OREANDA-NEWS. May 05, 2011. MUMBAI: Jet Airways, India’s premier international airline, today unveiled a new line of bespoke crockery from the house of William Edwards – one of Britain’s leading and awarded ceramic designers, in its endeavour to redefine the in-flight dining experience for its guests. The concept for this new Jet Airways’ service drew inspiration from the airline’s corporate identity and has created a distinctive “look” for both Premiиre and First Class, differentiating it from other airline brands.

 The design elements of the new crockery incorporate the traditional hand decoration techniques of English potters in the Stoke-On-Trent area, handed down from generations. It involves the use of formal and intricate decorative techniques in the development of a range of fine bone chinaware, often prided as collector’s pieces. Working mainly on special commissions, the William Edwards hand wrought tableware for Jet Airways sets the airline’s hallmark onboard service to a new level.

The First Class collection utilises a style and colouration that picks up on the warm rich colours and textures associated with Indian culture, with the use of precious metal – real gold and gold mica to add richness to the collection.

 Using a similar design format – the Premiиre collection is set apart from the First Class line by incorporating platinum and silver mica, to reflect “corporate smartness” with a subtle combination of both white and decorated items, delivering an exclusive appearance to the Premiиre guests.

 Furthermore, the classic shapes of the round rimmed tableware and the contemporary colours and styles are juxtaposed to create a fine balance. The product’s twelve month journey from concept to delivery stage stands testimony to the dedication and attention to detail displayed by the in-house team responsible for developing the product. According to designer William Edwards it was an “extended creative process”.

 In addition, the airline will also redefine the in-flight dining experience for its guests with a range of varied and delectable Indian and international menu options, effective May 5, 2011 for First Class guests, and June 1, 2011 onwards for Premiиre guests. Guests may also customize their meals as per their tastes, choosing exactly what they would like to eat.

 The meals in India are prepared by the Kitchens of Oberoi and in London by the iconic Bombay Brasserie, which was awarded Tatler’s ‘Restaurant of the Decade’ and a pioneer of traditional and authentic regional Indian food in Europe.

 According to Mr. Sudheer Raghavan, Chief Commerical Officer, Jet Airways, “At Jet Airways, we have always endeavoured to provide our First Class and Premiиre guests with an unparalleled in-flight travel experience- including a world-class in-flight product, superb service, and class-leading cuisine. We are confident, that with the introduction of this  elegant, bespoke crockery from the house of William Edwards, as also our new meal concepts, will be much appreciated by the discerning global traveller.”

About William Edwards

The William Edwards brand has won prestigious awards such as the 2007 International Ceramics and Glass Decorating Society Awards, Las Vegas, USA. The designers Jewel House Collection, a bespoke commission for The Historical Royal Palaces in London won top honours in the categories: Best Designed Item of Giftware, Best Technical Print in Show and in Judges Award for Outstanding Collection.

About Jet Airways

Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 97 aircraft, which includes 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 12 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 55 next generation Boeing 737-700/800/900 aircraft and 20 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. With an average fleet age of 5.15 years, the airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the world. Flights to 71 destinations span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including New York (both JFK and Newark), Toronto, Brussels, London (Heathrow), Milan, Johannesburg, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Jeddah, Sharjah, Riyadh and Dammam.

About Jet Airways Konnect

Jet Airways' Konnect service operates on key domestic routes, and is designed to meet the needs of the low-fare segment with value-for-money fares. Jet Airways Konnect links seven major metros - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Kolkata – with several destinations across India, operating over 170 flights daily. Konnect Select’ is a premium economy product introduced on certain Jet Airways Konnect flights. This new front cabin class features wider and more comfortable seats, with a 44-inch seat pitch. The services include complimentary in-flight reading material, a welcome drink, and complimentary hot meals on-board.

About JetLite

JetLite is a subsidiary of Jet Airways India Ltd. and was acquired by Jet Airways in April 2007. Positioned as an all-economy, no-frills airline, JetLite operates a fleet of 19 aircraft, which includes 18 Boeing 737 series and 1 Canadian Regional Jets 200 Series aircraft. The airline flies to 27 domestic destinations and 1 international destination (Kathmandu), operating over 110 flights a day, on average.

 Jet Airways, Jet Airways Konnect and JetLite have a combined fleet strength of 116 aircraft and operate over 500 flights daily.