Austria

SWISS will be reintroducing free food and drinks in Swiss Economy class on all its European flights on May 25. The carrier will thus again offer customer-friendly complimentary inflight foodservice to all its passengers on all its services systemwide. Travellers will be offered a selection of hot or cold snacks and drinks, depending on the time of day and the length of the flight.

New partner Nestlé
The snacks and some of the beverages for the new service will be provided by Nestlé. Both SWISS and Nestlé are bywords for Swiss quality in their respective fields. The new European food and beverage product will be introduced as early as May 25.

Nestlé will be working together with Dutch-based Supplair to provide the new products. Gate Gourmet will still deliver the catering to SWISS’s flights, and will continue to provide the food and beverages for SWISS’s long-haul services and the Swiss Business cabin on its European flights.

An even stronger position as a quality airline
“In reintroducing complimentary food and drinks for our European Swiss Economy customers, we are marking a further milestone in our ongoing product enhancement endeavours,” says Christoph Franz, President & Chief Executive Officer of SWISS.

“Those endeavours have already included the comfortable new seats on our Airbus A320s and the new and customer-friendly user concept at Zurich Airport,” Franz continues. “And all these innovations are helping strengthen SWISS’s position as a genuine quality airline.”

19.04.2005
Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai debuts in Shanghai's Trade and Economic Hub
Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai debuts as the latest addition to InterContinental Hotels Group’s portfolio in China. The Group’s 15th Crowne Plaza hotel in the country, Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai provides premium accommodation and enhanced meeting services to travelers in Waigaoqiao, Shanghai’s first and largest free trade zone.

The Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone has become the site of choice for top multinational companies that are investing in China, with over 4,000 investment projects valued at over US$5.35 billion launched in the zone since year 2000. Located in the new area of Pudong’s Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai is well positioned to be the favoured hotel brand in a destination that is becoming widely popular for both business and leisure.

Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai is situated in the northeastern part of the Pudong New Area development, just minutes from Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai’s main ports of entry. The hotel is also within easy access to Shanghai’s primary business and financial centres such as the Lujiazui Financial District, the Jinqiao Export Processing Zone, and the Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park. Shanghai’s most popular tourist spots and entertainment areas that are within the vicinity of Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai include The Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Shanghai New International Expo Center, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Century Park, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, and Tomson Shanghai Pudong Golf Club.

A newly developed hotel with 398 guestrooms and suites, Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai offers amenities and services that include express check-in/checkout, complimentary shuttle service to the business areas and nearby attractions, as well as a fully-equipped health and fitness centre with an indoor pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, and Spa. Business facilities include a business centre and an exclusive Club Lounge with a private meeting room. With a total meeting space that can hold up to 1600 people, including an elegant ballroom with capacity for up to 700 people and 11 meeting rooms, Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai provides the perfect venue for both business and social functions.

As with all hotels in the Crowne Plaza portfolio, Crowne Plaza Pudong Shanghai delivers a comprehensive meetings product to ensure a seamless planning process and exceptional meeting experience. The Meeting Success program consists of three key components: a Two-Hour Response to meeting inquiries, guaranteeing that customers receive a confirmation of date, space, and rate in response to their meeting inquiries within two working hours, followed by a detailed proposal within 24 hours; a dedicated Crowne Meetings Director who is the single point of contact for meeting organisers and facilitators from the point of inquiry to the post event period; and a Daily Meeting Debrief with the Crowne Meetings Director to ensure that the meeting progresses smoothly and efficiently.

The hotel features a novel variety of food and beverage choices for diners with discerning taste. Windows, an all-day dining restaurant and juice bar, serves an exciting assortment of Asian and Western buffet and a la carte dishes in an open and casual environment. The Red Hot Restaurant offers a taste of contemporary and traditional Japanese, Korean and North Asian cuisine, featuring a ‘sake’ bar, sushi counter, teppanyaki tables, and Korean barbeque. The Plaza Bar is an ideal venue for coffee and snacks by day, and for unwinding in the evening with light fare and cocktails.