SkyTeam has officially opened the doors to its seventh branded lounge with its signature distinct style including bright lively colours and never-ending curved features. Located in Istanbul’s new airport (IST), the facility is served by seven alliance members: Aeroflot, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, Middle East Airlines, Saudia and TAROM. The lounge features a statement…
Read MoreMost people probably remember when Airbus first launched their A380, there was talk about the cargo area being used as an onboard lounge, retail unit or even a restaurant for passengers. Naturally, like many things in aviation, these ideas gradually disappeared and practicality took over. Gone the ideas of having a large retail unit, when…
Read MoreDelta recently announced it will be moving its operations to Terminal 2 and 3 in LAX from May 12th. It will be one of the largest terminal moves in the history of commercial aviation, but the benefits seem to outweigh the temporary inconveniences. The move is the start of a larger expansion and improvement plan for…
Read MoreFollowing this year’s opening of SkyTeam‘s Hong Kong lounge, the alliance is about to launch a second greater-China lounge in Beijing Capital International Airport. The sixth worldwide lounge for the group will offer a “luxurious pre-flight experience complemented by high-end amenities” for First and Business Class passengers and Elite Plus members flying on any of the…
Read MoreThis week saw the official opening of their latest designer lounge in Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport, the first for SkyTeam in the Gulf region. Catering to Elite Plus, First and Business Class passengers of the ten SkyTeam airlines flying to the airport. The new space spans over 960 square metres and can seat up…
Read MoreThis week marked the arrival of Korean Air‘s new 747-8i passenger aircraft. The first of 10 on order, these new aircraft are heralded as the flagship airframe for this South Korean airline. KAL, which already operates seven 747-8 freighters, has become the first airline in the world to operate both the passenger and freighter version of…
Read MoreStarting this month passengers on XiamenAir may notice they are being served by cabin crew wearing entirely new threads. The new uniforms for men will join the women’s uniforms that were launched May last year. Designed by famous Taiwanese fashion designer Jamei Chen, the new male uniforms for include off tailored silhouettes that hark back to the JetSet…
Read MoreKorean Air is the latest carrier to embrace the new B/E Aerospace Apex business class suite. Following both JAL and Oman Air, Korean Air has opted for these increasingly popular forward facing private suites, which all offer aisle access and increased privacy. Just like Japan airline’s suites, Korean Air’s “Prestige suites” turn into 74 inch long beds. When…
Read MoreThis month we celebrate all things fashion. Our Top 10 airline uniforms for 2015 are a real feast for the eyes. This is one category where product from 40 years ago is still pitched against the very latest products on the market, and some of these products really do stand the test of time. We…
Read MoreThere’s a lot of talk about the nostalgia of the “Golden Age of Travel”, glorified by shows like Pan Am where we see passengers sipping on whiskeys and Martinis as they jetted across the Atlantic, reclined in large recliner seats, dressed impeccably. The warm fuzzy memory of the JetSet era – with the likes of…
Read MoreIt has been a busy year for Business Class, with a staggering array of new products being launched as carriers fight for their most lucrative passenger base. Our list contains some surprises, with familiar names falling off and lesser-known carriers appearing. Generally speaking, the products scored lower this year, possibly because consumers’ expectations are rising. The judges looked, as always, at hard and soft product first— but the very highest…
Read MoreKorean Air today released details (and just a couple of photos) of their brand new Business Class (Prestige) and First Class Lounge at Los Angeles’ TBIT Terminal. Not only is it accessible for passengers flying on the two A380 flights a day back to Incheon, but also to the twenty SkyTeam airlines (plus Emirates whilst their…
Read MoreWhilst we are currently sat in the brand new Korean Air lounge in Los Angeles’ Thomas Bradley International Terminal (TBIT) that’s been open for only 4 weeks, we came across a snag. We were advised that we can’t showcase the lounge itself by taking any photos, which in swathes of Blues and natural stone materials…
Read MoreLiveries around the world are the calling cards for hundreds of different airlines. For some they are the passengers only interaction with the brand image of the airline, so as they park up at the gates of airports globally, they need to be able to communicate the values and concepts that each airline brand stands for.…
Read MoreEmirates, one of the most luxurious airlines in the world has launched the world’s longest A380 route. Shortly after the end of the longest flight in the world (The Singapore Airlines A340-500 Singapore to Newark flight) Emirates has brought a little joy launching not the longest in the world (That is still owned by Qantas’…
Read MoreIn a new wave of patent submissions, British Airways are perhaps going back on their original herringbone concept that they submitted last year. The patent, filed last year but only recently published, shows off a wave of innovative seating arrangements. Whilst most of the patent references the seating configuration rather than the seats themselves, there are…
Read MoreHere at Thedesignair we have been watching the recent trend over the past few months of new uniforms being launched around the world, from China Eastern to Virgin Atlantic, new threads have become the new norm, lifting the inflight product and refreshing the cabin look and feel, whilst also (hopefully) making the cabin crew a…
Read MoreOur TheDesignAir Top 10 lists have undergone a revamp in 2014, and to aid transparency, our top 10 airlines will now have their rating out of 100 shown, as voted for and calculated by our judging panel. What is interesting for our Top 10 International business classes 2014 is the wide ranging percentage scores within the top…
Read MoreFlight: EK216 Aircraft Type: A380-800 Class: Business Class Route: LAX-DXB Date: February 2014 http://www.emirates.com Best for: Luxury long haul explorers wanting all the trimmings. Most likely to sit next to: Either your partner or no-one thanks to their staggered seating. But this is ex-pat country, with many international travellers currently based in the UAE on business. Business or pleasure: Well the A380 is…
Read MoreAs we head into 2013, it’s time to start planning the best places to go for the year ahead. Here at TheDesignAir we’ve wrapped up the best 10 destinations, whether it be for the best in air travel, best new airports or the hottest hotels to stay in. So without further ado, here’s the run-down…
Read MoreFlight: FJ811 Aircraft Type: A330-200 Class: Business Class Route: LAX-NAN Date: 6th February 2014 http://www.fijiairways.com Best for: Savvy passengers who can afford to spend a little more to start their holiday early, and fight off the jetlag. Most likely to sit next to: Anyone from a seasoned traveller top-to-toe in Linen luxury, to a marine biologist connecting on to Sydney. Business or…
Read MoreHere at TheDesignAir, our team of expert judges have looked at the liveries around the world this year and have come up with our Top 10 liveries for 2013. Whilst we have some great looking airlines from last year’s Top 10 still appearing in the list this year, there are some great new liveries that are…
Read More10. Tahiti Nui This livery is great in it’s natural habitat of the colours of the pacific. It’s a naturally warm and modern livery that encapsulates the natural wonders of the Pacific islands. It has clean bold lines and shapes that elegantly follow the shape of the plane whilst also incorporating more fluid and subtle…
Read MoreWhilst this image of the freshly painted Thai A380 might not generate a huge fanfare of a reaction, it is within that reasoning I feel Thai have got their paintjob of the A380 absolutely right. Comparing the image of the A380 to the 747 below you’ll see a few minor, but very clever changes. The…
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