Wine Drinkers Enjoy an Upgrade on US Airways

Filed in archive Wine News on January 24, 2008

We all know that airline food can leave something to be desired, but what about the wine offered on board flights? Typically, US Airways has purchased its wine from the lowest bidder. Often the wine they served never made it to store shelves, and as you can imagine the quality just wasn't there. So they are trying to make passengers' flights a little more pleasant by "upgrading" their wine service.

From USA Today:

A survey of frequent fliers last year found that passengers rated the wine in US Airways' pricey Envoy class - its business class service to Europe, where competition is stiff - a 6.8 out of 10.

"We knew we could do better," said Kevin Jackson, managing director of consumer and partnership marketing.

US Airways is not going all out, to be sure. There are no guest sommeliers or wine consultants, a la Delta, American and United, no lofty aspirations to place first in business travel magazine wine competitions.

The Tempe, Ariz., airline is simply trying to improve the wines it pours its best customers without busting the budget. The airline believes it has found a unique way to do so, teaming with Foster's Group, the Australian company best known for its flagship beer. Foster's owns nearly 40 wine brands, from Beringer to Stag's Leap.

But don't expect to be enjoying a glass of Stag's Leap Cabernet on your next flight. US Airways still has a budget. But the wines they have been serving are certainly a step up from the no-name plonk you might have had in the past:

It has been serving a 2002 Chateau Souverain Alexander Valley Merlot in Envoy class for the past few months, up from the significantly less expensive Canyon Oaks Merlot it had been serving. Also in Envoy, it replaced a Hogue Fume Blanc with a 2005 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay. Foster's counts several major airlines as customers, but has the most extensive relationship with US Airways, said Cindy Reilly, the Foster's national accounts manager who handles airlines.

So the next time you find yourself flying US Airways, be sure to check out their wine list. Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised.