Talk to any designer after a few drinks, and the usual story will come up, that “design is cyclical and everything that we see now has been seen before”. Bear with us a bit, but Southwest’s refreshed logo and livery speaks volumes to this concept. Southwest Airlines today, officially (compared to the leaked images on social…
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One of this centuries greatest architects, Lord Norman Foster, the brainchild behind revolutionary airport designs such as London Stansted, Hong Kong International Airport and Beijing’s new airport, has teamed up with architect Fernando Romero, FR-EE (Fernando Romero Enterprise) and NACO (NetherlandsAirport Consultants) to design Mexico City’s new international airport. “At 555,000 square metres, it will be…
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Let us start by saying, we can’t wait until Etihad finally decide to launch a hotel concept, not that they have ever hinted at doing such a thing. The reason being, is that they have spent so many years looking at the hospitality area to develop their entire offering, they have become experts in their…
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Hawaiian Airlines certainly have been busy with their paint brushes and spray cans recently. The airline this year launched their O’hana by Hawaiian, with aircraft liveries designed by famous Hawaiian resident Sig Zane and his son, and have also recently launched their awesome co-branded, limited edition merchandise for the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s worldwide voyage. But their…
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Back in March we announced a new wave of lounges at Haneda Airport for Japan Airlines. The airline has just announced and opened its brand new addition to its first class wing, which is the height of modernity and luxury. The crowning glory called ‘RED Suite’ is the new adult hideaway for JAL, which is basically somewhere for…
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Macau, gambling Mecca to Asia has just gained a lounge to be proud of. Plaza Premium Lounge has just launched their brand new space at the airport. Amazingly, 5 million passengers fly through Macau International Airport every year. Plaza Premium will be the only lounge provider in Macau. The new 4,340 square feet lounge will have…
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When Qantas released images of their new lounge in Hong Kong back in April, we wanted to dig a little deeper into the design ethos of the new lounge, brought to us by Sumu Design, an architecture and interior design company based in Australia. We talk exclusively to Felice Carlino, the director of the agency…
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We love simple architectural design. So it’s no surprise these understated airport seats have caught our attention. Italian leather designers Poltrona Frau have just introduced their new ‘Flair’ Seating concept to Bologna Airport, Italy. Traditionally an interiors specialist for the motoring industry, designing seats for companies such as Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, the company has continued its…
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LAN and TAM have a current strategic plan to renew their premium spaces and provide a better travel experience for passengers. At the end of May, LAN and TAM inaugurated their new Preferential Check-in zone, located on the fourth floor on the west side of the International Airport in Santiago, Chile. The whole area features…
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Celebrating 14 years, JetBlue launched their brand new Mint product last weekend. Alongside the launch of the new transcontinental flat bed service, the airline revealed their brand new uniform refresh. The dark blue silhouettes trimmed with bright orange elements bring a bright, contemporary and sophisticated flourish to the new-look airline. “While airline uniforms are constructed for…
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Qantas have been busy over the past few months, opening new lounges around the world. The latest, in LAX’s TBIT terminal, opened yesterday in partnership with their good friends and One World carriers British Airways and Cathay Pacific. The new (and vast) space, designed by Woods Bagot, has been long awaited and compliments the terminal’s other spacious and…
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Leave your inhibitions, and your clothes in your suitcase. Launching July 1st, Finnair will be offering its top tier fliers a lounge that is more health spa than business centre. Available to both the regular lounge guests and the new Top Tier lounge guests, passengers will now enjoy access to completely new private shower suites, as well…
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We have been pretty impressed by Plaza Premium‘s latest few lounges, and this new lounge, announced for London Heathrow’s Terminal 2 is no exception to their rule. The latest lounge, which open on June 4th, the same day the terminal opens, will be Hong Kong based Plaza Premium’s first venture in Europe. The innovative lounge has been designed…
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We were lucky enough to be invited to the official press unveiling of Heathrow’s brand new Terminal today, and the launch of the new ‘SlipStream‘ Artwork by Richard Wilson, which sits proudly in front of the building in a covered walkway connecting the rest of Heathrow and Terminal 2’s new car park to the…
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The launch of the new Terminal 2 at London’s Heathrow Airport has given some airlines the perfect excuse to design new lounges and configure the passenger experience for the more “modern” traveller. A prime example of this, is with United’s new United Club and Global First Lounges, that quite frankly, are surprisingly stunning. Interestingly, United…
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JPA Design have released the latest lounge project images for Air China, the same time they announce they will be designing the interiors for the carriers new 787s. The new lounge is set over two floors at Shanghai, Pudong Airport and good news for frequent fliers, as it is a member of the International Star…
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Coinciding with the recent terminal’s expansion, Japan Airlines have revealed their brand new Haneda International Airport Lounges in Tokyo set to open March 30th 2014. The airline has enlarged the area of the original Sakura Lounge by about 2.5 times. There are now 314 seats in the main hall and 271 seats in the “Sky View” terrace…
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Korean 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…
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Over the past few years, thedesignair.net team based in London have seen the 1955 version of Terminal 2 get knocked down and rebuilt ready for 2014, and its now starting to become one of the best examples of terminal architecture the UK have seen for a while. They say the devil is in the detail,…
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Just to prove you don’t need to be a designer airline to have a designer lounge, Plaza Premium Lounge (who we covered recently, with their launch of their new lounge in Hong Kong), the world’s leading Airport Lounge provider announced the launch of its Airport Premium Services at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (Bangalore). The independant company…
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We haven’t covered much on Virgin Australia recently. Our bad. However, we couldn’t help but fall in love with their new Melbourne Lounge that has been open a little over a week. Taking 6 months to renovate the previous lounge space, they have managed to double the size and give the whole venue a slick,…
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Whilst 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…
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At thedesignair.net we are great fans of Cathay Pacific’s product. The seamless experience is effortless and well considered. From their onboard product to their lounges, attention to detail seems paramount, and it’s this design ethos that has put them at the top of the Lounges 2013. We take a closer look at their lounges, and…
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It’s definitely that time of the year, when Christmas comes a calling, and airlines around the world try to work out one way of celebrating one of the busiest times of year. From Fantasia styled liveries through to Dancing cabin crew or Santa in a box, here’s the three that are taking the net by storm right…
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This year there have been many new lounges appearing around the world. Each offering a unique level of luxury and identity that has meant a broad and interesting collection of spaces in a variety of spaces. Excellent spaces that didn’t make the list, but should still be commended, include Virgin America’s ‘The Loft‘ in LAX,…
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Wellington Airport, In New Zealand, which is the Middle Earth airport, has just had an unexpected visitor fly in. Two Great Eagles swooped into Wellington Airport’s main terminal building today with Gandalf atop one of two Great Eagles, bringing news to the Middle of Middle-earth. Weighing in at one tonne each with a wingspan of 15 metres, they have…
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We recently covered the launch of the new LAN/TAM Lounges that have shown South America is an International destination to be reckoned with. Designed by Studio Putman, the lounges are going to be a super-chic haven for global travellers for years to come. We talk exclusively to the creator of the space, (daughter of the…
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British Airways, whose travel spas are run by well known brand Elemis, are undergoing a refurb and will have a new look, just in time for Christmas. The refurbished Terminal 5 spa will now offer state-of-the-art massage chairs, which will offer additional massage therapy, whilst the real therapists can focus on the passengers hands, feet…
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Since LAN & TAM have combined forces, they have really invested into creating a ‘Best Of Latin America’ offering for their travellers. The latest investment is in the shape of five VIP lounges for their premium passengers. The first of which is the El Dorado lounge in Bogota, with the following 4 being launched between…
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We released just the other day the news of the new Cathay Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport. But for those unfortunate folks not travelling on Cathay or a OneWorld carrier shouldn’t dismay! Plaza Premium’s latest lounge in Hong Kong, which is a pay-as-you-go lounge is open to all travellers at the airport for a…
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