Alaska Airlines have finally opened the doors to their impressive new flagship lounge in the North Satellite Terminal at Sea-Tac International Airport. Designed by Seattle architect Graham Baba, this 15,800 square foot lounge oozes West Coast charm, framed by picture windows looking out across the runway, Olympic Mountains and of course, downtown Seattle. Once inside,…
Read MoreAnnouncing the winners of TheDesignAir awards 2019
TheDesignAir is thrilled to announce the 2019 award winners as voted for by our esteemed judging panel and our readers. Year after year, we see more improvements and enhancements across the passenger experience, from narrow to wide bodies to lounges and airports around the globe. We showcase the 2019 winners here.
Read MoreAlaska Absorbs Virgin America Brand
Alaska Airlines have just announced that they will form a combined carrier, as the company solidifies its status as the West Coast’s premier airline. While sadly the Virgin America brand will be absorbed by Alaska Airlines, the partnership seems to have rubbed off on the longer-lasting of the two carriers. There’s still a good amount…
Read MoreAlaska Airlines Introduces New Uniforms By Luly Yang
Friday saw Alaska Airlines and fashion designer Luly Yang debut a modern, West Coast-inspired, custom-designed uniform collection. The collection features over 90 garments and accessories for the airline’s thousands of employees. The design, which has been more than two years in the making, will clad no less than 19,000 Alaska, Virgin America and Horizon Air employees,…
Read MoreTheDesignAir Launches 2017 Awards Shortlist
TheDesignAir 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 MoreHow Do You Bring Together Two Different Brands? You Celebrate Differences.
When Alaska and Virgin America, finally got the green light to merge, it gave rise to a lot of confused brand loyal travellers not knowing what the merger would mean. So Hornall Anderson stepped in to help explain how the different brands would work together through the transition, and work in partnership with Alaska Air for…
Read MoreHottest Design Airlines to Try in 2023
This is the TheDesignAir’s hottest Design Airlines to try in 2023. Whether you fly regularly or are saving up for that once in a lifetime trip, here’s our recommendation for airlines, big and small, that bring a bit of style to the skies, but which have you flown and which are you wanting to try?…
Read MoreThe need for space. Will airlines invest in social spaces once again?
Even non-aviation enthusiasts may have noticed that the skies look a little different today. As we head into another year since the pandemic first decimated commercial aviation, the large behemoth A380s and Queens of the skies – the Boeing 747 – are a rare sight at airports nowadays. Replaced by more economic and smaller long-haul…
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 MoreTheDesignAir round-up: 10 things we’ve loved in 2019
2019 has seen yet another year of great innovation, new products, new airlines, new lounges and new airport facilities across the globe. It just goes to show how quickly the industry continues to evolve and respond to the ever-increasing needs of an airline passenger. Just before this year, or even this decade, comes to a…
Read MoreJoon Delves A Little Deeper With Its Brand Image
Joon has recently pulled back the curtain on its brand image. The ‘younger’ sister carrier to Air France, Joon is actively targeting millennials, a similar concept to competitor IAG’s Level product. The difference between Joon and Level being the key addition of a true international and regional business class product. The airline has gone to…
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 MoreOpinion: In a battle to regain passenger trust, every inch counts
While no one has successfully modelled the complex commercial outlook of the airline industry over the coming months, some airlines are predicting it will take many years to return to pre-Covid19 levels of revenue, profitability and passenger numbers. When borders reopen there might be a small surge in passenger numbers, but to get to 2019…
Read MoreTheDesignAir Launches 2018 Awards Shortlist
TheDesignAir 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 MoreQatar Airways New Business Class Offers Innovation For Passengers, But Is It Revolutionary?
At ITB Yesterday, Qatar Airways proudly launched its much anticipated new Business Class product. It has certainly impressed the public with its claims to have the world’s first double bed in business class, new sharing plate concept, sliding doors for privacy and large communal area for families of four. Don’t get us wrong, we are…
Read MoreThe Best Of The Best In 2015 – TheDesignAir’s Round-up Of The Year
2015 has been an impressive year with many carriers taking advantage of the lowered oil prices to invest heavily into their passenger experience both on the ground and in the air. We take a look at the best carriers around the world that have caught our attention this year. We offer a retrospective of the…
Read MoreThe Growing Divide In Premium And Low Cost Brands, And Those Stuck In The Middle.
The rise of the low cost brand a decade ago challenged the legacy carriers to reconsider their business model. Passengers were able to pick between the privileges of a packet of nuts, or a bare bones charge-through-the-teeth model where even you seat choice was a privilege. However, through the natural evolution of business, the…
Read MoreUnited Launch Brand New Interiors Designed By PriestmanGoode
Domestic travel in the US is really heating up now, with a new wave of interiors just launched by United. Starting with the A319 next week, the new interior will be rolled out on A319s, A320s, 737s and 757s throughout 2016. The new interiors are custom created for the airline as it pushes hard to…
Read MoreTheDesignAir’s Top 10 Low Cost Carrier Brands 2015
We 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 MoreLaunched This Month, Azul’s New A330 Cabins By Tangerine
Azul Brazilian Airlines, arguably the most modern of the Brazilian carriers, launched their new A330 cabins this October, including Azul Xtra (a fully fledged business class cabin), Economy Xtra (including the infamous Sky Sofa product) and their standard Economy cabin. Now flying to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale (Miami) from Sao Paulo’s Viracopos airport, Azul’s A330s will eventually…
Read MoreTheDesignAir’s Top 10 Economy Classes 2015
We are pleased to announce our Top 10 economy classes for 2015. The last 18 months have changed the landscape for economy class travel, with passengers around the world benefiting from new aircraft, new products and increased inflight entertainment options. While there are some new entrants into our list this year, the competition was tougher than ever, due to an increasingly…
Read MoreA Deeper Look Inside Aeromexico’s Dreamliner
TheDesignAir has had access to the full behind-the-scenes gallery of Aeromexico’s latest 787-9 aircraft which will eventually fly between Mexico City and the carrier’s worldwide destinations. Designed by New Territory, the new business cabin matches our expectations of a leading international airline. Check out our full gallery below or check out our previous story here. The colour palette…
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 MoreTheDesignAir’s Top 10 Cool Airline Brands 2015
This month TheDesignAir takes a look at everything that airlines should be. Airlines we want to travel with, and are going above and beyond to create something truly unique in the sky. Our judges have voted and, interestingly, our top 10 all fit within just a 6 percent margin, and, yet again, we haven’t been able to just fit in 10…
Read MoreHawaiian Airlines Deliver An Exceptional Premium Cabin
Watch out Fiji Airways, there is a new boutique airline vying for the attention of the Pacific. Hawaiian Airlines today revealed their plans to install a brand new lie-flat first class (or International business class) product that matches international business class standards. We are thrilled, as finally Hawaiian have concreted their position as the true owner of…
Read More10 (Extra) Reasons To Fly From America Right Now
There is a lot of global attention on the new presidency in the US right now. While many have watched with their head in their hands recently and others have had their head in the sand, we’ve compiled some additional more reasons it might be good to book a flight sometime soon to escape the…
Read MoreVirgin America’s New Beta Site Makes Booking Fun And Easy
No surprises here; we love good design. And when Virgin America‘s current site was launched it was a nice refreshing change from the norm, however the ever-evolving look of the web meant it was only time until a redesign was on the cards. Instead of waiting for the site to look outdated, they decided to do a spring clean…
Read MoreAeromexico Brings New Self-Serve Bar & All-Aisle Access To 787-9 Business Class
Aeromexico has taken delivery of it’s new 787-9 and with it, a brand new Clase Premier product designed for the long-haul routes the aircraft will fly. Adorned with the Quetzalcoatl one-off livery which we covered earlier this month, the aircraft will delight and surprise its passengers both outside and now inside too. With the airline currently offering…
Read MoreVirgin Australia’s Upgraded 777 Fleet Is ‘The Business’
Hot off the heels of their A330 refresh, Virgin Australia today unveiled its new International Business Class cabin, with the first of its refitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft now flying across the Pacific. This comes after their announcement of the refresh back in 2014. “The airline’s flagship Business Class product ‘The Business’, new Business Class Bar…
Read MoreBig Day Today For Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport is getting three new services from Europe today. October 25th 2015 sees British Airways upgraded A380 service arrive at the airport, Virgin Atlantic‘s second daily Miami service, and a brand new connection from Turkish Airlines. The new services mark an expansion to Europe with a large expansion of seats to pick from. British Airways…
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