Retail inMotion has extended its existing contract with Etihad Airways to include the provision of its onboard retail programme in a major new partnership.

The fast-growing Dublin based company – which is a fully integrated subsidiary of LSG Group – is setting its sights on ‘innovating’ the airline’s inflight experience as well as offering a ‘unique concept’ of greater personalisation and choice to their guests. This will include development and management of the Etihad Boutique Duty Free Programme (see image of the inflight magazine bottom right).

Growing the company’s onboard retail business has been a keen focus for LSG, as RiM’s Chief Executive Officer Stefan Patermann told TRBusiness last year in his first industry interview.

“LSG Group is traditionally an inflight catering company, but the reason why LSG Group acquired RiM is to put focus on inflight retail,” said Patermann. (See the rest of his interview here.)

Retail inMotion, which already works with some of the world’s largest carriers, says it will provide Etihad Airways with ‘extensive’ consumer insight and innovation to deliver a wider range of products to further personalise their guests’ journey.

RiM’s Chief Executive Officer Stefan Patermann at the company’s head office in Dublin.

CATERING, BEVERAGE AND AMENITY 

It will also provide ‘advanced premium onboard retail solutions’ for the airline’s new range of carefully selected catering, beverage and amenity items. This range will be offered for purchase to Etihad guests as a supplement to their complimentary inflight service.

“We are enormously excited to announce our partnership with Etihad, one of the most prestigious airlines in the world,” added Patermann.

“Our absolute commitment is to the airline and their valued guests, providing market-leading products, services and technology to promote Etihad as a global lifestyle brand.”

Linda Celestino, Etihad Airways Vice President Guest Experience and Delivery, said: “By working with industry experts Retail inMotion, we will now be able to push the boundaries of personalisation even further by evolving our proposition to not only include our acclaimed complimentary full-service model, but to provide wider choice and allowing guests to truly customise their journey with us.”

PAYMENT PROCESS STREAMLINED

As part of the partnership with Retail inMotion, Etihad Airways will implement Retail inMotion’s proprietary onboard retail management software, Vector, to capture and process payments on board, and run data analytics to ensure optimized products and services for guests.

Additionally, Retail inMotion will implement various retail services, including range development, category management, crew training, catalogue design, and provide guidance in the use of the Retail inMotion technology.

In February 2017, Etihad Airways and the LSG Group signed a partnership agreement to form a strategic cooperation across various aspects of catering and inflight services. The selection of Retail inMotion builds on this joint commitment beyond classic catering to hybrid in-flight concepts and digital services.