oneworld® has been judged the best airline alliance for the wines served in-flight by its member airlines for the 10th year in a row in a leading international wine-tasting competition.
The Cellars in the Sky Awards, now in their 33rd year, are run by Business Traveller, the multi-national magazine group, in association with the International Wine Challenge. The 2018 awards were presented at a ceremony at London’s famous Langham Hotel, following blind tastings by a panel of four leading experts of hundreds of wines served in First and Business Class on longhaul flights by 33 airlines from around the world.
This latest accolade consolidates oneworld’s position as the world most highly prized airline alliance, as the current holder also of seven of the leading overall “best airline alliance” awards presented internationally, along with the only other alliance award presented for the quality of wines offered by airlines, Global Traveler’s Wines on the Wing.
oneworld’s member airlines also flew high in the Cellars in the Sky 2018 awards.
Qantas scooped the coveted trophies for Best Overall Cellar and Best First Class Cellar as well as Best Presented First Class Wine List. It also walked home with Gold Medals for Best First Class White Wine, Best Business Class Fortified/Dessert Wine, and, jointly with Cathay Pacific, Best First Class Sparkling.
In all, oneworld member airlines took 25 of the 43 Gold, Silver and Bronze medals presented, including 12 of the 16 Golds.
The judges included luminaries from the world of wine, led by co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge Charles Metcalfe.