Inflight retailing is holding up well despite the events of September 11?but the aviation industry is still on the critical list. The American airlines are the worst affected, with plummeting passenger numbers. Isabelle Caprano asks Duty Free Air & Ship Supply purchasing and vendor relations director John Garner how the Americas? leading airline concessionaire is coping.

Premier Portfolio is a company on the move. In just two years, its Fun Plane products have been listed on over 70 airlines, with new line extensions driving incremental business. DFNI speaks to the company about Fun Plane, the new Fun Boat concept and the group?s fast-growing agency business.

Knock-down airfares are beginning to entice travellers back into the skies, but are passengers being tempted to spend onboard? Encouraging December traffic figures suggest there is some improvement since the initial reaction to September 11. Isabelle Caprano assesses some of the world?s leading airlines and examines the position they find themselves in at year-end.

Bidders jostle for position as Nuance-Watson signals Changi intentions.

Pernod Ricard has appointed the management team to run its Scotch whisky business Chivas Brothers.

Previously director of international operations, Oreja was appointed director of diversification at the end of 2001.

Dubai Duty Free won top honours at the annual Gulf-Africa Duty Free and Travel Retailing Merit of Distinction Awards last month.

From humble beginnings, wines and Champagnes have staked their claim to a central role in the duty-free liquor offer. This is especially true in Europe, where abolition forced operators to look to lower-duty items to maintain a profitable assortment. John Rimmer assesses the extent to which the grape is rivalling the grain in travel-retail.

If duty-free is to remain one of the principal markets for luxury goods, it must find a place for Champagne?a product that remains synonymous with indulgence. But operators are increasingly finding that less is more. John Rimmer looks at how the Champagne market is evolving.

In 15 years, we?ve gone through the same changes as many of our industry partners?changes of personnel and ownership?and experienced hard times as well as good.

China Duty Free Group, in association with joint-venture company China Power Duty Free Group, has announced the first-ever China Travel-Retail Summit. It will be be held in Beijing on May 16?17.

Raven Fox managing director Martin Moodie has resigned and left the company. He had worked for Raven Fox in a variety of roles for 13 years.

AUSTRALIA. The Nuance Group has been buoyed by a long-term extension to its duty-free contract at Melbourne International airport. The deal ensures that the operator, which began trading at Melbourne following Swissair?s acquisition of Allders International in 1997, will remain central to retailing at the airport until 2010. *The sale of The Nuance Group by Swissair could be delayed until March or April, DFNI understands.

SINGAPORE. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has revealed that four operators submitted bids for the fragrances and cosmetics tender at Singapore Changi airport terminal one. DFS Singapore, Weitnauer Singapore, Nuance-Watson and a joint venture between Alpha Retail and SUTL all made bids for the three-year six-store contract.

INTERNATIONAL. Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton (LVMH) has announced its sales figures for 2001, confirming a troubled year for travel-retail arm DFS Group, recently described as non-core by LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault. The results also featured a fresh warning on profitability, although it said 2002 could feature a rebound in performance.

ROMANIA. A disagreement between the Romanian government and duty-free operator EDF Airport Services Romania (EDF Asro) is set to result in the re-tendering of duty-free at Bucharest Otopeni International airport.

URUGUAY. Uruguayan operators have reported that sales have suffered badly following the meltdown in the Argentinian economy. In particular the market has been affected by the Argentinian government?s decision to freeze all national savings.

Bookings are flooding in for the Raven Fox Enchantment Ball, one of the social highlights of the duty-free calendar.

London City airport is to tender several new commercial spaces later this year.

ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires-based operator London Supply is confident it will be able to inaugurate the Puerto Iguazu Free Zone on the Argentinian border with Brazil by the end of this month.

SINGAPORE. According to local press reports, DFS Group is set to open a new 100,000sq ft (9,300sq m) downtown store in Singapore?s Orchard Road district early next year.

US. Airline concessionaire Duty Free Air & Ship Supply (DFASS) has signed a five-year extension to its Northwest Airlines inflight contract. The deal will last until 2007, allowing the DFASS to build on its existing programme.

US. MarketPlace Development, the master retail developer at Philadelphia International airport, has begun the main leasing phase for the airport?s new international terminal scheduled to open in the Autumn. The new facility, which will connect to the existing terminal A, will have a concession area of 21,000sq ft (1,950sq m).

JORDAN. The potential of the vibrant Jordanian and Middle East duty-free markets, airport security and responses to the September 11 events were the main themes at the recent Middle East & Africa Duty Free Symposium, co-organised for the first time by Raven Fox Conferences and Publishing International.

Voting forms have been sent out for one of duty-free?s most prestigious award ceremonies: the Raven Fox Awards for Travel-Retail Excellence in Asia/Pacific. Those eligible to vote should return their completed forms as soon as possible to ensure the most outstanding suppliers and retailers in Asia/Pacific are honoured for their efforts.

THAILAND. The management of Thai Airways International is considering extending King Power Onboard Sales & Services? duty-free contract onboard, after failing to find a new concessionaire.

EUROPE. Airports Council International (ACI) has said that European airports remain severely affected by the events of September 11. A continuing depression in passenger numbers among a representative sample of 33 ACI Europe airports demonstrates the grave situation facing the industry.

UK. The UK Travel Retail Forum (UKTRF) has said that tentative proposals to outlaw liquor pouring on flights from the UK is a knee-jerk reaction to recent well-publicised air rage incidents and is unlikely to be implemented.

Labatt has repackaged its leading premium brand Labatt Blue in a move designed to defend its leading position in Canada?s duty-free beer market.

In its survey of leading airport shops conducted late last year, US magazine Impact concluded that outlets at Frankfurt airport in Germany offered passengers the lowest prices on liquor items.

Dutch liquor supplier Luctor International has added a line extension to its Vincent van Gogh range of vodkas.

US tobacco manufacturer Nat Sherman is looking to gain a foothold in the small cigar sector with the launch of its first cigarillo product.

China is to allow all domestic cigarette retailers to sell imported cigarettes after a two-year transition period.

Loewe intends to continue consolidating its presence in Asia in 2002, with new market openings including China, Thailand and Vietnam; and the company will maintain its investment in Latin America.

Germany?s biggest travel retailer, Gebr Heinemann, says it will be investing in stronger point-of-sale merchandising and special store furniture for miniature coffrets.

Clinique has introduced new packaging for its Skin Supplies for Men range, first launched in 1976.

Lancôme is launching its Spring make-up collection this month in Asian and US travel-retail.

Christian Dior is presenting its Dior Culte look into travel-retail markets worldwide.

The Nuance Group is close to finalising an agreement to operate a Harrods International shop and buffet at Copenhagen Kastrup airport.

Belgian confectioner Guylian has started using the Ambao quality mark, with its cocoa bean icon, on some products which it sells in duty-free.

An encouraging launch in Nordic domestic markets has prompted Dutch confectionery supplier Van Melle to introduce chewy caramel candy Meller to duty-free.

Danish toy company Lego enjoyed an excellent year in 2001, according to travel-retail director Claus Thomsen.

?The new outlet will have a new name, and will feature a different concept,? Belgian Sky Shops commercial manager Marc Leemans told DFNI.

?In Argentina we are waiting for feedback from our partner Codipe. We need to know if it can pay its bills," duty-free sales agent Klaus Mellin told DFNI. Middle East locations are performing well for Braun.

Swatch has unveiled the X-Large men?s watch range to travel-retail markets worldwide.

World Duty Free (WDF) has developed self-service display units for jewellery and watches at several key airports.

Swarovski?s new Spring/Summer 2002 jewellery collection is based on the theme Heavens and Innocence.

The Craft Council of Ireland (CCI) has developed what it describes as a Retail Resource in an effort to bring more Irish products and design to world markets.