Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones would have been spluttering into his coffee at the news Air NZ had been given another international award.
In this case it was the Air Transport World Eco Airline of the Year prize.
Among other things, the gong recognised the airline's "support for regional NZ communities".
Jones has been known to take a different view of Air NZ's treatment of some regional centres.
Jones has been reasonably quiet over summer, only taking umbrage at a petrol company which correctly noted that taxes account for a hefty portion of the retail petrol price.
He is currently weighing up who to wade into next, with banks and electricity companies the favourites among political pundits.
Meanwhile, National's reshuffle has attracted most headlines for Paula Bennett's new role banging the conservative drum over cannabis law reform.
But in Māori circles there has been a bit more talk about Nick Smith getting the role of Crown-Māori Relations, previously held by the now-retired MP Chris Finlayson.
Some recall Smith's more inflammatory statements when he was a cheerleader for Don Brash's attacks on Treaty settlements.
But others remember that he was the Minister who, with the Māori Party, oversaw changes to the Resource Management Act which gave iwi far more say in council planning processes. Which Nick Smith will turn up?