Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (SET: THAI) has once again demonstrated its world-class standards by winning three prestigious awards at the Cellars in the Sky 2026 by Business Traveller, held in London, United Kingdom, on 8 June 2026. The achievement reflects THAI’s internationally recognized service excellence and commitment to delivering exceptional inflight experiences.
Cellars in the Sky is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious inflight beverage competitions in the global aviation industry. Organized annually by Business Traveller, a leading travel publication with a circulation of approximately 700,000 copies per year and significant influence among business travelers worldwide, the awards recognize airlines that excel in wine and beverage selection as well as the design of premium inflight service experiences for First and Business Class passengers. This year marks the 40 th anniversary of the competition.
The judging panel comprised internationally renowned experts, including Peter McCombie MW and Sam Caporn MW, both holders of the prestigious Master of Wine (MW) qualification-the highest credential in the global wine industry, held by only a little over 400 individuals worldwide. The panel also included Kelly Stevenson, a Certified Sommelier and WSET Diploma holder from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET), an internationally recognized institution for wine and spirits education operating in more than 70 countries; Charles Metcalfe, Co-Founder of the International Wine Challenge (IWC); and John Worontschak, an internationally respected wine production consultant.
This year, THAl received awards in three categories: Gold Award – Drinks Innovation: Overall Business Class Inflight Drinks Programme Silver Award – Inflight, First Class Fortified Wine Silver Award – Inflight, Business Class Dessert Wine.
The competition’s highest distinction awarded to THAI was the Gold Award – Drinks Innovation: Overall Business Class Inflight Drinks Programme, which recognizes airlines that have developed a comprehensive and outstanding Business Class beverage program. The award acknowledges excellence across both alcoholic and non alcoholic offerings, underpinned by a concept that successfully combines international quality standards, diversity, and a distinctive identity that reflects both Thai and Asian heritage.
Gold Award – Drinks Innovation: Overall Business Class Inflight Drinks Programme
In addition to creating a comprehensive and distinguished Business Class beverage program, one of the highlights that particularly impressed the judging panel was THAI’s Asian Rice Wine Programme. The airline designed the program around three exceptional rice wines from across Asia, placing Sato, Thailand’s traditional rice wine rooted in local wisdom and heritage, at its core. By presenting Sato alongside internationally recognized rice wines such as Japanese Sake and Korean Makgeolli, THAI creates a platform through which passengers can discover and appreciate Thai rice wine within a broader Asian context, demonstrating that Sato is fully comparable in quality to Asia’s leading rice wine traditions.
The Sato selected by THAI is produced from “Luem Pua Glutinous Rice”, a distinctive indigenous Thai glutinous rice variety known for its naturally deep purple color and high nutritional value. The product reflects the richness of Thailand’s agricultural heritage and ongoing efforts to preserve native rice varieties. It represents a genuine effort to bring Thailand’s cultural identity from local farmlands to the global stage.
The initiative was inspired by THAI’s philosophy of “Good Taste for a Good Cause,” which aims to use inflight products as a platform for promoting Thai agriculture and supporting local producers who create high-quality products based on traditional Thai wisdom and craftsmanship.
Silver Award – Inflight, First Class Fortified Wine
This year, THAI placed special emphasis on elevating its First Class fortified wine selection through the careful curation of premium Port wines, which are considered a hallmark of luxury service among leading international airlines. This commitment was recognized by the judging panel with a Silver Award in the First Class Fortified Wine category for Graham’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port.
Silver Award – Inflight, Business Class Dessert Wine
THAI further enhanced its inflight beverage program this year by officially introducing a dedicated Dessert Wine category in Business Class, providing passengers with a more complete dining experience from the beginning to the end of their meal. Receiving the Silver Award in the Business Class Dessert Wine category for Château d’Arche 2018 in its first year of participation demonstrates the success and strategic direction of THAI’s beverage program development.
The three awards received at the Cellars in the Sky 2026 by Business Traveller reflect THAI’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the passenger experience and align with the airline’s vision of being a premium full service carrier that delivers world-class service through a distinctive Thai identity on the global stage.
