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…
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A recent National Institute of Health report highlighted the length of time that different viral strains could possibly live on surfaces. Most of us have heard how a trace of Covid-19 can live on plastic and metal for up to three days (albeit ever reducing in strength), whereas copper and cardboard/paper are found to be…
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While the team are doing their bit to help fight this pandemic and staying indoors, it’s also making us a little stir crazy as our wings have been clipped, at least for the coming weeks or months. Like many others out there, we’ve been finding ourselves going through our archives, going online and longing for…
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As the phrase goes, “good things come in small packages.” In 2018, the airline industry carried 4.4billion passengers. It has become an integral part of human life, but it’s also an industry of behemoth players. In fact, in 2018, the top 10 airline groups transported over one third of the entire annual traffic, leaving the…
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While our previous article asked airlines to think differently, the global landscape continues to evolve at a speed that few can keep up with. You might have noticed we’ve not been updating recently, but considering the current landscape, you can’t blame us. At TheDesignAir, we focus on positivity in the airline industry, and we’re a…
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Coronavirus is having a deep, profound effect on the industry stretching and pushing airlines across the globe who have to react quickly to an ever-changing landscape. The playing field is not just moving on a daily basis but changing shape and morphing to something that the airline industry has never had to face before. The…
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The Maldives has just opened its doors to a new resort, taking the all-inclusive concept to an entirely new level. Part of the Accor Group of hotels, Pullman Maldives Maamutaa – situated in the south of the Maldives – is the epitome of hedonist luxury without the exorbitant price tag. We were lucky enough to…
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Whether it’s for sadness, or for joy, we’re pretty sure there were a few tears this month in Delta’s finance department as they agreed to part with $2.6billion dollars across two initiatives in as many weeks. The first, starting in March sees Delta Air Lines commit a grand sum of $1 billion over the next…
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Unlike other media-outlets focussing on the airline industry we make a point to never really comment on short-lived, political or click-bait style news. We focus our approach on the long-lasting customer experience advancements, but Hong Kong has created a unique global environment over the past couple of years, built on political unrest and now the…
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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…
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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.
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London-based creative firm New Territory has just revealed details of its new spin-off company ‘Universal Movement’ to address the lack of innovation within high density seating on aircrafts and in other transportation environments. Universal Movement’s launch includes the announcement of its first project, Interspace, an innovative approach to the traditional airline seat which utilises a…
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The past few years has seen a few airlines decide to position themselves as a lifestyle brand, appealing to the younger, time-rich generation who are gap-year embracing, iPhone toting and generally bank-rolled by their parents. While airlines – like the big US 3 – see their passenger demographic age as fast as the airline does,…
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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…
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Flight: TK67 Aircraft Type: 787-9 Class: Business Class Route: DPS-IST Date: September 2019 http://www.turkishairlines.com It’s not a secret that Turkish Airlines has one of the best soft products in the sky. From our previous reports, we’ve always been impressed with the food & drink, amenities and IFE system onboard their aircraft, but the B777 and A330 hard products in business…
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The airline industry has a history of records from fastest flight to longest flight, the highest to the biggest, there’s a list as long as an A340-600 of impressive stats and figures that celebrate the innovation and scientific advancements in the airline industry. For a sector celebrating a centenary this year its amazing how far…
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In the past Virgin Atlantic was seen as the coolest of underdogs – the carrier for those in the know, flown by the rich and famous across the Atlantic. Onboard massage therapists, inflight bars, even a business class lounge with a Jacuzzi used to be signature parts of the passenger experience. Times have changed however,…
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It’s another month, another airline, another amenity kit. This time, Formia brought together a collaboration with Etro and Aeromexico, offering their business class passengers a stylish new kit bag filled with the usual perks befitting a premium passenger. “The style of Etro’s fashion lends itself perfectly to these amenity kits whose exterior is made of…
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For anyone that travels in premium cabins a lot, there seem to be a few moving goalposts when it comes to an internationally standardised product. Where some carriers believe business class comes with all bells and whistles, such as chauffeur drive, the same carrier might not believe in pyjamas. While some offer dine on demand,…
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In a world where everyone can now easily become a critic, navigating our way through the vast swathes of reviews can be daunting. After all, human nature dictates we will only ever comment on something exceptional. This is why ‘average’ reviews are rarely seen, with either excellent or scathing comments usually posted. Airlines are subject…
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As we announced a few weeks ago, Etihad has revamped its economy service to become more sustainable while offering passengers larger main meals and a restaurant-style service. On first impressions, offering two waves of dining would appear more complicated for the cabin crew, but as we found out by spending a few hours behind the scenes…
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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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Flight: WY103 Aircraft Type: 787-9 Class: Business Class Route: MCT-LHR Date: March 2019 http://www.omanair.com After our outbound trip in Oman Air’s outstanding First Class product, it was time to return home and give the equally impressive Business Class a run for its money. While the Apex Suite is a seasoned favourite for many travellers, it is interesting to see how this…
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Recently, Etihad Airways completed a single-use plastic-free flight from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane to highlight the issues the industry faces when it comes to sustainability. But instead of this being a one-off stunt, it has actually turned into a learning curve with many of the disciplines being rolled out across the airline, a carrier fast becoming one…
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Many people in the industry will have heard of Anthony Harcup. Having led some of the industry’s most significant aircraft interior developments for the likes of Etihad, Delta, and JetBlue, Harcup recently joined Teague to help develop the team’s growing list of airline customers. Tasked with further developing the team and enriching industry relationships, he’s…
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Recently, Etihad Airways completed a single-use plastic-free flight from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane to highlight the issues the industry faces when it comes to sustainability. But instead of this being a one-off stunt, it has actually turned into a learning curve with many of the disciplines being rolled out across the airline, a carrier fast…
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A few years ago, the race was on to kit out an airline’s entire fleet with fully-flat, all-aisle access seats in business class, as this was a quantifiable benefit from competitors who were offering either angled lie-flat or seats that didn’t feature aisle access. A few key seats became de-facto benchmarks in passenger expectations, including…
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Now celebrating it’s one year Anniversary, the Kempinski Hotel in Muscat is one of the hottest opening’s in Oman’s capital city, Muscat. Situated in the prestigious Al Mouj district, just a short drive from the airport, it’s slightly away from the central Muscat area but benefits from a quiet beach, nearby marina and majestic views…
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Flight: WY102 Aircraft Type: 787-9 Class: First Class Route: LHR-MCT Date: March 2019 http://www.omanair.com Oman Air has long been on our radar to offer a trip report. Its careful positioning as a boutique carrier based in the Middle East doesn’t mean it is one of the big and bold ME3, but it is certainly pushing the envelope when it comes…
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No matter how we look at it, the aviation business class landscape is changing, and is potentially as fragmented as ever. The race to the bottom is evident, even in currently touted ‘5-star airlines’ who seek profitability. Whether a desire to chase the most effective cabin configuration (LOPA), decision to reduce amenities to the bare…
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