Wine Marketing In The Clouds

The airline's flight attendants serve the majority foreign passengers with reds, whites, dessert wines and sparkling wines on board approximately 120 flights a day travelling to 53 destinations in 34 countries.

The wine list, updated from January, was unveiled to members of the press with the help of wine connoisseur and journalist Imre Tompa on board the airline's largest Boeing 767-300. 

It is an established tradition at the Hungarian national carrier to pay particular attention to serving customers with fine Hungarian wines during the flight, in the process promoting the reputation of the country's quality wines around the world.
 
At the beginning of this year the airline selected six whites, four reds, two dessert wines and two sparkling wines to join the new wine list. Quality Hungarian wines are served to business travellers at all times of the day, while the wine list is available to economy class passengers on flights departing after 10 am. Seven wines and one sparkling wine are served per flight: two choices of red and two of white, plus one dessert wine and sparkling wine in business, and a choice of one red and one white in economy. The tender-winning wines are constantly rotated so as to make the airline's wine selection as varied as possible.

Twelve winemakers entered a total of 84 wines to the Malév two-round wine tender, out of which the carrier's jury of experts picked 14 wines from 9 cellars on the basis of the wine's characteristics and, naturally, marketing and financial aspects, too. The wines of the chosen cellars already hold numerous distinguished awards and medals. Five feature in daily newspaper Népszabadság's publication 77 best Hungarian winemakers compiled by a panel of expert journalists, and one is the holder of the "Winemaker of the Year 2004" prize.

At a press briefing combined with wine tasting Péter Leonov, CEO of Malév, said, "Customers stepping on board Malév enter Hungary, where they can get to know the country through our selection of drinks. The Hungarian national airline is also a shop window for the country, and in this environment we reserve a key position for the presentation of Hungarian wines."

Deputy CEO Zoltán Mester gave details of the wine consumption habits of Malév travellers. "Malév customers consumed a total 291,000 bottles of wine and sparkling wine on board our aircraft in 2007. Red wine headed the list at 160,000 bottles (120,000 litres), while flight attendants served 91,000 bottles of white (68,250 litres). These numbers are a clear indicator of the significant marketing value for wines offered on board Malév flights."

31,000 0.2-litre bottles and 2300 0.75-litre bottles of sparkling wine (a total 7925 litres) were consumed on Malév flights, whereas business travellers drank 7000 bottles of Tokai Aszú (1750 litres) last year. Wine and sparkling wine consumption in business amounted to 113,300 bottles (64,450 litres), and wine consumption in economy stood at 178,000 bottles (133,500 litres). 

Speaking at the press briefing journalist Imre Tompa emphasized, "Those wines worthily representing the high quality, modern and superbly developing Hungarian wine culture came out winners at the Malév wine tender, for which the winemakers are also capable of guaranteeing the necessary quantity. 

These expertly selected wines are also representatives of the most significant wine regions, for here we have Tokaj, Villány, Eger and a couple of superb Hungarian sparkling wines. If a passenger who does not know the country, or only knows a little about it, receives a glass of fine wine during the flight, then he or she is certain to say: this has to be a great country. 

Therefore, the still little known unique mediating role that Malév plays in the marketing of Hungarian wine with these astonishing quantities is extremely important indeed. It is apparent that passengers really do enjoy drinking wine while flying. For this reason today's press briefing is a significant moment in the slowly renascent marketing of wines."

Starting in the March edition, a series of articles in the Malév in-flight magazine will devote extensive coverage to presenting Hungary's famous wine regions and the winemakers whose products are served on board. However, the airline does not only relate Hungary's values in terms of wines, but it continues to take every opportunity to use, as the national carrier, its onboard communications tools to present Budapest and the various tourism destinations around the country. 

As a oneworld member airline it currently plays a vital role in promoting the capital's marketing campaign, Budapest Winter Invasion. Through its alliance membership Malév is able to get its invitation to visit Budapest to an average monthly audience of over 20 million passengers travelling on 7800 oneworld flights a day to 650 destinations in more than 140 countries, on board approximately 2100 aircraft over five months.

Wines served on board Malév in 2008:
Törley Pezsgopincészet Kft.
Kemendy Selection Pázmándi Cabernet Sauvignon - Pinot Noir 2003
Francois President Brut 2004/2005
Hungaria Extra Dry

Koporos Borászat Kft.
Eger Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Vivamus Bt.
Tokaj Szamorodni sweet 1995
Tokaj Szamorodni dry 1995

PolgárBor Termelo és Kereskedelmi Kft.
Hárslevelu 2006

Vylyan Vinum Kft.
VYLYAN Riesling 2006 / 2007

Dereszla Kft.
Tokaj aszu 3 puttony 2000

Tokaj Kereskedoház Zrt.
Tokaj furmint dry 2006

Egri Korona Borház
Selection Eger Bull's Blood 2003

Hilltop Neszmély Zrt.
Hilltop Neszmély Chardonnay 2006
Hungaro Neszmély Cserszegi Fuszeres 2006
Hilltop Szekszárd Merlot 2004"

Source: Malév