Feature: Amenities
ecologically friendly amenity kit bags made
from 100 percent recycled PET plastic. The ‘Eco- Chic’ amenity bag is a creative and innovative answer to airline requests for eco-conscious products and services on board. The bag can be recycled again or used by the passenger when travelling or at home. It has no nylon or synthetic accessories like zippers, butons or lining.No colourants, inks or chemical treatments have been added to the fabric. Burcherl, at skysupply, adds: “Airlines are looking
for environmentally-friendly products and are prepared to spend that little bit extra to create something special. However, the trend has to run through the whole airline product. Passengers are not impressed by a totally ‘green’ amenity kit which is followed by plastic cutlery and non- sensitive tableware. We suggest cottons and straw as suitable materials even though they may cost more. Airlines need to carry the ‘green’ concept’ through their entire service”. Changing the onboard product regularly is also important he said: ”Swiss (airline) passengers, for example, tend to be frequent travellers for whom we change the amenity kits every three to four months with ‘collectors’ items’, in particular for inbound passengers. Each design has a subtle change to make the amenity kit a special gift for their passengers.” At Watermark, this year sees the company’s
25th anniversary in supplying the travel industry. Understanding the client’s brand is key, says Watermark md, David Young. When approaching new product development for First and Business amenity programmes we assess where they are positioned in the market, who are the passengers, and what do they aspire to; what are the key drivers (cost, brand, operations) and who is the perceived competition? From this they work from the ground up to develop a brief and mood board that will lay the foundations of the development process. Amenity offerings in the front cabins are still
key pillars of an airline’s identity, says Watermark. “Focused on their premium and frequent flyers, kits need to meet retail standards but also define the airline’s personality and/or that of their passengers. A real move in the market is towards the inclusion of retail brands – not only as the cosmetic element but now to provide a branded solution for the bag. Creating the right ‘brand fit’ is the key to a
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www.onboardhospitality.com Amenity kits: what one passenger thinks
• pack-flat sunglasses. I’m always forgetting or leaving mine behind somewhere. Plus, the regular ones are easy to crush and break (when sat upon). I once had a pair of sunglasses that twisted and packed completely flat - less than a couple of milimetres thick - these were fantastic and not expensive to manufacture. They can also be made out of a bendy material that doesn’t snap. Even designer sunglasses only cost a few dollars to manufacture. How nice a surprise would this be?
Brand Addition’s eye-catching range of cosmetics and fragrances
This recently spotted blog has some interesting views on amenity kits from a passenger’s point of view: Airline amenity kits are another of those ‘golden opportunities’ that are so frequently wasted. Instead of toothbrushes and toothpaste, eye patches and vanity items, I would like to see something fun, inspiring and clever. I’d like to see a proper airline ‘Swag Bag’ of goodies.”
How about: • a multi-country AC adapter. Not glamorous, I know, but very practical. How often have you arrived at your destination to realise you don’t have the right plugs for your laptop or hair dryer?
• a water purifier, or tablets... if I’m going somewhere where the water is unsafe these would make a useful addition
successful premium amenity solution.” Watermark recognises that for some customers, the extended lead-times of retail cosmetic brands can impact their stock holding and therefore bottom line. “So we looked at how we could provide a suitable solution that met our clients’ cost parameters and significantly reduced their production lead-time – and the solution was BSpa.” BSpa is a Watermark-owned and produced cosmetic line available in lemongrass & basil or green tea & bergamot fragrances, currently available on two international flag carriers. Separately the company works with small niche and large retail brands managing the contract
• complete local knowledge on a USB stick. You could cram all sorts of things onto one of these: dictionary/phrasebook, night-life guide, local maps, etc. You can brand the stick as well, so that people don’t forget where they got it from.
• local pay-as-you go SIM card. How many times did you wish you had a local SIM with some credit already on it?
• USB rechargeable AA batteries. Why not supply batteries that never run out of juice, like these ones. Just plug them into a USB port to recharge.
• rechargeable debit card. I like the idea of using plastic on holiday but I don’t want to be a victim of fraud. There are lots of rechargeable debit cards coming onto the market that can be topped up by phone, or over the internet. Why not supply us with one of these with a token amount of money already on them to get us started?
Skysupply displays its amenities in unique fashion
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