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…
Read More2019 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…
Read MoreMeet 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…
Read MoreEtihad has just launched its new First Class amenity kits, designed in partnership with two of the leading fashion and beauty brands. The cases have been designed by Christian Lacroix, while the product range now features one of the most prestigious skincare brands, Omorovicza. While they will initially be introduced on A380 flights between Abu…
Read MoreA 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…
Read MoreDoors. 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…
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 MoreIt’s a phrase that some airlines build their business model and service proposition on, but the ‘Boutique’ airline is a seemingly new airline type that will no doubt turn our heads a little more often than legacy carriers, but why is that? While La Compagnie has already built the strap-line ‘Boutique Airline’ into their marketing,…
Read MoreOpened yesterday, Etihad Airways‘ new First and Business Class Lounge within the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport is the latest addition to the airlines armada of designer lounges, following Abu Dhabi and Melbourne this year. The lounge services passengers flying on the EY170 from Los Angeles to Abu Dhabi and beyond, a long-range…
Read MoreOn Monday Etihad finally opened to the doors to its much anticipated First Class Lounge and Spa in Abu Dhabi’s International Airport Terminal 3. The new flagship First Class Lounge & Spa “showcases the airline’s commitment to providing unparalleled and aspirational hospitality experiences,” state the airline’s press release. The lounge follows the residential and hotel influenced-design that…
Read MoreMonday saw the opening of Etihad Airways new Premium Lounge at Melbourne Airport, which comes to life just a couple of weeks ahead of the new A380 service between the city pair. Located in Terminal 2 adjacent to gate 10, the lounge will open approximately three hours prior to the departure of Etihad Airways twice daily Melbourne-Abu…
Read MoreCurrent market leader, Etihad Airways, has launched a colourful new range of collectable limited edition Business Class amenity kits to replace the current amenity kit, whereby Etihad partnered with Sougha, a social enterprise initiative which preserves Emirati traditions and promote local artisans. The new kits, brought to life by Buzz Products, are a collaboration between the airline and…
Read MoreOn Wednesday, James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways officially opened the airline’s First and Business Class Lounge at JFK International Airport. Following Washington D.C. the new lounge is the second in the United States to join the airline’s collection of premium lounges offered worldwide for its guests. The new space is designed by…
Read MoreHere at TheDesignAir, we really do believe the rain clouds stalk us, as whenever we go away the rain seems to follow. So imagine our surprise and delight that Abu Dhabi based Etihad has made a promise for travellers booking with their Holiday division, Etihad Holidays. In what we think is possibly a worldwide first, when…
Read MoreAt the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Germany today, we saw the unveiling of a new business class seat model, created by a joint venture between Adient and Boeing. They have developed lie-flat business class seat prototypes to potential customers at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany. “It will be our goal to provide a superior…
Read MoreTheDesignAir is pleased to announce the 2017 Award winners as voted for by our esteemed judging panel and our readers. This year has seen a wave of improvements around the world in the field of passenger experience. From impressive new aircraft, new First Class Suites to the smallest details found in tableware and amenity kits.…
Read MoreEtihad, one of our favourite carriers here at TheDesignAir has just announced it will start daily A380 services between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne on 1 June 2016. Replacing the current 777 operating the flights EY460/461, the new A380 service will take over one of the airline’s twice daily Abu Dhabi-Melbourne services, bringing not only the upgraded versions of…
Read More2015 has been an impressive year with many carriers taking advantage of the lowered oil prices to invest heavily into their passenger experience both on the ground and in the air. We take a look at the best carriers around the world that have caught our attention this year. We offer a retrospective of the…
Read MoreThis year will see a wave of business class seats that resemble First Class more than ever before. Qatar Airways is introducing the new QSuite this month, Delta is introducing their new private business class suites and United has already rolled out their new business class product featuring all aisle access and fully flat seats.…
Read MoreFor the sixth consecutive year, Alitalia has scooped best inflight cuisines in the skies according to the Global Traveler Awards 2015. We aren’t surprised by this announcement, as we were blown away by the cuisine found on a recent trip report which excelled on every level. Since their partnership with Etihad, the service offering has been improved…
Read MoreGreat news, Etihad has just opened its fourth lounge in Abu Dhabi International airport. Situated in Terminal 1, this second, 1,044 square meter space will help give passengers a choice of space to relax, making the long walk to the lounge a thing of the past. Following the signature style found in their previous lounges, the space,…
Read MoreAlitalia today announced further improvements to their new international product, as well as improvements to their short-haul products and a variety of other touch points. As part of their turn around plan to turn to profit in 2017, the carrier also announced two new long haul destinations for 2016, including Santiago, Chile and Mexico City.…
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 MoreAt ITB Yesterday, Qatar Airways proudly launched its much anticipated new Business Class product. It has certainly impressed the public with its claims to have the world’s first double bed in business class, new sharing plate concept, sliding doors for privacy and large communal area for families of four. Don’t get us wrong, we are…
Read More2017 will bring three much talked about products to the skies. While all eyes are currently on Qatar Airways new ‘super business class’ seat that will be revealed in a matter of weeks, two other carriers, Emirates and Singapore Airlines are jostling for the attention of the First Class passenger. Qatar Airways has very firmly…
Read MoreAcumen and Zodiac’s Optima seat at first glance, might seem familiar. There’s good reason. It was actually developed in tandem with United’s Polaris product. The seats are basically non-identical twin brothers in the seat manufacturing world. The product has been designed as a logical response to the demands and needs of airlines and passengers alike. The seat boasts…
Read MoreThere’s a lot of talk about the nostalgia of the “Golden Age of Travel”, glorified by shows like Pan Am where we see passengers sipping on whiskeys and Martinis as they jetted across the Atlantic, reclined in large recliner seats, dressed impeccably. The warm fuzzy memory of the JetSet era – with the likes of…
Read MoreIn a continued drive to tackle the imposed electronic ban on certain flights to the UK and the US, airlines are working around the issue of bringing aboard nothing larger than a smart phone in a myriad of ways. Turkish Airlines has quickly adopted a simple fix, similar to Emirates, by allowing passengers to use…
Read MoreEtihad Airways had a big day today, inviting media and VIPs to see the real interiors of both A380 and 787. To coincide with the reveal, the airline showcased its much anticipated new uniforms at a spectacular show in Abu Dhabi, “paving the way for a new age of glamorous and sophisticated flying,” according to Etihad.…
Read MoreEtihad have just revealed their latest advertising campaign, featuring the new First Class and Residence products. The new global advertising campaign offers glimpses of Etihad’s reimagined cabins, uniforms and aircraft. “It is an opportunity for us to share what drives us to reach higher, go further and simply transform the expectations of air travel.” states Etihad. Heading…
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