Last week, Airbus opened its paint hangar doors in Mirabel and let us peek inside where the latest aircraft is being painted for Air Canada. Instead of the usual black and white ‘Raccoon mask’ livery that Air Canada is now sporting across its fleet, the airline has opted to nod to its history, revealing its…
Read MoreIn the height of Covid-19, airlines are having to rapidly innovate and the fastest route to market is adapting products that airlines already have in their arsenal. While potentially the next few months could see the rebirth of the All-Business Class era once again – with nimble boutique style carriers appealing to those wanting to…
Read MoreToday, Air Canada announced the first two brand-new routes to be operated with their Airbus A220-300. They include the only non-stop service between Montreal and Seattle and between Toronto and San Jose, California, both starting in spring, 2020. While the routes are new, so are the airline’s interiors for the aircraft operating them, which will…
Read MoreToday saw the opening of the fully redesigned Air France lounge at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. In association with the Plaza Premium Group, the airline now offers its Business and Flying Blue Elite Plus customers a large, elegant and welcoming space, in an iteration of the new ground product design for Air France.…
Read MoreWhile the trend for airlines is to open a residential style lounge concept, Air Canada has leapfrogged its competition by creating a new lounge concept which focusses on time-sensitive travellers looking purely for a place to charge up their computers, phones and themselves. The opening of the Air Canada Café at Toronto Pearson International Airport supports the existing…
Read MoreAir Canada passengers travelling from New York’s LaGuardia rejoice. The new lounge is now officially open. Opened at the start of December, this new space signals the opening of the new Eastern concourse at Terminal B. The new lounge, conveniently located after security near Air Canada’s gates features popular amenities, including refreshments and a business centre,…
Read MoreAviation is awash with blue. Approximately a decade ago, the skies were filled with blue liveries, interiors lined wall-to-wall with blue seats, carpets, and uniforms in every shade of navy. While design studios have gradually peeled airline brands away from such a strong design vertical, what caused such visual dominance in the industry?
Read MoreIn an exciting move, Air Canada today introduced its new Signature Service, providing an enhanced and seamless end-to-end travel experience for customers flying in Air Canada’s ‘Signature Class’, the premium cabin of its wide-body aircraft. Available today for international customers and, starting June 1 on select flights within North America, the new service makes Air…
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 MoreAmerican Express and MAG USA (parent company of Escape) have just announced the opening of The Centurion and Escape Lounges at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). Located in the airport’s Terminal 4 the lounges will cater to passengers flying with Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways, Condor, Southwest, Volaris and WestJet. The new lounge complex…
Read MoreAir Canada has now officially opened its Signature Suite for their top International Business customers at its Toronto Pearson global hub. The new suite, designed by acclaimed Montreal architecture and design firm Heekyung Duquette, is an exclusive airport retreat. Inside, eligible premium customers can dine à la carte at a full-service restaurant from a menu created by…
Read MoreStar Alliance customers travelling from Amsterdam Schiphol can look forward to a new lounge experience, competing with the new KLM Crown Lounge that is still in development. The new Star Alliance Lounge will welcome eligible First and Business Class passengers and Star Alliance Gold Card holders as well as eligible paid lounge members of the…
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 MoreStepping in to Neutral Digital’s Shoreditch studio in London, there is something daunting about being greeted by an isolated sole chair surrounded by some simple technology and a giant screen. But the warmth of the greeting from Sergio Irigoyen and Dan Bambridge alleviate any concerns. After all, I’m about to experience one of the most state-of-the-art…
Read MoreToday saw the official arrival of the British Airways A350. The aircraft which was meant to arrive on Friday was delayed due to the air traffic control and weather issues at Heathrow. However, today saw no sign of either of those. Under perfectly blue skies, British Airways wheeled out the new aircraft which in reality arrived…
Read MoreToday saw Air France reveal a brand new Business Class product that will start to grace its 777-300ERs. It also revealed an exciting new ‘brand video’ to impart the new Air France brand to its global audience. At the heart of this regeneration lies its new business class seat, which is entirely new, although it…
Read MoreYes, that’s right, it’s not Air Canada, It’s actually WestJet’s impressive (If somewhat familiar looking) new business class cabin that will be rolled out in early 2019 on the airline’s new 787 Dreamliner fleet which will feature an updated and slick new livery. “The introduction of Boeing’s 787-9 Dreamliner, a state-of-the-art aircraft, is the dawn…
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 MoreToday, in a simultaneous cross-country launch in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Air Canada unveiled for its customers and employees a new livery inspired by Canada for its entire fleet, new uniforms for its employees, and a taste of some of the new onboard menu offerings that its customers can look forward to. “Air Canada’s new livery signals a pivotal inflection point in our…
Read MoreFragrances aren’t new to airlines, in fact, probably more airlines than you think have found ways to freshen and brand their aircraft through yet another sense. Joining the likes of Cathay Pacific, Delta, Turkish and Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic has launched a signature scent called ‘Air.’ Collaborating with British scent designer and candle chandler Rachel…
Read MoreTheDesignAir is pleased to announce the shortlist for the DesignAir Awards 2017 and just like last year, we’ve opened some of the categories to the public, so you can vote for the winners. Now is your chance to pick from our shortlisted categories for Best Design Airline, by region, across the globe. All it takes…
Read MoreHave you ever wondered what involvement the airline alliance has in the design language adopted by their airlines? With the rise the alliance-friendly terminal, such as Heathrow’s Terminal 2, we talk to Julie Murphy, Star Alliance’s Chair in the UK about design and customer experience. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, can…
Read MoreAir Canada last week opened a new Business Class check-in area in Toronto Pearson for their Business Class, Premium Economy, Premium Rouge and Alititude top tier fliers as well as gold members of Star Alliance. The area has been designed to offer a more relaxed environment for their premium passengers to check-in, including lounge seating,…
Read MoreAs Air Canada’s revealed its new livery reveal, we raise the question, has the continuing trend of ‘Eurowhite’ liveries started to draw to a close? It was actually back in 1965 that Braniff International launched their ‘End of the plain plane’ advertising campaign – pointing out that their brightly coloured aircraft and Pucci uniforms were a unique selling…
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 MoreNow if Legally Blonde created an airline it would probably look and sound a little like Westjet’s Ultra-low cost carrier ‘Swoop’. Sporting a large wave through the logo (that we can’t help but see a Trump-esque hairdo – once seen, never unseen) the airline has embraced pink as their brand colour. The airline will…
Read MoreThis month we are turning our eyes to the outside of the aircraft. Usually bright and colorful, these calling cards fill international airports with a myriad of designs. A livery, if designed correctly, can convey the brand experience that takes place inside. Each year, our judges (including some new faces) sort through the best of the best to find out what is hitting the mark and ticking the right…
Read MoreWe are introducing a new Top 10 this month. One of the most diverse categories, ‘Low Cost Carrier Brands’ is now getting the recognition it rightfully deserves. Traditionally speaking, the low-cost model is only three decades old, and has grown up fast. The once ‘bare-essentials’ image that these carriers used to have, has now evolved into intuitive, modern and…
Read MoreHere’s some more positive news for Brussels, after opening ‘The Loft’ in Brussels Airport’s Terminal A in 2014, Brussels Airlines has now also inaugurated a new lounge in Terminal B, called ‘The Suite’. This is excellent news for passengers who aren’t travelling within the Schengen zone. Compared to the previous B Pier lounge, The Suite is double…
Read MoreAir Canada, who have created one of the densest seating 777‘s going, which apart from their new business class cabin (which is great), packed passengers in their economy cabin, has now released impressions of their 787. Whilst the economy cabin offers 3 x 3 x 3 seating (which although tight is similar to almost all…
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