
SH Airport Lounge, operated by Noi Bai Aviation Services, has rebranded from its Sông Hồng roots to become a scalable hospitality brand across Vietnam’s airports. The network now runs more than 26 locations, offering two concepts: the open‑access SH Premium...
LATAM Airlines Soars with Costa Brazil Amenity Kits, Facilitated by WESSCO
In December 2025 LATAM Airlines introduced the Altitude Collection, a series of six collectible amenity kits created with Brazilian brand Costa Brazil and executed by WESSCO International. The kits draw on South America’s diverse landscapes, using vegan, Amazon‑sourced ingredients and...
RMT Spotlights Collapsible ATLAS Drawer
RMT Global Partners introduced the Collapsible ATLAS Drawer, a lightweight galley drawer that folds flat when not in use. Designed with input from caterers and cabin crews, the drawer features snap‑open and quick‑collapse mechanisms that speed loading and reduce handling...
Gategroup Introduces Conscious Kitchen, Inspiring New Era for Special Meals
gategroup has launched Conscious Kitchen, a cross‑functional initiative that reimagines airline special meals as purpose‑built, plant‑forward, and nutritionally balanced offerings. The program embeds ESG, nutrition, procurement and operations expertise into a monthly working group, driving lower‑impact cooking methods and waste...
Q A with Icelandair: Serving Special Meals with Certainty
Icelandair has rolled out an allergen‑guaranteed special‑meal program that delivers sealed, passenger‑opened boxes on roughly one‑third of its flights. Developed with Foodcase International under the Libero Special Meals Program, the service adheres to a strict EU/U.K. Top 14 allergen‑free framework and...
Tourvest Retail Catering Appoints Michael Raasch as Chief Growth Officer
Tourvest Retail & Catering appointed Michael Raasch as Chief Growth Officer effective March 1. Raasch brings over two decades of leadership in aviation, digital commerce and technology‑enabled solutions, most recently as CEO and co‑founder of Omnevo. In his new role he...
Finnair Integrates Music by Finnish Composer Lauri Porra Into Passenger Experience
Finnair has introduced a new soundscape featuring Lauri Porra’s album Matkantekijä, which will play on aircraft, in lounges and across marketing touchpoints. The rollout begins on February 27 and the tracks will also be streamed on Spotify. This music initiative is a core...
PriestmanGoode Showcases Thai Airways A321neo Cabin Interiors
PriestmanGoode is extending its partnership with Thai Airways by designing the cabin interior for the carrier’s first A321neo, dubbed Bowonrangsi. The design draws on the historic Bangkok community of Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, merging traditional Thai motifs, silk curtains and a...
Food Accademia Brings Italian Fine Food and Beverage Brands to WTCE 2026
Food Accademia, the Italian fine‑food distributor founded in 2016, will exhibit at the World Travel Catering and Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) in Hamburg from April 14‑16, 2026. The company will present a curated selection of over 20 artisan brands, ranging...
Etihad Airways Honors Ramadan Traditions with Onboard Service Offerings
Etihad Airways has launched a Ramadan‑focused program that brings Emirati hospitality to passengers through curated menus, take‑away bags, and themed entertainment across all cabins and lounges. The airline offers traditional iftar dishes in Business and First lounges in Abu Dhabi...
JAL Enhances Inflight Dining on International Routes
Japan Airlines is overhauling its international inflight dining, launching chef‑curated menus in First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy classes starting March 2026. Renowned chefs Natsuko Shoji and Nae Ogawa will design exclusive dishes for premium cabins, while rising talent from the RED U‑35...
Milk Signals Creative Shift Ahead of WTCE
Milk announced a comprehensive redesign of its adult amenity kits and children’s engagement kits ahead of WTCE 2026, emphasizing curated storytelling, tactile materials, and sustainable packaging. The new collections aim to extend well‑being and brand relevance beyond the flight, with...
Gategroup Elevates Lufthansa Long-Haul Dining with FOX Collaboration
Lufthansa has teamed with catering giant gategroup to roll out the Future Onboard Experience (FOX) across its long‑haul fleet, marking a major upgrade to in‑flight dining for all cabin classes. The program, launched as part of Lufthansa’s 100‑year anniversary, introduces...
Servair Sends Culinary Creations by Anne-Sophie Pic to Space
Servair is sending a curated menu created by Michelin‑starred chef Anne‑Sophie Pic to the International Space Station for astronaut Sophie Adenot’s first long‑term mission. Over a year of R&D, the team adapted gourmet recipes to meet the constraints of microgravity,...
Gategroup Documentary on CNBC Highlights Leadership in Inflight Catering
gategroup is the focus of a new documentary streaming on CNBC.com, part of the network’s Global Sustainability & Transformation Initiative. The film, produced by Acumen Media, tours the Zurich headquarters and the San Francisco production hub, illustrating how the company delivers...
Fabio Gamba Steps Down From ACA
At the Airline Catering Association’s second annual Leadership Symposium in Toulouse, Managing Director Fabio Gamba announced his resignation after eight years of building the organization from the ground up. Gamba highlighted ACA’s growth to 22 member companies and its increasing...
PAX Perspective Airline Review: Porter Airlines, PorterClassic
Robynne Trueman’s PAX Perspective review details Porter Airlines’ PorterClassic economy on a Toronto‑Los Angeles flight. The Embraer E195‑E2 offers a 132‑seat, two‑by‑two cabin with guaranteed aisle or window seats, 30‑inch pitch and six‑inch recline. Passengers receive free Viasat Wi‑Fi, universal AC power...
Guest Column: IdeaNova Highlights Untapped Potential of Legacy IFE Systems
Legacy inflight entertainment (IFE) systems are being re‑engineered through software rather than costly hardware replacements. Airlines such as Delta and United are upgrading seat‑back screens with modern interfaces, faster DRM, and new features using IdeaNova’s two‑decade expertise. The company’s Inplay AI...
APEX TECH Prompts Conversations on Connectivity and Content in LA
The APEX TECH 2026 conference in Los Angeles gathered airlines, suppliers and media to debate inflight connectivity and content licensing. Panels highlighted that simply adding bandwidth does not automatically enhance passenger experience; instead airlines must focus on edge caching and...
GOL Appoints Anuvu to Redefine IFE Experience
Brazilian carrier GOL Linhas Aéreas has selected Anuvu as its new inflight entertainment (IFE) partner, with the collaboration kicking off in January 2026. The deal brings Anuvu’s extensive content library—including HBO Max and Formula 1—into GOL’s cabins, promising higher‑quality streams and a broader...
BeOnd and the Kingdom of Bahrain to Establish Premium Airline
beOnd has signed a Letter of Intent with Bahrain’s Civil Aviation Affairs to explore a Bahrain‑based Air Operator Certificate, aiming to launch a premium airline. The carrier plans to base up to ten premium‑configured aircraft in the kingdom by 2030,...
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines Introduce Refreshed Spring Menus
Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have rolled out spring‑time inflight menus that showcase regional flavors and chef‑driven concepts. Alaska highlights Seattle‑sourced Beecher’s Mac & Cheese in Main Cabin and adds a plant‑forward Mediterranean bowl, while its First Class offers banana...
RMT Spotlights Collapsible ATLAS Drawer
RMT Global Partners unveiled the Collapsible ATLAS Drawer, a lightweight galley drawer that folds flat when not in use. The snap‑open, quick‑collapse mechanism lets caterers expand the drawer instantly for loading and collapse it to reduce storage footprint across kitchens,...
SH Airport Lounge Evolves Into Scalable Hospitality Brand in Vietnam
SH Airport Lounge, operated by Noi Bai Aviation Services, has rebranded from its Sông Hồng origins into a scalable hospitality brand across Vietnam’s airports. The network now runs more than 26 locations, offering two concepts: a high‑volume Premium lounge and...
Cathay Pacific Appoints Spafax as Exclusive Media Sales Representative
Hong Kong‑based Cathay Pacific has appointed Spafax as its exclusive media sales representative, consolidating advertising sales across its omni‑channel ecosystem. The agreement gives Spafax control over inflight entertainment, onboard publications, digital platforms and experiential formats on more than 200 routes....
Aeroplay Entertainment Names André Valera CEO
Aeroplay Entertainment announced André Valera as its new chief executive officer. The inflight entertainment content service provider aims to evolve from traditional onboard content to a personalized, measurable, commerce‑ready travel media layer. Valera outlined plans for a modern platform that accelerates...
Mainline Aviation Marks Five-Year Milestone
Mainline Aviation celebrated its five‑year anniversary as a Goldbergs Group subsidiary, marking half a decade of rapid growth since joining the family in 2021. The company has combined culinary expertise with operational technology to serve thousands of inflight meals each...
Video Interview: Unum's Alan McInnes Provides Updates on AIME 2026 From Dubai
AIME 2026 in Dubai grew 25‑30% over the previous year, reinforcing its status as the MENA region’s premier aircraft interior and MRO showcase. Alan McInnes of Unum highlighted airlines’ heightened appetite for retrofit programs while noting a stark shortage of available business‑class...
Plane Talking Products Appoints Manoj Pridhanani as Creative Director
Plane Talking Products announced Manoj Pridhanani as its new Creative Director, tasked with steering global creative strategy, product direction, and brand development. Pridhanani brings more than 15 years of aviation‑focused design experience across luxury and travel sectors. He is known...
IndiGo Selects West Entertainment to Provide Indian and International IFE Content
IndiGo has inked a five‑year deal with West Entertainment to furnish inflight entertainment for its new A321XLR long‑haul fleet. The partnership will deliver a curated mix of Indian and international films, TV, OTT services, music and games, accessible on passengers'...