Lynch-Bages and Cathay Pacific: over 25 years of flying!
Over 25 years of flying with Cathay Pacific!
The Cathay Pacific airline currently serves Lynch-Bages 2004 to first-class passengers on its flights between Hong Kong and London. An iconic entente that was launched in 1989……
Jean-Michel Cazes and the Cathay Pacific team, Hong Kong, May 2006
Cathay Pacific had at that time decided to focus on great wines as a means of attracting international businessmen onto its international flights between Europe and the large cities of South-East Asia, which was then undergoing rapid economic growth.
In order to stand out from the crowd, the airline company wanted its in-flight wines to be a respectable age. Its aim was to go on to establish a significant stock of bottled wines covering several vintages.
A Lynch-Bages vertical in the Cathay stocks
Following months of talks, an agreement was reached whereby the airline would purchase bottles of Château Lynch-Bages covering 10 vintages: from 1980 to 1989. The transaction was facilitated accordingly through the financial services of AXA, the Banque Française du Commerce Extérieur and the intervention of an experienced Bordeaux négociant. Cathay Pacific had a few stipulations of its own: in particular, that its stock should be isolated in the Lynch-Bages cellars and periodically checked. The notary in Pauillac was responsible for this task of monitoring the “Cathay stocks”.
Flight comparisons: the "Lynch-Bages arbitrage"
The first delivery – the Lynch-Bages 1980 – was made in 1990. Consignments then followed on as and when requested by the company. Confidence gradually grew and the notary became superfluous after a few years. Friendly relations were even struck up with the successive CEOs, who were great lovers of the Lynch-Bages wines. On several occasions, Jean-Michel Cazes and Jean-Charles Cazes provided on-site training for the cabin crews, who were mostly unfamiliar with the culture of wine. Passengers passed the word around and Cathay Pacific planes were used by ever-increasing numbers of Lynch-Bages enthusiasts.
It was even said that certain regular fliers on the London-Hong Kong route used to compensate for the relatively high Cathay Pacific airfares with the Lynch-Bages consumed during the 12-hour flight… A subtle calculation known as the “Lynch-Bages arbitrage”.
Based in all of the large South-East Asian airports, Cathay Pacific has been a great help to Château Lynch-Bages in breaking into the markets in that region, starting with mainland China. For its part, Lynch-Bages is proud to have helped establish the quality of the company’s in-flight service at a level that is recognised worldwide.