Like many things in the aviation industry, there are always one or two major suppliers in most cases dominating the industry, whether its Boeing or Airbus, Rolls Royce or GE and within business class seats let’s face it, Collins Aerospace or Safran, but there are just as capable competitors on the fringe. Recaro and Thompson…
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Qatar Airways is seen as one of the ‘true’ Five Star airlines in the world and it has worked hard over the past decade to position itself as a true luxury carrier. At the heart of its recent efforts is the airline’s QSuite, a Flagship product that only a few carriers have managed to surpass…
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French leisure carrier Corsair, based in Paris Orly has just received the very first of 5 new A330neo aircraft which will modernise its fleet. Last year saw the retirement of its 747s which have now been replaced by an all Airbus A330 fleet. The airline has streamlined its network offering which once spanned the US…
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While we covered JetBlue’s fantastic new Mint product recently, the airline certainly kept our eyes at the front of the aircraft, as we thought that’s where the magic was going to happen. However, it seems when it comes to Economy Class travel, the airline has decided to firmly position itself as a challenger to the…
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with the rise of the all-aisle business class product, and now with doors, the benefits of First Class as a separate cabin class become more questionable. True exclusivity, privacy, space and dining are some of the only real benefits now, which doesn’t often equate to the price tag they come with. What if the needs of passengers looking for exclusivity, space or privacy could benefit from a space onboard that suits their needs, without the label of it being First Class? That’s what Paperclip Design in Hong Kong have considered in their latest concept, hot off the heels from their Butterfly seat design.
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KLM has just received its latest addition to the fleet, a brand new Embraer E2, which will become an important aircraft for the Dutch carrier as it looks to modernise its regional fleet. The new 195-E2 aircraft type is both quieter and more economical than its predecessor the Embraer 190. Seven new aircraft of this…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Hot on the heels of its Vantage Solo design (now being manufactured by Thompson Aero Seating), London-based Factorydesign has revealed details about its mid-market hybrid business class seat for narrow body long-haul aircraft. Trying to navigate the economics and ergonomics of a premium product on a narrow body aircraft proves one of the most difficult…
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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.…
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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…
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Emirates is one of the last bastions of the A380. Thanks to its critical mass of the product, once vaccines take hold and confidence in travel returns, the airline will be well poised to offer luxury travel to the masses once again. The carrier already has an arsenal at its ready to help position itself…
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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…
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Lufthansa is utilising this time to trial new economy concept products. While it recently announced that in economy passengers on short-haul flights will now have to pay for dining and drink options, on the long-haul network the carrier is currently testing a new Economy Class seating concept called “Sleeper’s Row”. This product follows the likes…
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Uganda Airlines might not be on everyones radar. But that’s because until last week, the carrier just operated a modest fleet of four Bombardier CRJ900’s. Resurrected from its predecessor that last flew in 2001, the latest incarnation spread its wings a little over a year ago, but seemingly has big plans. With aircraft bought by…
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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.…
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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…
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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,…
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Meet Pure Skies, PriestmanGoode’s answer to the future of flight, responding to the recent curve ball Covid-19 threw at cabin designers of today. The London-based design studio created a new design concept to support the future success of the aviation industry – understanding that a clean slate is needed to bring confidence back to the…
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Vistara was one of the last airlines we covered pre-lockdown who received a brand new jet. The carrier’s 787 certainly showed this airline meant business and its latest arrival, a brand new Airbus A321neo shows Vistara is living up to its promises. The aircraft – which is part of a hefty order of 50 from…
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MEA doesn’t often feature on TheDesignAir, as it has slipped under the radar for a while with its older fleet and less-than-design approach to aviation. However it seems the airline has turned a corner and is featuring firmly on our radar now. While not as ‘bells and whistles’ as many other Middle Eastern carriers, it…
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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…
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Qatar Airways has adapted its health and safety measures onboard by introducing new personal protective equipment for both customers and cabin crew, which increase the protection for passengers and bring the crew protection in line with (if not more than) other global airlines. The airline’s latest measures include offering face shields (rather than masks) and…
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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…
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Last week saw the announcement of Virgin Atlantic’s return to service, with first flights taking wing on the 20th July to Orlando and Hong Kong, with New York (JFK) Los Angeles and Shanghai following suit the very next day. Following destinations will be announced in the following week for flights commencing at the start of…
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In the height of Covid-19, airlines are having to rapidly innovate and the fastest route to market is adapting products that airlines already have in their arsenal. While potentially the next few months could see the rebirth of the All-Business Class era once again – with nimble boutique style carriers appealing to those wanting to…
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The idea of personal transport is certainly not new, and we’ve seen Uber concepts and real life flying taxis being trialled in Dubai, but to celebrate its 50th birthday, Embraer has given us a taste of how it sees us travelling in 50 years’ time. ‘The Pulse Concept’ is inspired by the first-ever concept car…
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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,…
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