Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s latest startup is starting to turn heads. Originally a start-up that – like most – had a questionable future, seems to be full-steam ahead with a recent uniform and A321neo cabin launch. It hasn’t stopped there though, as there have been signature scents and even homeware products that the airline has launched…
Read MoreIt’s no surprise that we are slightly enamoured with Philippine Airlines, especially in the last few years where the carrier has invested heavily in to its hard and soft product. The upgraded 777s and the brand-spanking-new A350s push the carrier well above its previous product offering, and is fast becoming an interesting alternative to the…
Read MoreLast year, when we found five good reasons to fly with Philippine Airlines from London, our top reason was their upgraded 777 fleet, however, just one year on comes the announcement of the airline’s decision to roll the A350 on the route. Commencing on the 28th October 2018, passengers are now able to purchase tickets…
Read MoreTony Fernandes, CEO of Air Asia, Tune Hotels and team principal of the Caterham F1 group has recently tweeted his latest ‘Weekend Uniform’ for his Air Asia cabin crew. Whilst this ‘dressed down’ look of Short sleeve shirts and jeans looks more like easyJet’s original outfits, it’s definitely continuing the feel of F1 within his fleet of…
Read MoreSituated approximately 40kms from Ho Chi Minh City Centre, the latest super-hub airport in Asia last week commenced construction, with an estimated first phase completion in 2025. The Long Thanh International Airport is one of the most interesting new airport developments globally right now, and reflects the relatively huge upswing in air travel to and…
Read MoreYesterday saw Malaysia Airlines, in partnership with Heathrow Airport, host a tour for a select few –including TheDesignAir – to see first-hand and experience the health and safety procedures that have been introduced to ensure that passengers have a safer and comfortable journey from their arrival at the airport through to reaching their destination. We…
Read MoreCOVID-19 has certainly kept airlines on their toes, and while many airlines are frantically trying to get their operations off the ground once again, there’s been an unusual, yet somewhat expected side effect. For years airlines have strived to become lifestyle brands, as relevant in the home as they are in the skies. The problem…
Read MoreUnless you’ve had your head under a rock, you might have noticed that airlines are struggling to survive right now. Their entire model is based on free movement between destinations, a right that has since been rescinded by the global governments who are trying to get a grip on the pandemic. As such, airlines are…
Read MoreWhile the team are doing their bit to help fight this pandemic and staying indoors, it’s also making us a little stir crazy as our wings have been clipped, at least for the coming weeks or months. Like many others out there, we’ve been finding ourselves going through our archives, going online and longing for…
Read MoreAs the phrase goes, “good things come in small packages.” In 2018, the airline industry carried 4.4billion passengers. It has become an integral part of human life, but it’s also an industry of behemoth players. In fact, in 2018, the top 10 airline groups transported over one third of the entire annual traffic, leaving the…
Read MoreThis month saw Qantas and Air New Zealand both launch new safety videos. While both have taken different approaches, the premise of celebrating their national heritage and importance in their market is what ties them together. Qantas Qantas, who is celebrating its centenary – no mean feat in the current aviation climate – takes a…
Read MoreUnlike other media-outlets focussing on the airline industry we make a point to never really comment on short-lived, political or click-bait style news. We focus our approach on the long-lasting customer experience advancements, but Hong Kong has created a unique global environment over the past couple of years, built on political unrest and now the…
Read More2019 has seen yet another year of great innovation, new products, new airlines, new lounges and new airport facilities across the globe. It just goes to show how quickly the industry continues to evolve and respond to the ever-increasing needs of an airline passenger. Just before this year, or even this decade, comes to a…
Read MoreZIPAIR Tokyo, JAL’s low-cost subsidiary has just announced its new cabins that will feature on the carrier’s 787-8s. While the airline will start flying two Seoul and Bangkok as of May next year, little was known about the product it was going to offer. In comparison in the other fledgling carrier in the region –…
Read MoreTheDesignAir is thrilled to announce the 2019 award winners as voted for by our esteemed judging panel and our readers. Year after year, we see more improvements and enhancements across the passenger experience, from narrow to wide bodies to lounges and airports around the globe. We showcase the 2019 winners here.
Read MoreThe past few years has seen a few airlines decide to position themselves as a lifestyle brand, appealing to the younger, time-rich generation who are gap-year embracing, iPhone toting and generally bank-rolled by their parents. While airlines – like the big US 3 – see their passenger demographic age as fast as the airline does,…
Read MoreTheDesignAir is pleased to announce the shortlist for the DesignAir Awards 2019 and just like last couple of years, we’ve opened some of the categories to the public. The voting is now closed! Now is your chance to pick from our shortlisted categories for Best Design Airline, by region, across the globe. All it takes…
Read MoreEntertaining children on long-haul flights – as any parent would know – is an art form, balancing sugar intake, sleep and restlessness is an all consuming part of the flight. Thankfully Singapore Airlines have taken a creative and beautifully simple approach to entertaining kids on their flights with the adoption of a new Origami amenity…
Read MoreSpanning across more than 9,000 square metres in two storeys, Aerotel Beijing is the first, only and largest in-terminal international airport hotel in China and among the world’s biggest. Brought to life by Plaza Premium Group, the new 215-guest room property is just 5 minutes’ walk from Domestic check-in and 10 minutes from International check-in…
Read MorePhilippine Airlines is continuing to improve its passenger experience, investing in new aircraft and turning the carrier around from its earlier, higher density approach to its business. In the past few years that has meant new long-haul business class cabins, improved lounges and A321s with fully flat seats for medium-long haul operations across Australasia. The…
Read MoreMalaysia Airlines is certainly worth considering when selecting long-haul flights through the Asia region as its easy to find affordable fares, and its product is certainly of an international standard. It’s continued to improve its position as one of the leading luxury carriers in the sky by revealing new amenity kits, Wi-Fi and upgraded soft…
Read MoreSingapore Airlines has announced it will be investing more than SGD50 million in a somewhat overdue, revamp of its SilverKris and KrisFlyer Gold Lounges at Changi Airport’s Terminal 3. The current lounges will close in phases, starting August 2019 when the renovations commence, and are expected to be completed by mid-2021. While the final look…
Read MoreJuneyao Airlines has just revealed its new cabin crew uniform, which will be rolled out on the new route from Shanghai to Helsinki this week. The threads, designed by Guo Pei, might look familiar, with the female uniform looking quite similar to the Cheongsam dresses from Hainan Airlines thanks to the ornate embroidery and Chinese traditional elements.…
Read MoreNo matter how we look at it, the aviation business class landscape is changing, and is potentially as fragmented as ever. The race to the bottom is evident, even in currently touted ‘5-star airlines’ who seek profitability. Whether a desire to chase the most effective cabin configuration (LOPA), decision to reduce amenities to the bare…
Read MoreThere are two buzz words flooding the aviation space right now, one is personalisation and the other is health. So its no surprise some airlines are going to new levels to embrace these emerging trends in order to respond to consumer demands. Air France customers in economy and premium economy will be now able to…
Read MoreSingapore Airlines has upgraded its famous ‘Book The Cook’ service enabling customers travelling in Suites, First Class and Business Class from anywhere in the Airline’s global network to now pre-order main courses from their flight’s menus. SIA is the world’s first airline to roll out this bespoke service on all flights. There are also plans…
Read MoreTheDesignAir is pleased to announce the 2018 Award winners as voted for by our esteemed judging panel and our readers. This year has seen a wave of improvements around the world in the field of passenger experience. From impressive new business class cabins to swathes of new airline lounges, no stone has been left unturned…
Read MoreTheDesignAir is pleased to announce the shortlist for the DesignAir Awards 2018 and just like last year, we’ve opened some of the categories to the public, so you can vote for the winners you feel are most worthy. Now is your chance to pick from our shortlisted categories for Best Design Airline, by region, across…
Read MoreHong Kong Airlines just received its latest A350, and with it, the next evolution of its premium experience, unveiling a newly upgraded Business Class seat. This new seat rivals that of Cathay Pacific and here at TheDesignAir we actually prefer the Super Diamond product compared to Cathay Pacific’s due to its increased space and storage…
Read MorePAL’s A350 – featuring a brand new cabin product – will soon start flying on its long-haul city pairing of Manila to London Heathrow. The lighting system onboard might not have taken the limelight, but it certainly creates it, designed as part of a truly holistic cabin concept. “Following on PAL’s A330 retrofit and new…
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