Yang Lu MS to revamp Hainan Airlines’ wine offering

Hainan Airlines has appointed Yang Lu, the first Chinese Master Sommelier, as its ambassador and who will be responsible for creating a new wine list for the airline.

Lu became a Master Sommelier in August 2017. He is the first, and so far the only, Chinese Master Sommelier in the world. Having a thorough understanding of the preference of Asian drinkers, Lu, the founder of wine institute Grapea & Co., is also the Wine Consultant for Shangri-La Hotel Group and provides consulting service to multiple Michelin Starred restaurants.

Earlier this month, Hainan Airlines announced the news of appointing Lu as their exclusive worldwide ambassador, with the goal to “work hand in hand with the most influential people in the Chinese wine world and perfect in-flight wine service for a totally new airborne experience.”

Since 2011, Hainan Airlines has been certified with a 5-Star Airline rating.

This year, it was the only Chinese airline to be included in the top 10 best airlines in the world, with the ranking of 7th. In recent years, the airline has released a handful of innovative products and services, including “HaiChef” dining programme which saw renowned Chinese chefs and Michelin-starred chefs from around the world design menus served to be served on board.

The partnership with Lu is part of the airline’s efforts to reinforce the its F&B service as a whole.