For so many, the writing has been on the wall for First Class. After all, the gulf between First and Business Class was bridged by a wave of suites, fully flat beds and all-aisle access in the larger more affordable J class cabin. This means for many now, the upgrade to First Class simply meant…
Read MoreVantage DUO looks to upgrade the regional First Class proposition
With some 6000+ narrow-body and regional jets in the US alone, there is a huge market for ‘domestic First Class’ still, and competition is heating up at the front of the plane. Delta has just shown off its new First Class product, first announced in 2020, and the MiQ seats are starting to become commonplace…
Read MoreWellness areas, new First Class… Qantas reveals details of its A350 Project Sunrise Aircraft
Today saw the official approval of Qantas’ long-awaited Project Sunrise, something that was postponed a few years due to COVID. With the announcement that the airline will order 12 A350-1000 aircraft capable of flying from Sydney direct to London and New York, which will see the longest and furthest flights in the world. But that…
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 MoreBritish Airways continues roll out of new Club Suite and enhanced First Class across older 777 fleet
British Airways is continuing with the roll out of its newest business class seat, the ‘Club Suite’, as it continues to retrofit the seat across its Boeing 777 fleet, with the speedy roll out expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The airline has already retrofitted a handful of its Boeing 777 aircraft…
Read MoreFrom 4-star to all star? Lufthansa introduces ‘Allegris’ to try to elevate future passenger experience
While Lufthansa had to quietly retreat from it’s questionable 5-star Skytrax rating just a few weeks ago, to a more understandable 4-star rating, it’s no surprise that the carrier is trying to pull out all the stops to re-energise interest in the carrier which has been marred recently by news of impending strikes. Yesterday Lufthansa…
Read MoreStarlux gives a masterclass in cabin design with its new A350s
Award-winning Taiwanese carrier Starlux has just received its first of over a dozen new A350s, destined to start flying long-haul routes next year. As well as being the first carrier to have Airbus’ latest version of the XWB, which features an additional 4″ of internal width at the shoulder level and electronically tinted windows. While…
Read MoreEmirates’ first retrofitted A380 takes to the skies
Yesterday saw the very first of no less than 120 retrofitted aircraft take off from Dubai to London Heathrow. As part of a US$2billion upgrade program, EK003 heralds the start of a huge investment from Emirates to bring all of their A380s back to the skies, and – eventually – featuring the latest cabin products…
Read MoreBritish Airways and American Airlines reveal new JFK Terminal 8 offering
American Airlines and British Airways have now announced greater detail surrounding their plans to co-locate operations at JFK’s Terminal 8 from December this year. Together the two airlines co-location should offer a more seamless customer experience while also supporting the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s ambitious plan to transform JFK into a leading…
Read MoreAir France launches new menus, once again with Michelin-starred dishes
In yet another step to normality, Air France has revealed its latest premium menus, now reappearing on flights from November 2021 all the way through to February 2022. The carrier has followed its ongoing tradition by teaming up with talented French Michelin-starred chefs. This time Régis Marcon and Mathieu Viannay will cater to Air France’s…
Read MoreSwiss to offer exciting new menus in Intercontinental First and Business Class
While Swiss has announced that in economy passengers will soon have to pay for food and drink onboard short-haul flights, things have taken a radical shift in the opposite gear onboard the carrier’s long-haul premium cabins. Crafted by Michelin-starred chef Alexandra Müller of the Romantik Hôtel L’Etoile in Charmey, Canton Fribourg, these latest culinary creations…
Read MoreAir France unveils brand new lounge at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport
Today saw the opening of the fully redesigned Air France lounge at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. In association with the Plaza Premium Group, the airline now offers its Business and Flying Blue Elite Plus customers a large, elegant and welcoming space, in an iteration of the new ground product design for Air France.…
Read MoreBritish Airways swaps spas for sleep pods, but was it the right decision?
British Airways recently announced the retirement of its Elemis spas, one of the crowning unique features of their Heathrow lounges. Taking their place and replacing the older business centres – in a bid to offer something to passengers – is the new ’Forty Winks’ nap lounge, featuring power nap sleep pods. The new pods are…
Read MoreStepping through the door. What Virgin Australia’s new invitation-only ‘Beyond’ lounge has to offer
The new incarnation of Virgin Australia has continued its previous tradition of offering a very special lounge to its most prestigious guests. Today saw the curtain lift on the airline’s long-awaited invitation-only private ‘Beyond Lounges’ in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, reserved for corporate partners, some high-status Velocity Frequent Flyer members and key opinion leaders throughout…
Read MoreDelta opens new Sky Club in Fort Lauderdale, one of the first to re-introduce hot food options
Today marks the opening of Delta’s brand new Delta Sky Club situated in Terminal 2 of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. It is part of a multi-year multi-million dollar renovation project at the airport. The space is clearly designed for a post-COVID world, with soaring floor-to-ceiling windows with runway views, thoughtful interior touches and artwork from…
Read MoreQatar Airways is latest carrier to bring an exclusive scent to the skies
Qatar Airways has always ensured its soft product is one of the best in the skies, so there’s no surprise it’s now partnered with French maison parfumerie Diptyque as part of the airline’s offering for First Class and Business Class passengers – both on board and in its premium lounges around the world. The airline…
Read MoreHawaiian now flies three of the longest domestic flights in the world
Hawaiian Airlines has been one of our favourites in North America for quite a while, they’ve managed to set their stall as a strong, identifiable and unique airline from both passenger experience and brand perspectives. Its fleet has recently been updated and with the addition of new A321’s focussing on the West Coast, it’s freed…
Read MoreBritish Airways adds doors to First, but is it enough?
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.…
Read MoreJetBlue adds refreshed Mint amenities in preparation for its Trans-Atlantic flights
JetBlue – in a bid to fully refresh its competitively priced fully-flat bed Mint product – has announced its first major refresh of its JetBlue Mint service. While we know that the airline will be launching London flights in Q3 2021 with an all-new (and very exciting) new hard product, it was about time the…
Read MorePaperClip Design’s ‘Peacock’ concept could ruffle some feathers
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.
Read MoreDelta reveals new domestic First Class seating for the A321neo
Delta is yet again investing in their cabins, in what seems a steady stream of improvements to their product. Instead of upgrades to their service or long-haul products (and soon-to-be new uniforms) the new Airbus A321neo is getting some love. While slated to be delivered late 2020, the first image has surfaced of a brand new…
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 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 MoreEmirates finally reveals Premium Economy product and upgrades to the A380. But is it a sheep in wolf’s clothing?
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…
Read MoreEtihad brings a premium approach to Covid personal kits as part of its hygiene programme
When it comes to personal hygiene kits, Etihad is one of the first airlines to offer a unique, upgraded proposition for its First and Business Class guests, which also includes a snood-style face mask for use throughout their journey and beyond. The soft reusable snood has been treated with MicrobeBARRIER™ fabric treatment, a broad spectrum antimicrobial…
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 MoreDavid Caon does it again, this time with Qantas’ Singapore First Class lounge
On the 2nd December, just over 2 weeks away, we will see the grand opening of the new Qantas first class lounge in Singapore’s Changi International Airport. The lounge follows a wave of ground and inflight product improvements that are helping positioning the carrier as a true luxury, design-led proposition. In the meantime, select passengers…
Read MoreSaudia launches new uniforms, trialling on London and Paris routes
Saudia has just announced the rollout of its new cabin crew uniforms, featuring a “refined, new take on the attire” designed for all members of the hospitality team onboard. Saudia began the preview of the new uniform on the airline’s Paris Charles de Gaulle and London Heathrow routes, with plans to add the rest of…
Read MoreCathay has a fairly unique challenge, and is acting pro-actively, but it is it making the right choices to maintain its brand values?
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…
Read MoreUK luxury brand Bamford brings a sense of harmony to Cathay’s First and Business Class cabins
Cathay Pacific might be impacted by the recent unrest on their doorstep, but that isn’t stopping them enticing their premium passengers with an elevated travel experience. The airline has focussed their attention to enhancing the service, soft products and culinary offerings both in its First and Business Class cabins. These enrichments are designed to “offer…
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