Garuda Indonesia Appoints JPA Design To Create New Business And Economy Interiors

Garuda Indonesia has appointed International transport design specialist, JPA Design to create its new aircraft cabin interiors as the airline expands its fleet and builds on its reputation as a world-class carrier. The same design agency that created the DoveTail business class seat (as shown above) and recently Singapore Airlines new Premium Economy Class seat. Garuda’s new…

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Trip Report: Avianca A330 Business Class July 2015

Flight: AV121 Aircraft Type: A330-200 Class: ‘Previous Generation’ Business Class Route: LHR-BOG Flight time: 10:27 Seat: 1J Date: July 2015 http://www.avianca.com Best for: People travelling in pairs. The previous generation business class seats are in a 2 x 2 x 2 format. Fares are low, and offer good connections through most of South & Central America, the Caribbean and Europe. The crowd: Mainly South American…

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Edelweiss Launch Updated Livery To Reflect New Product

This month, Edelweiss launched a brand new livery for their fleet of aircraft. The subtle change in the look supports the leading Swiss leisure travel airline’s growth, and underscores its origins as well as reflecting its more premium in-flight product. As well as the new aircraft design, Edelweiss will also modernise the interior of its entire Airbus A320…

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Malaysia Airlines Launches Updated A330 Business Class

Malaysia Airlines, in a bid to attract a new wave of flyers to its aircraft, unveiled its new A330-300 Business Class seats at the World Travel Market in London this week. The new seats, which will be introduced in April 2016, will see all 15 A330-300 aircrafts fitted with the new configuration by September 2016.…

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Air Caraïbes Refresh Brand For 2015

  You wouldn’t be blamed for not knowing about Air Caraïbes, the French airline that is based in Pointe-à-Pietre and Martinique Airports in the French Caribbean. Being founded in 2000, it is also a relatively young carrier, but unlike some other transatlantic carriers that connect Europe to the azure seas of Guadeloupe and neighbouring islands,…

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Alitalia Deliver Not Only A New Brand But A New Brand Promise

Sorry? What was that? Yes we wouldn’t blame you for looking twice at the image above. Alitalia really has launched a new livery, and whilst the awaiting press may have been a little disappointed to not see something perhaps as young, bold and dynamic as Etihad’s recent (award-winning) livery, we are delighted with the result.…

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New Korean Air Prestige Suite Indicates A New Seating Trend In Business Class

Korean Air is the latest carrier to embrace the new B/E Aerospace Apex business class suite. Following both JAL and Oman Air, Korean Air has opted for these increasingly popular forward facing private suites, which all offer aisle access and increased privacy. Just like Japan airline’s suites, Korean Air’s “Prestige suites” turn into 74 inch long beds. When…

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New Eurowings Brand Painted Up On First Aircraft – But Is It A Good Livery?

Yesterday Eurowings, which is Lufthansa’s newest LCC brand, revealed its first aircraft painted in its new livery. The new-look carrier will start by mirroring the product on offer by sister-airline germanwings. Firstly, a few facts, Eurowings isn’t a new brand. It had been operating since 1994 as a regional carrier for parent company Lufthansa. The new brand is…

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TRIP REPORT: Finnair A330 Business Class November 2014

Flight: AY0077 Aircraft Type: A330-300 Class: Business Class Route: HEL-KIX Date: November 2014 http://www.finnair.com Best for: Affordable, one stop flights to a whole host of Asian destinations. Most likely to sit next to: Designers, Architects and super cool Asian-techie travellers. Business or pleasure: The flight times are perfect for business travellers, however, with no WiFi, this is the perfect place to unwind and recharge…

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Aircalin, The Latest Pacific Airline To Celebrate Local Culture

Aircalin has taken the new delivery of its latest A320 as an opportunity to relaunch its livery. Another Pacific based airline, like Fiji Airways and O’hana by Hawaiian, has looked at its cultural roots to offer a unique and considered design, celebrating the culture of the New Caledonian islands it flies from. The original livery…

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SAS Introduce Brand New Long Haul Interiors

SAS, excitingly, have announced a brand new cabin concept for their long haul aircraft. Featuring business class, premium economy and economy classes, the new cabin and seat designs leap the airline into 2014 with a loud bang. Competing against carriers such as Finnair who have already pushed their airline forward with new designed cabins, SAS…

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Finnair Celebrate 90 Years Of Flights

Finnair, one of Scandinavia’s biggest carriers, celebrated it’s 90th anniversary of flights yesterday. On March 20th 1924, the airline operated a Junkers F.13 float plane from Helsinki to Tallin, Estonia. Since then, the airline has grown to an airline carrying just under 10 million passengers a year, with a fleet of 44 jet aircraft, to four of…

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TRIP REPORT: Qatar Airways January 2014

Flight: QR004 Aircraft Type: 777-300ER Class: Business Class Route: LHR-DOH Date: January 2014 http://www.qatarairways.com Best for: Those looking for the best of the business classes, not in need of frills, but good onward connections and timetables. Most likely to sit next to: Local wealthy Qataris who do international business and onward connecting international businessmen. Business or pleasure: A decent sized screen, seat with…

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Finally… A New (And Awesome) Safety Video For Pioneers Virgin Atlantic

We are so happy to finally announce a brand spanking new video for Virgin Atlantic. One of the original pioneers in ‘cool and original’ safety videos, the British Airline has once again shown what it can do when it put its mind to it. Taking inspiration from iconic titles such as Brief Encounter and 2001, A…

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Exclusive Look At Hawaiian’s New A330 Interiors

We were lucky today to be given an exclusive tour of one Hawaiian Airlines‘ two new A330 aircraft, parked at the gate at Honolulu airport. Just a few weeks old the latest aircraft to join the fleet, Keoe, showcases the brand new interior that will soon be introduced to the entire A330 fleet. Set to…

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TRIP REPORT: Fiji Airways Business Class February 2014

Flight: FJ811 Aircraft Type: A330-200 Class: Business Class Route: LAX-NAN Date: 6th February 2014 http://www.fijiairways.com Best for: Savvy passengers who can afford to spend a little more to start their holiday early, and fight off the jetlag. Most likely to sit next to: Anyone from a seasoned traveller top-to-toe in Linen luxury, to a marine biologist connecting on to Sydney. Business or…

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Hawaiian Airlines Announce Extra Comfort Economy Seating

One of our favourite carriers, Hawaiian Airlines has recently announced that in June 2014, their A330 fleet will offer a new level of comfort in their economy cabin. Titled ‘Extra Comfort Economy’, Hawaiian, In their first comprehensive redesign of its long-haul seating configuration, will be offering a new class of seats that offer more legroom and other amenities…

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Our Guide to Combating The Shrinking Seat

The Wall Street Journal recently posted a brilliant article about the supposed ‘Shrinking’ Airline seat, where airlines have become savvy to squeezing in an extra seat per row to get extra revenue, whilst losing an inch per seat width in comfort. Interestingly the main airframes this applies to is the 777 (9 across comfortably, but…

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When Green Really Does Become ‘Sexy’

It’s fairly well considered that being ‘green’, no matter how it’s marketed isn’t really a sexy subject manner. However, our friends, Virgin Atlantic have actually made a step in the right direction in making the notion of being green a cool concept. Some interesting figures have just come out, whereby the airline has revealed that it…

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Edelweiss Bring New Cabin Long-Haul Luxury

Edelweiss last month announced the launch of its new cabin offerings that will be on it’s long haul A330 fleet as of end of May next year. Both the A330-300 and A330-200 will be refitted to offer a more state-of-the-art experience for it’s long haul operations, featuring a completely new business class cabin, economy cabin…

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Marc Newson’s New Qantas A330 Seating

We are great fans of Marc Newson and what he is achieving at Qantas with regards to design. The lounges in Sydney are spectacular (and won our Top 10 Lounges last year) and his attempts at pulling the fleet into the 21st century have been very successful. (perhaps in part due to the competition arisen…

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July 4th. Four Good Reasons To Book A Trip To The US

As it’s 4th of July, we thought we would bring you a little bit of Americana to the site today. We have highlighted 4 excellent reasons to book a ticket to the US right now. 1. British Airways & Los Angeles Why British Airways? British Airways accepted it’s first A380 today, with much media hype…

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Fiji Airways Dazzle With New Uniforms

Our friends, Fiji Airways, have announced the latest stage of their rebranding excercise, bringing back the original glamour and authentic of their previous incarnation of the airline. The carrier on Thursday 27th June, relaunched itself worldwide as Fiji Airways, retiring its ‘Air Pacific’ brand. The defining moment, was the reveal of the new uniforms, created by…

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TheDesignAir Top 10 Economy Classes Of 2013

We are pleased to announce our Top 10 economy classes for 2013. We have scoured the world for airlines that have really shown us something truly special. Whilst many airlines didn’t make the list, we’d like to state that generally over the past 12 months, we have seen airlines around the world innovate and renovate…

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Attack Of The Clones. Spanish Style.

When I first saw the post from Skyliners that there was a reveal of the new Iberia livery, I was hoping that it was just a mis-identified livery from some budding flight sim enthusiast. However, on notice that there was a physical photograph of the livery in work, my heart sank. Iberia in my opinion had one…

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TheDesignAir Top 10 Destinations For 2013

As we head into 2013, it’s time to start planning the best places to go for the year ahead. Here at TheDesignAir we’ve wrapped up the best 10 destinations, whether it be for the best in air travel, best new airports or the hottest hotels to stay in. So without further ado, here’s the run-down…

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Fiji Airways Competition Winners Announced

Congratulations to Jorg Schulz-Gerchow, Harry Hook and Philip Bircham, our latest TheDesignAir winners, who have each won themselves some fantastic, and exclusive Fiji Airways goodies, they are winging their way to you! For those who entered and sadly didn’t win the goodies, fear not, as our lovely friends at Fiji Airways may have another special…

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Virgin Atlantic Launch Design-Led New Newark Clubhouse

Virgin Atlantic have now finished their £100million upgrade of their Upper Class Experience, with the launch of their final renovation of the clubhouses, the Newark Lounge. Pieced together by the same creatives, Slade Architecture, that made the JFK Clubhouse, which ranked Number 2 in our Top 10 Lounges 2012, this clubhouse is leaps and bounds…

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Fiji Airways Impress With New Livery & Branding

Now I have a feeling this is going to be a “Marmite/Vegimite” of liveries. You are either going to love it, or hate it. But Fiji Airways rebranding gets a big thumbs up from TheDesignAir. When first mentioned on TheDesignAir we highlighted the fact that Fiji was going back to it’s roots with it’s new name.…

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