Going for the Asian touch

We recently had the pleasure of meeting the 16 tres, tres charmant, flight attendants, pursers, technical crew and flight captain of France’s chic-ky airline, Air France, dahlings. This was at a press conference that began with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and ended with a buffet dinner excellently prepared by the chefs of the popular Dusit Hotel.

The affair was all about Project Envol Asie, Air France’s commitment to address the fact that each Asian country has its own cultural peculiarities. We learned that there is definitely a need for their flying customers to appropriately attend to, dahlings. Hence, Air France has a special guidebook about the Philippines which is always available for its superbly trained cabin crew. The guidebook contains basic information about the country–its history; geography; economy; religion; gestures we consider courteous; common Tagalog words and phrases; plus what to do or what to avoid during certain situations.

These were all beautifully explained to us by tall, tres charmant French charmer, Air France Phils.’ popular general manager, Monsieur Louis Vergeon, no less, cheris.

"A high level of satisfaction about service received during a flight can only be achieved if the crew has a good understanding of various Asian cultures in relation to Air France’s customers’ specific needs," Monsieur Louis V. added.

Another tres marveilleux (the French for "marvelous") persona was the gentleman who is always with a smile, Air France’s tres competent chief purser and chief of cabin during flights, Pascal Ribera. He explained, "Our Asian passengers are very demanding so in 1999 we recognized how important the Asian market was for Air France. Right after this, Envol Asie was created with the ultimate objective of achieving customer satisfaction."

What has been some of Envol Asie’s activities? Monsieur Ribera replied, "Aside from training and workshops, the crew have made orientation visits all over Asia. In Manila, they interacted with the local staff to be enlightened about common Filipino traits and practices."

They even tasted our local dishes and personally experienced a typically Filipino gathering of eating and getting to know each other.

Sometime this year, another Air France crew will visit us anew for a familiarization trip.

They have even attended language lessons in Korean, Japanese, Indian and even Vietnamese, would you believe?

When moi asked why they have not learned Filipino, Pascal R. answered with a friendly smile, "Filipinos are very fluent in English. Because of this, we’ve never had any communication problems with these passengers."

Monsieur Louis V. then took to the floor and enlightened us some more on Air France’s fantastic non-stop flights to Paris which he said has been an enormous challenge.

In April of this year, the airline launched its tres successful four times a week non-stop flights to beautiful Paris (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays).

What benefits does a passenger get from flying Air France if the passenger’s final destination is not Paris?

Monsieur Vergeon quickly replied, "Paris’ Charles de Gaulle 2 Hub, which is considered the most efficient hub in Europe, offers over 14,000 connections in less than two hours each week. Air France offers its brand new lounge for connecting passengers. The lounge offers showers, beds and meals. Yes, it has been improved. Our direct flights still offer the fastest way to Europe from Manila to 90 percent of European destinations faster than other carriers to major cities in Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, most of Germany, Italy and the UK. To Amsterdam, it only takes 16 hours. To Madrid, 17 hours and 10 minutes, plus, plus."

Monsieur Louis V. proudly added that the customers’ high level of satisfaction over their inflight service proves how the flight crew has a good understanding of Asian cultures, thus immensely helping their passengers’ specific needs.

Monsieur Louis V. is no stranger to Asia; he previously enjoyed assignments in Vietnam and Cambodia. This Air France mega man is confident that the non-stop Paris/Manila flights will definitely improve tourism in the Philippines. Since he arrived, Monsieur Louis V.’s main challenge has been to make this route productive for both Air France and the Philippines, palanggas.

For more info, call tel. nos. 887-7587 and 887-7581; fax no. 887-5686.

Wish granted

It’s not everyday one gets to shop for the latest Courreges bags, dahlings, while being served Dom Perignon and yummy hors d’oeuvres and varied makis. But wishes do come true, and where else could that happen but at Wish, naturellement, that chi-chi luxury store at the Makati Shangri-La’s ground floor. The event was a thank-you fete given by Wish’s classy owners, business-minded socialite Angeli Sison and working gent Anthony Meer for the benefit of the Elsie Gaches Village. It was a champagne-pouring, cash-register-ringing buyers’ party Cosmo Manille has not seen.

Only a select pack was chosen to grace the one-of-a-kind event, dahlings. The invitations were limited only to loyal clients–women who know a Sergio Rossi heel when they see one, and who completely understand the artwork that goes into the making of a Lambertson-Truex bag. The whole walkway of the corner that Wish occupies was transformed into a breezy party space that night, hidden from the Ayala traffic by gauze-like white curtains. It was real cool and comfy inside, thanks to the beautiful floral styling by Mabolo’s talented Antonio Garcia.

Wine flowed endlessly together with the heaven-made delicious yummies from Shangri-La Makati’s excellent Japanese resto, Inagiku, plus a special menu created by Margarita Fores.

Naturellement, everyone who heard the buzz about the hottest jeans among Manhattan and Hollywood "it" girls, Seven, checked out the exquisite pairs there. There seemed no end to the card-swiping that night. Wish’s super nice spokesperson Mia Borromeo personally assisted the lady invitees, opening box apres box of the latest Mule Spring/Summer 2002, naturellement.

The (literally) well-heeled crowd, palanggas, was as varied and colorful as a Hindmarch bag, and as fragrant as Creed. The ladies included Steps’ Sofia Zobel-Elizalde; tall dusky beauty, vibrantly adorable Bea Zobel Jr.; feminine beauty Gina Roxas; eye-catching Marilen Gonzales Elizalde; fashionable Joyce Meer; fashion plate Bledes Fores who toted Courreges bag as she entered; glamorous Ching Cruz; Knit Queen Lulu Tan Gan; civic-oriented Fe Rodriguez on a rare night out; Tonette Martel; working heiress Bela Vasquez; and Gift Gate’s Southern wonder woman, brilliant Virgie Ramos who probably went home with four pairs of Manolos.

The men who coolly checked out the latest from Sergio Rossi and Helmut Lang, were French businessman Jacques Dupasquier; entrepreneur Raul Manzano of the popular Arrakis Oggeti (Wish’s next-door neighbor; creative Junie Rodriguez; Enrico Sison; Press Secretary Bobby Tiglao; The Embassy of Austria’s Anton Naguiat; and Commercial Attache of the Embassy of France, Herve Cotton; and the man himself, workasonic, dedicated persona, well-liked Richard Riley, the general manager of the Shangri-La Makati, no less.

Make your wish come true, palanggas, by checking out at the ground floor of the Shopping Arcade of the Makati Shangri-La, facing Ayala Ave., Makati.

Well, there’s never a dull moment in our town, palanggas, because wishes do come true. See you.