As the first in a series of United Club locations to open in 2023, United has officially opened its new United Club lounge in Chicago O’Hare’s Terminal 1, close to gate C10. Not to be confused with United’s Polaris lounges, the Club lounge is home to a range of new additions designed to elevate the…
Read MoreBoom! There goes United
United Airlines has brought a little bit of future optimism to the aviation industry once again today with the announcement of a commercial agreement with Denver-based aerospace company Boom Supersonic to add aircraft to its global fleet as well as a cooperative sustainability initiative – a move that facilitates a leap forward in returning supersonic…
Read MoreUnited Airlines declares ‘Passenger Experience war’ against rivals with impressive new interiors
United Airlines, now profitable once again has firmly set its stall as a leading Passenger Experience airline, vying for market dominance through modern, comfortable cabins that give passengers what they want: more space, more entertainment and more choice. This is something we applaud and have been promoting as the right approach to winning over customer…
Read MoreUnited turns to upcycling as a solution to the current situation
This time, the latest Design Thinking result from Covid-19 has come from United Airlines. The carrier delivered 7,500 face coverings over the past week to front line employees at San Francisco International Airport and maintenance base, but instead of shipping them from abroad, United were pleased to announce that the masks were made from 12,284…
Read MoreStar Bores. How not to do a themed safety video. (Sorry United)
Great news! United Airlines has just released a themed Star Wars safety video. Jumping on the Star Wars bandwagon (which already includes Virgin Atlantic, ANA and Latam, to name just a few) the carrier is celebrating the launch of the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker by releasing a safety video, special livery and Mileage…
Read MoreThe Odd Couple, United And… Spiderman?
It’s not the first super-hero partnership, in fact, Turkish Airlines has had a whole wave of super heroes in their safety video for over a year since the Lego Movie came out, and Superman and Batman have been adorning one of their 777’s for years. But, beginning June 1, United Airlines will launch its latest…
Read MoreAmerican Airlines redesigns Admirals Clubs starting with Washington DC’s Ronald Reagan DCA airport
Now we aren’t saying AA’s existing lounges weren’t terrible, but apart from a handful, they weren’t much to write home about either. However the good news is that American Airlines has decided to up the ante with a redesign of its Admirals Club lounges across the United States. Customers will first experience the new look…
Read MoreUnited Rolls Out New Amenity Kits
United Airlines‘ customers now have an opportunity to experience the ever-popular Sunday Riley products thanks to the upcoming roll-out of new amenity kits featuring what is frequently described as a ‘cult’ beauty brand. This new collection, In some stylish leather cases (in premium classes) will begin its roll-out later this month on board and the range…
Read MoreAmerican’s First Class isn’t entirely dead. The new premium interiors may give hint to the future of its cabin strategy.
Yesterday saw American Airlines announce a relatively needed and long-awaited refresh to its interiors programme. Bringing its long-haul and premium narrow-body cabins a whole new look was expected, and after United and Delta had rolled out its own signature Polaris and One products, American needed to step up to the mark. While the new cabins…
Read MoreUnited Launches Refreshed Livery, Strengthening The Brand, But Not Exactly Setting The Skies Alight
Meet the new U.N.I.T.E.D… oh no wait, that’s just the unfortunate window/logotype placement. United have revealed their latest livery, not on one of the grounded 737 Max aircraft, but one of the 737-800’s with scimitar winglets. “The design is a visual representation of United’s ongoing brand evolution while staying true to the history it has…
Read MoreFoster + Partners reveal striking new airport designs for a new Polish mega airport
A Foster + Partners and Buro Happold consortium has won the competition to design the new CPK airport between Warsaw and Łódź. “The pivotal project will act as a symbolic gateway to Poland, a 21st century transport interchange which brings together air, rail and road, while reflecting the country’s national identity and providing exceptional passenger experience,”…
Read MoreUnited Opens New Club Lounge At LaGuardia Airport’s New Terminal B Eastern Concourse Next Week
LaGuardia is in the midst of a renovation project, and this Sunday United customers using New York-LaGuardia Airport will get to experience the brand new gates on the Terminal B Eastern Concourse. The new concourse area features ceilings up to 55-feet high and as a drastic contrast to the previous experience, feature plenty of natural light.…
Read MoreUnited’s New Uniform Is Launched, And It’s Certainly… Bold.
Nope, this isn’t the press shot from the latest Star Trek franchise, these are the new threads that will adorn 70,000 employees across United’s operations. The new designs follow last year’s announcement of their new partnerships with Tracy Reese, Brooks Brothers and Carhartt. Focusing on high quality fabrics, improved breathability and overall enhanced fit, United’s…
Read MoreLos Angeles Is The Latest Hub To Receive United’s Polaris Lounge
Today see’s customers traveling in United’s Polaris business class – the airline’s International Premium Cabin – now being able to enjoy an awesome new space, including a la carte dining, before their travels in the new United Polaris lounge at Los Angeles International Airport. While the carrier might be the third largest in LAX, this new…
Read MorePlaza Premium expands footprint in UK by taking over Virgin Atlantic’s Gatwick lounge
It might look familiar, but that’s for good reason. Plaza Premium Group has just opened its latest lounge at London Gatwick Airport, taking over the space that was originally a Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse. This take-over reinforces the Group’s strategic presence in the United Kingdom and increases its foothold across the rest of Europe to six…
Read MoreManchester’s renovated Terminal 2 reopens, and it’s a huge improvement
July saw the very first passengers travelling through Manchester’s Airport’s new terminal extension, marking a major milestone in the Northern gateway’s 83-year history. Work started on the transformation in 2017 and – despite a delay of more than one year to the opening as a result of the pandemic – the facility was officially opened…
Read MoreHoly Deckchairs Batman! Condor reveals stripey new livery and brand image
Condor revealed perhaps the bravest new livery and brand image today we’ve seen in a decade. Actively opting to shun its previous looks and celebrate its leisure market, the airline has adopted a bold new, deck chair and beach towel inspired (I kid you not) livery. No, it’s not April 1st, and we did have…
Read MoreWhy so blue? The dominance of the colour in the industry
Aviation 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 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 MoreUnited Opens New Polaris Lounge In Newark Airport
United’s roll out of their Polaris product has been a little ‘relaxed’ shall we say, with the original premise being launched back in 2016. However, the airline will open the doors to its latest lounge in Newark on Monday June 4th, featuring daybeds, shower suites, private dining and more. On offer exclusively to the airline’s international premium…
Read MoreCould Seattle’s Paine Field New Passenger Terminal Be The Nirvana Of Airside PaxEx?
There are few airports in the world that are a sheer joy to fly from, but this new small and perfectly formed terminal could be a nirvana for passengers travelling to and from the greater Seattle area when it commences its first flights, currently scheduled for 11th February 2019. Based in Seattle’s Paine Field airport,…
Read MoreAmerican unifies 787 Business Class product, with the 787-8 receiving an upgraded experience.
We’re starting to see some positive stories across the industry now, focussing on a return to service and a return to growth. From Wizz’s latest route announcements, to design agencies and airlines setting up their near-future solutions to Covid-19. However, American Airlines’ latest 787 deliveries re-energise a positive conversation about cabin releases on the horizon.…
Read MoreUnited Rolls Out The Carpet For New IAH Houston International Polaris Lounge
Friday 29th June will see the launch of United’s latest Polaris lounge, joining Chicago, San Francisco and Newark’s recent openings. Passengers travelling in the airline’s Polaris business class, available on the carrier’s international routes will have access to this premium lounge. As with all the Polaris lounges, there will be a focus on locally sourced menus…
Read MoreThe Flygge Series: A taste of Finnair, in your own home
COVID-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 MoreUnited Launches Much Anticipated New Polaris Lounge In SFO
Starting Next Monday, April 30, customers booked in United Polaris – the airline’s name for international business class – will be able to relax and dine prior to their travels or refresh upon arrival in the new United Polaris lounge at San Francisco International Airport conveniently located in the International Terminal near Gate G92. The lounge,…
Read MoreTheDesignAir Awards 2019 voting has now closed!
TheDesignAir 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 MoreEmirates trying to fix its two-product proposition for premium passengers
Fly better. That’s Emirates‘ marketing slogan. It’s the same marketing campaign that has featured the likes of Jennifer Anniston, onboard bars, showers, all-aisle access and swathes of space. The problem is, Emirates has – since the A380 entered its fleet – offered two products, a 777 and A380 business class product that couldn’t be more…
Read MoreUnited’s Premium Plus Completes the Trio Of US Premium Economies
United has just announced it will be launching its own International-standard Premium Economy product this year. Titled Premium Plus (Merging both ‘Economy Plus’ and ‘Premium Economy’ monikers) this new cabin may cause confusion for passengers booking the cabin class. However, those travelling in it will enjoy “more space, comfort and amenities. The seats will be…
Read MoreAbout face! Why British Airways might need to accelerate its Business Class retrofit
There’s quite a lot of commentary on Covid-19 right now, and the research is constantly evolving. There’s already some innovative designs on the drawing board for helping with the perception of social distancing, including Factorydesign’s Isolation Kit and Aviointeriors’ Janus seat concept. While Factorydesign’s concept actually is quite smart and has a post Covid-19 application,…
Read MoreThe Rise Of A New Class, ‘Business Suites’, But Will It See The Death Of First Class?
Doors. This is where it all starts. Over the past few years, the differences between First Class and Business Class hard-products have become fewer and farther between. We’re now in an era where British Airways new Business Class product offers equal space and more privacy than its older First Class product. Airlines such as Qatar…
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