IAG launched its new airline yesterday. Called ‘Level’ the airline will be based in Barcelona, also home to IAG partner airline, Vueling. The announcement showcased the new interiors, brand positioning and livery. Level’s brand language approaches younger, more inquisitive travellers that have possibly been restricted by cost of long-haul travel. The visual palette reflects an…
Read MoreUnited’s New Polaris Cabin Brings Carrier Up To International Level
United Airlines has unveiled today a brand new international business class cabin and lounge concept that will start flying December 1st 2016. This revolutionary leap for United pushes the boundaries of comfort and amenities for the one remaining US legacy carrier that has lagged behind the recent developments at Delta and American. Named after the North Star, United…
Read MoreAirbus’ impending A320 Airspace cabin gives airlines more opportunities to build branded experiences
Airbus is soon to bring its first A320 family Airspace cabin to the market thanks to JetBlue’s new A321 which will be flying in just a few months’ time. Airbus has just recently started flight testing of the first Airspace Single-Aisle aircraft. A second phase of in-flight testing will take place in February to validate…
Read MoreGeven and Priestmangoode join forces on next generation of seats
Geven is working with UK design agency PriestmanGoode on a new family of next-generation aircraft seats. This isn’t the first time the two companies have crossed paths. In fact, Geven’s Comoda AQ seats (the same product found in recently delivered Uganda Airlines’ A330 premium economy) were the same hard product in Priestmangoode’s South African Airlines short-haul…
Read MoreExclusive: Minty Fresh, Acumen’s approach to JetBlue’s latest Business Class cabin
Acumen, the London based design studio, has been working with JetBlue for several years, reimagining the passenger experience. Back in 2016 they commenced work on the new A321neo cabin, but they have also worked on the new A321LR project which graced the news this week, thanks to its innovative business class cabin featuring the new…
Read MoreJapan Airlines’ Tsurumaru inspires new range of origami crane amenities by Nendo
Japan Airlines has just released its latest range of amenities and soft products for its domestic and international travellers. The latest designs have been brought to life by Japanese design studio Nendo with a nod to the Tsurumaru crane logo that is synonymous with the carrier. As part of the process, the studio deconstructed the…
Read MoreJetBlue shows it means business with its new Transatlantic Mint product
JetBlue has been long touting its desire to compete on the Transatlantic market. With the recent exit of Norwegian’s long haul operations, there’s certainly a slot to be filled in competitively priced disrupters, and JetBlue has jumped at the opportunity. However, it certainly means business, trying to take a slice of the highly lucrative Transatlantic…
Read MoreHot Hotel: Soneva bucks the trend in travel and hospitality with an unlimited all-inclusive product ‘Soneva Unlimited’
We’ve always kept an eye on Soneva, it epitomises the future of hospitality. The brand isn’t new, but the properties are well known within the industry for being the epitome of luxury, sustainability and service. While Soneva Fushi, situated in the Maldives might be the longest serving property in the portfolio, Soneva Jani – its…
Read MoreJetBlue’s new A220 features a sleek new cabin, mirroring the carrier’s latest fleet
JetBlue has just revealed the all-new onboard experience which will soon greet customers aboard the airline’s Airbus A220-300. It is the first of no less than 70 A220’s that JetBlue has on order, that was delivered to the airline’s home at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 5 in New York on New Year’s Eve.…
Read MoreBritish Airways learns from 2020 and launches hybrid onboard economy food service by British Chef Tom Kerridge and Tourvest
British Airways has today announced that it will be partnering with celebrated, British Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kerridge, who has designed a number of gourmet food items, which include signature pies and sandwiches, to pre-purchase for the airline’s Euro Traveller (short haul economy) customers. “The move marks a renewed focus on the short haul customer…
Read MoreIs Soneva’s seaplane the most exclusive ‘airline’ in the skies?
You may have headed to the Maldives recently, in a bid to escape the confines of constant lockdowns and an approaching Northern Hemisphere winter. With Maldives being one of the only destinations that has been open to tourism for many, its quickly shifted from the honeymoon destination of dreams to a must-visit for those just…
Read MoreTrip Report: TAP Portugal A330neo Business Class December 2020
TAP Portugal is well known as one of the cheapest Star Alliance carriers, however, with the addition of its new Airbus Neo fleet, the aging business class cabin (albeit comfortable) has been given a new lease of life thanks to brand new Recaro seats.
Read MoreCould Vantage Solo become one of the most common seats in Business Class for the next decade?
The industry has been mooting the possibility of growth in the long-haul single-aisle market across the past couple of years, however 2020’s pandemic has rapidly escalated this conversation. These narrow body ultra-long-haul aircraft are perfectly suited for a subdued travel market across the next few years, with fewer seats and the ability to connect point-to-point…
Read MoreSwiss to offer exciting new menus in Intercontinental First and Business Class
While Swiss has announced that in economy passengers will soon have to pay for food and drink onboard short-haul flights, things have taken a radical shift in the opposite gear onboard the carrier’s long-haul premium cabins. Crafted by Michelin-starred chef Alexandra Müller of the Romantik Hôtel L’Etoile in Charmey, Canton Fribourg, these latest culinary creations…
Read MoreTheDesignAir 2020 update. A call for your support
2020 has been perhaps one of the most challenging years for commercial aviation since the industry started. While the industry has survived terrorism, volcanic ash, wars and epidemics, this pandemic has shaken the industry to its core. The rulebooks have been thrown out and airlines have had to fight for their survival. While some governments…
Read MoreSingapore Airlines reimagines economy dining concept with increased choice and sustainability at its heart
Singapore Airlines and SilkAir will start to offer a wider range of main courses on flights under three and a half hours from next month, providing customers with a greater variety of local Singaporean and international favourites on these routes as part of its new Economy Class meal concept. At first, the new presentation might take…
Read MoreJetBlue adds refreshed Mint amenities in preparation for its Trans-Atlantic flights
JetBlue – in a bid to fully refresh its competitively priced fully-flat bed Mint product – has announced its first major refresh of its JetBlue Mint service. While we know that the airline will be launching London flights in Q3 2021 with an all-new (and very exciting) new hard product, it was about time the…
Read MoreLondon City Airport’s latest brand positioning might help it in a post-COVID world
Back in late 2017, London City Airport went through a new branding exercise that introduced a softer, lifestyle approach stripping away its hard-faced business image that reflected the city worker demographic looking to hop to and from Europe, New York and the rest of the UK. Brought to life by The Allotment, the new brand…
Read MoreWestJet opens new ‘Elevation’ lounge in Calgary. A Flagship lounge aimed at cementing the airline’s design credentials
WestJet might not be the first brand that comes to mind when announcing a new Flagship lounge considering its half-dozen fleet of long-haul aircraft. But the airline is certainly looking to craft a niche for itself as the airline of choice for Canadian travellers. Dubbed ‘Elevation’, WestJet’s new lounge in Calgary spans more than 9,300…
Read MoreSharjah receives new Premium Lounge, brought to life by JPA Design
As travel starts to comeback to the UAE, Sharjah’s airport has opened its newly designed Premium Lounge, which will cater to all passengers either with a suitable lounge programme, or by payment on entry. The lounge is just one element in a 4,000 square metre extension. The extensive refurbishment of the lounge features a paired…
Read MoreFrom boutique carriers to beds, bars and onboard spas, the ME3’s need to evolve the landscape for its premium travellers
2020 has seen the rule book thrown out of the window. Carriers that have adapted quickly will see the largest market share in 2021. While many airlines continue to struggle just to survive day-to-day, some have taken this as an opportunity to level the playing field. While clear regional battles are at play across Asia,…
Read MoreThe Flygge Series: Qantas launches retro leisure clothing range by Martin Grant
In the second of our Flygge series, we turn our eyes to Qantas. ‘Flygge’, a wordplay on Hygge – the Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment – is TheDesignAir’s name for this new emerging airline trend where brands are now becoming a part…
Read MoreBritish Airways adds doors to First, but is it enough?
British Airways’ recent upgrade to its Club World with the new Club World Suite has given the carrier a bit of a conundrum. As the airline has started the retrofit of its fleet with the new Business Class product, it’s left the First Class cabin, even the latest incarnation offering very little difference on paper.…
Read MoreStelia’s new Opera narrow body seat might not look a game changer, but it’s a clever evolution
Stelia’s new ‘Opera’ seat has just entered the market, specifically for narrow-body single-aisle cabins. This new “Full Flat, Full Access, Full Privacy” Business Class seat claims it offers the highest standard wide-body comfort on single-aisle. Now you might be like, ‘hang on, I’ve seen reverse herringbone seats on single-aisle aircraft before, such as American Airlines…
Read MoreGulf Air shows off new A321LR cabins with flatbeds in Business Class
Over the past few years Gulf Air has managed to really shake off its tired products of the past and reposition itself as a boutique carrier that gives the ME3 a run for their money. The 787 product is certainly stunning, and we thought that in many ways, thanks to their smaller more intimate cabins,…
Read MoreDelta welcomes first guests in Salt Lake City’s brand new Sky Club
With Salt Lake City International Airport recently opening its latest terminal, Delta – the largest of airlines operating from SLC – has also opened its largest Delta Sky Club with guests able to enjoy the new space from today. Covering just over 28,000 square feet, the new Club celebrates the area’s famous mountainous landscape while…
Read MoreDon’t put your feet up. Why airlines still have to invest in design, especially now
Unless 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 MoreTEAGUE questions if making the invisible, visible within design is the way forward with new AirShield?
With such a fast changing narrative around Coronavirus it’s difficult for airlines to plan for a post-Covid future. From social distancing to personal shields, designers have been supporting airlines across the globe, working quickly to help navigate the scale and impact of such a widespread pandemic. Most solutions created have answered a problem, whether it’s…
Read MoreLaGuardia’s transformation breathes new life (and light) in to the airport
Yesterday saw the opening of the brand-new Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall at LaGuardia Airport, the biggest milestone to date in the airport’s ongoing $8 billion transformation into a 21st century airport. The project – one of the largest public private partnerships in aviation history – includes the demolition and replacement of every terminal…
Read MoreEtihad’s new Wellness Ambassadors could be the industry’s next ‘Flying Nanny’
Etihad Airways is the latest airline to announce its wellness strategy to rebuild confidence and increase reassurance. Dubbed ‘Etihad Wellness’, the carrier has outlined its expanded and more comprehensive health and hygiene programme in an accessible customer guide. In a direct response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the programme will be championed by the introduction of specially…
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