Meet the world’s first Flying Honu. As part of ANA’s competition to design a special one off livery for their new A380, the winner has been selected to celebrate the Tokyo-Honolulu route that the aircraft will fly. The design will see the largest possible animal painted on a plane, far larger than the Alaska Airlines…
Read MoreFor 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,…
Read MoreANA announced today that it will reveal another new Star Wars themed aircraft to its fleet, adding to its three existing planes that have Star Wars characters as livery. The latest droid to grow wings is C-3PO, one of the only characters to be featured in every single Star Wars film so far. As part of the…
Read MoreAir Tahiti Nui’s brand new image We fell in love with Air Tahiti Nui’s new brand image by FutureBrand and Alexander Lee, which brought the island nation to life in the skies of the Pacific. Careful attention to detail, bright bold colours and stunning iconographic patterns caught our eye this year and certainly brought a…
Read MoreTheDesignAir 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 MoreMonday 28th March 2016 marked the arrival of the Star Wars BB-8 ANA Jet in Los Angeles International Airport. The third and final of the three Star Wars Jets from ANA is a 777, painted in the colours of the newest droid to the Star Wars franchise, BB-8. Like the other Star Wars Jets by ANA,…
Read MoreHave you ever wondered what involvement the airline alliance has in the design language adopted by their airlines? With the rise the alliance-friendly terminal, such as Heathrow’s Terminal 2, we talk to Julie Murphy, Star Alliance’s Chair in the UK about design and customer experience. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, can…
Read MoreOk, so we admit we aren’t the biggest sporting fans, but we do like it when an airline gets into the spirit of supporting their nations’ teams. Historically both Qantas and Air New Zealand show national pride in their sporting prowess, however, after Japan’s surprising victory over South Africa, ANA took over London’s Piccadilly Circus…
Read MoreJapanese carrier ANA have been having some fun with their 787 recently, both playing Star Wars with some avid sci-fi aficionados and also launching their new Brussels flight with a 787 service. On October 17, 2015, the R2-D2 ANA JET Fan Appreciation Flight event was held at Haneda Airport. A total of 91 passengers were selected—42 chosen from…
Read MoreWe’ve been waiting a while for this, but we’re over the moon. Literally. The R2-D2 ANA Jet, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, rolled-out from the Boeing Everett Factory for the first time this morning. The R2-D2 ANA Jet is the first of three planes to be decorated with Star Wars characters as part of an agreement between ANA,…
Read More“My parts are showing? Oh, my goodness.” Excellent news Jedis. Japan’s largest airline ANA announced that two more of its planes will be decorated with Star Wars characters as part of an agreement with The Walt Disney Company (Japan) Ltd. BB-8, a brand new character from Star Wars: The Force Awakens scheduled for theatrical release in December 2015, will be displayed on the…
Read MoreThe world went crazy this week as Star Wars Premiered in Los Angeles. Part of the action were ANA who’s partnership with the Star Wars franchise runs deep. The force certainly is strong with ANA. Japan’s largest airline shuttled the cast and crew of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens from the World Premiere in Hollywood on Monday…
Read MorePremium Japanese carrier ANA has announced they will be introducing their super-spacious 787-9 Dreamliner on a brand new Tokyo Haneda – Sydney route on December 11th this year. Whilst this new non-stop flight is still subject to governmental approval, passengers on the ever-popular Kangaroo route will welcome the news of increased competition and enhanced products…
Read MoreANA’s hunt for seven talented British chefs to take off on a unique trip to Japan to learn the secrets of the country’s legendary cuisine has taken another step forward. The chefs have now been whittled down to ANA’s seven ‘Samurai Chefs.’ The up-and-coming chefs from the UK, were whisked across to Japan for an immersive culinary…
Read MoreToday saw the grand reveal of Emirates new business class seats at the ITB fair in Berlin. The seats, which will be rolled out in November on the airline’s new 777-300ER aircraft, will replace the carrier’s now ageing angle lie-flat seats (although there are no plans to retrofit the seats on current aircraft. We covererd…
Read MoreIt was announced this week that Japanese carrier ANA and Noma, critically acclaimed as one of the world’s “best restaurants,” have partnered to offer global travelers the ‘Inspiration of Japan’. Motivated by shared core values and a vision to provide their guests with world-class, genuine and heartfelt hospitality, the partnership is a celebration and amalgamation of…
Read MoreTo celebrate the UEFA EURO 2016 tournament this summer, Turkish Airlines has unveiled yet another special livery aircraft, this time an A330-300 passenger aircraft . The plane just flew its maiden flight to Paris, where the final will be played out in July, and is just one component of Turkish Airlines’ marketing drive to excite fans ahead of this year’s tournament.…
Read MoreTheDesignAir is proud to launch our Top 10 lists for 2016 starting with our Top 10 International First Classes. Competition this year is tough, with a lot of carriers around the world investing into the front of the plane. TheDesignAir has adopted a new judging matrix for 2016, which includes a variety of criteria including cabin design, seat design,…
Read MoreWe sense a disturbance in the air… and we love it! We all remember how cool it was when we learned R2-D2 could fly, and well, it’s happening again. All Nippon Airways announced today it will introduce a very special Star Wars livery, with the iconic (and only true link to all Star Wars movies) R2-D2, on its newest…
Read MoreStarting this month passengers on XiamenAir may notice they are being served by cabin crew wearing entirely new threads. The new uniforms for men will join the women’s uniforms that were launched May last year. Designed by famous Taiwanese fashion designer Jamei Chen, the new male uniforms for include off tailored silhouettes that hark back to the JetSet…
Read More2015 has been an impressive year for the aviation industry, with many carriers pulling up their socks and vying for the all-elusive lucrative passenger. With oil-prices lower than before, airlines are snapping at the opportunity to revisit their products, launch new aircraft and impress their paying consumers. This means one thing, a better experience for…
Read MoreThings have changed in our Top 10! Every month, our esteemed judge panel—which consists of industry experts, frequent travelers, industry analysts and aviation enthusiasts—votes its Top 10 airlines by measuring different elements such as Best Liveries, Business Classes, and so on. This month, we’ve announced our annual Passenger Choice awards. TheDesignAir asked the public to vote for their favorite airline brand, and the results are…
Read MoreYou may not have heard of Formia, as they hide behind the behemoth brands they work with, however that may be about to change. This powerful (and award-winning) company manages to partner brands together to offer their passengers the very best in amenities. 2015 has brought a wealth of new luxury partnerships, and a new…
Read MoreWe love ANA and their constant reinvention of their inflight product. The latest news, of the unveiling of their new flight attendant and customer service uniforms, is a welcome sight. Created by New York fashion designer Prabal Gurung, whose designs have been worn by First Lady Michelle Obama, the Duchess of Cambridge and Lady Gaga, the uniforms reflect…
Read MoreThis month we cover 2015’s Top 10 Premium Economy Classes. Investing more into their new mid-cabin classes, airlines are fighting to offer passengers extra elements to lift the experience—on the ground and in the air. With Singapore Airlines entering the fray this year, the list is open to change as we continue to review the world’s very best Premium Economy Classes.…
Read MoreThis month we celebrate all things fashion. Our Top 10 airline uniforms for 2015 are a real feast for the eyes. This is one category where product from 40 years ago is still pitched against the very latest products on the market, and some of these products really do stand the test of time. We…
Read MoreIn 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 MoreDuring the same week ANA announce their partnership with Noma in Japan, Cathay Pacific and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group announce their first-ever international partnership for crafting unique inflight menus for the airline over the coming 12 months. The strategic partnership brings top chefs from various renowned Mandarin Oriental properties in Hong Kong, London, Paris, New…
Read MoreFlight: HA450 Aircraft Type: A330-200 Class: Business Class (International) Route: KIX-HNL Flight time: 7:03 Seat: 3C Date: November 2014 http://www.hawaiianairlines.com Best for: Hawaiian based residents, who use Hawaiian regularly. The crowd: A mix of young Japanese trendsetters and families. Business or pleasure: Hawaii is a big market for the Japanese, with limited connectivity and recliner seats, this is for those headed away on pleasure.…
Read MoreJust when we thought we were going to give up on hoping for a less cramped 787 economy cabin, JAL come along and show us that passengers should be treated to extra space, in every cabin. ANA did offer a 2 x 4 x 2 seating configuration in their 787s but that has been phased…
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