China Airlines has a fairly phenomenal lounge in Terminal 1 of Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport. Designed by Ray Chen back in 2014, the larger of the three lounges is a beautiful designer heaven, featuring both a business class and VIP section that was inspired by the Song Dynasty with a conceptual use of a “southern china…
Read MoreChina Airlines Introduces Refreshing New Summer Menu And Dining Innovations
China Airlines has won countless awards from TheDesignAir over the years due to its constant drive to quantum leap their cabin product. Now at a truly international level, the airline is investing in to new dining concepts that both innovate and get the taste buds going. This summer, China Airlines is introducing a number of…
Read MoreChina Airlines Brings Their A350-900 To London Gatwick
Starting 1st December 2017, China Airlines will bring their state-of-the-art A350-900 from Taipei to London Gatwick. The carrier is the latest to join a growing list of long-haul airlines flying from Asia. This additional European destination joins Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Rome and Vienna that the carrier also regularly flies to. Initially flying 4 times a week,…
Read MoreTrip Report: China Airlines A350-900 Business Class March 2017
Flight: CI063 Aircraft Type: A350-900 Class: Business Class Route: TPE-VIE Date: March 2017 http://www.china-airlines.com China Airlines last year won two awards from us for their formidable turn-around of their inflight and ground product, especially in business class. Their A350-900 is the latest aircraft to join the fleet and features their brand new Business Class product, based on Ray Chen’s design found…
Read MoreChina Airlines Reveal Video Walk-Through Of New A350
China Airlines has just revealed a very high quality video walk-through of their new A350, showing off their new A350 Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy classes. It’s the first time the airline has given the full picture behind the new cabin. The cabins offer points of difference from the new 777 fleet that have…
Read MoreChina Airlines A350 Interiors May Appear Similar to the 777, But They Offer A Brand New Aesthetic
China Airlines recently unveiled an exclusive look into their new A350 XWB aircraft, coming into service within just a few months. The interiors are, at first glance, carbon copies of the already established 777-300ER (the last of which is just about to be delivered to the carrier), however, in an exclusive TheDesignAir interview with the…
Read MoreChina Airlines To Upgrade European Network
China Airlines, one of our new favourite carriers, has just announced it will be upgrading it’s European routes of Amsterdam, Rome and Vienna with the new A350 aircraft which it is set to receive within a couple of months. Not only China Airlines roll out the new metal on the routes, it has made all…
Read MoreTrip Report: China Airlines 777-300ER Premium Business Class September 2015
Flight: CI061 (Westbound) and CI062 (Eastbound) Aircraft Type: B777-300ER Class: Premium Business Class Route: FRA-TPE-FRA Date: November 2015 http://www.china-airlines.com China Airlines has really managed to wow the world with their ‘Next Generation’ program. The airline has won not just one but three awards at the Global Traveler Awards, including best business class seat design. It’s also…
Read MoreSkyTeam Lounge At Hong Kong International Opens In Partnership With China Airlines And China Eastern
This week saw the opening of SkyTeam’s latest beautiful lounge in Hong Kong International Airport. This is the latest major SkyTeam lounge opening since Sydney earlier this year. The ‘Exclusive’ Lounge is the result of a partnership between China Airlines and China Eastern airlines. It is SkyTeam’s first VIP Lounge in the Greater China region and the…
Read MoreTrip Report: China Airlines 777-300ER Premium Business Class September 2015
Flight: CI3 (Westbound) and CI4 (Eastbound) Aircraft Type: B777-300ER Class: Premium Business Class Route: SFO-TPE-SFO Date: September 2015 http://www.china-airlines.com Written for TheDesignAir by Adam Ralston | San Francisco is inarguably one of the busiest US gateways to and from Asia. All US legacy carriers and a multitude of foreign carriers provide direct service to several points of entry throughout…
Read MoreChina Airlines Introduces Futuristic New Uniforms
No, Starfleet Academy hasn’t just done a flash mob. China Airlines has just introduced a brand new uniform, which replaces its softer pastel-coloured uniforms that have been synonymous with the Taiwanese carrier for many years now. The new look, designed by Oscar-nominee costume designer William Chang, features bold colour blocks in sharp contrast–such as red and violet…
Read MoreTRIP REPORT: China Airlines 777-300ER Economy Class November 2014
Flight: CI791 Aircraft Type: B777-300ER Class: Economy Class (Family Couch Seats) Route: TPE-HAN Date: November 2014 http://www.china-airlines.com Best for: Affordable customisable luxury at an economy class price tag. Most likely to sit next to: Savvy cool Trans-pacific travellers Business or pleasure: This airline is built for business. Great schedules, frequent services, good connections and wifi onboard, means for a logical choice for those…
Read MoreChina Airlines New Lounge Strengthens New ‘Designer’ Airline Status
So you may have guessed we’ve been travelling recently with China Airlines, and for good reason. The Airline’s NextGen program to reinject life into the quieter of the Asian airlines has been nothing short of impressive. The latest element to join this facelift, is the new lounge in Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 1, situated where…
Read MoreTRIP REPORT: China Airlines 777-300ER Premium Economy Class November 2014
Flight: CI791 Aircraft Type: B777-300ER Class: Premium Economy Class Route: TPE-HAN Date: November 2014 http://www.china-airlines.com Best for: Those looking for extra perks and comfort for those not wanting the heavy price tag. Most likely to sit next to: Savvy cool Trans-pacific travellers Business or pleasure: This airline is built for business. Great schedules, frequent services, good connections and wifi onboard, means for a logical…
Read MoreTRIP REPORT: China Airlines 777-300ER Business Class November 2014
Flight: CI791 Aircraft Type: B777-300ER Class: Premium Business Class Route: TPE-HAN Date: November 2014 http://www.china-airlines.com Best for: One stop travellers connecting from Asia to the US in need of connectivity and comfort. Most likely to sit next to: Quiet business professionals. Business or pleasure: This airline is built for business. Great schedules, frequent services, good connections and wifi onboard, means for a logical…
Read MoreA Closer Look At China Airlines New 777-300ER
A little while ago, we announced China Airlines plans for their Next Generation 777-300ER, and spoke about the radical industry leading product they wanted to create. Last week the airline received their brand new 777-300ER, and we now take a closer look at the final product. We have to admit, we are blown away by…
Read MoreTRIP REPORT: China Airlines Business Class May 2014
Flight: CI062 Aircraft Type: B747-400 Class: Business Class Route: FRA-TPE Date: May 2014 http://www.china-airlines.com Best for: Affordable business class travellers wanting excellent service and good connections across Asia. Most likely to sit next to: Local Taiwanese travellers, or connecting European flyers utilising the Skyteam partnership. Business or pleasure: Pleasure. Without wi-fi onboard, and a service concept that makes you feel like you are…
Read MoreIt’s A Taiwanese Revolution, Bring On China Airlines!
China Airlines, once the quieter of the Asian airline fraternity, has decided 2014 is the year it comes out and shows the world what it is made of. The airline, whose mainline long haul fleet currently features older 747’s and A340’s and newer A330s, has placed orders for brand new modern 777s and A350s, which…
Read MoreChina Eastern New A350s And Shanghai Airlines 787s Feature Impressive New Business and ‘First’ Products
Both China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines are receiving new cabin products for their latest generation aircraft deliveries. Shanghai Airlines’ 787 Dreamliner arrived at the Hongqiao International Airport, delivered to China Eastern’s affiliated Shanghai Airlines to become the carrier’s 100th aircraft. The new aircraft will initially serve domestic routes between Shanghai and Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. After that,…
Read MoreHainan Airlines Is Latest Connection From UK To China
Hainan Airlines, one of Skytrax’s 7 exclusive five star carriers, announced on the weekend that it would be starting a Beijing – Manchester connection. Flying four times a week to the UK’s second most favourite destination for long haul carriers, Hainan Airlines will be the latest connection from the UK to China, a growing market,…
Read MoreEastern Airlines hits a home run with fantastic Braniff-esque brand image
[Updated] Last week we mentioned in a story that we hoped that in 2020 airlines would start to break the mould and start thinking differently about liveries and brand image and it seems that resurrected Eastern Airlines has done exactly that. Announced yesterday, the new conceptual design for the decades-old carrier – designed by Mechanica…
Read MoreChina Eastern retrofits 737s with new lie-flat Business Class seats, but seems to miss a trick…
China Eastern took another step forwards in the last week of 2019 with the introduction of a new retro-fitted business class cabin on some of its narrow body aircraft. Reflecting the increasing demand for air travel in China and the increasing competitive approach to offering a world-class product, the airline opted to remove its previous…
Read MoreStarlux Airlines is certainly drawing some attention, but how will it compete in an already crowded Asian market?
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 MorePhilippine Airlines introduces new regional A321 Neo fleet
Philippine 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 MoreJuneyao Airlines introduces new uniforms and reveals inflight offering on first of true long-haul routes, to Helsinki
Juneyao 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 MoreIn This Current Climate, Is There A Need For Leading Business Class Airlines?
No 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 MoreHong Kong Airlines Receives First A350
Last week saw not only the arrival of Hong Kong Airlines brand new lounge, but also their very first of 21 A350 aircraft. The airline is embracing the aircraft to support its international development, cherry-picking long-haul destinations that strategically support its future growth. The airline is putting emphasis on developing routes to North America and…
Read MoreHawaiian Airlines Hint At Refreshed Brand, Livery And Uniforms In Exclusive Interview With TheDesignAir
In the heart of Honolulu Airport, TheDesignAir talks exclusively with Avi Mannis at Hawaiian Airlines on their home turf, discussing the past, the future, brand and livery, plus what it means to be a truly successful ‘destination carrier’ The Roots of the Hawaiian Airlines Brand Sat in Hawaiian Airlines offices just on the edge of…
Read MorePlaza Premium Partner With China Eastern To Create New No.77 Lounge In Shanghai
This month our favourite independent lounge company Plaza Premium launched a brand new lounge in Shanghai Pudong for China Eastern airlines. The world’s first co-branded spacious lounge, situated in Shanghai’s Terminal 2 features 1,800 square meters of space for passengers to relax before their flights. The lounge which can seat up to 500 guests in comfort,…
Read MoreChina Eastern’s New 777-300ER Gives The Airline An Added Advantage
Today is the launch party of China Eastern‘s New 777-300ER which has now commenced commercial service to LA, with the carrier launching the brand new Boeing aircraft on their prestigious trans-Pacific Shanghai – Los Angeles route. With already established routes to America, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu to Shanghai, China Eastern is poised to become a…
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