I was given the opportunity to fly with China Airlines, a few years after I last flew with them, and it was an opportunity to revalidate the reasons why the carrier was awarded Design Airline, Asia 2023 at our awards last year. The airline is often mistaken for a mainland Chinese carrier, which often don’t…
Read MoreMalaysia Airlines on the road to excellence with new cabins
In a recent event in Malaysia, the country’s flag-carrier revealed new cabins for the airline’s impending A330neo fleet, with the first of these shiny new aircraft scheduled for delivery in Q3 2024. We are thrilled to see the airline really doubling down on its proposition in a bid to win back market share. The A330neo…
Read MoreCould Beond be the next sustainable all-premium long-haul carrier? With interiors like these, there’s hope.
Beond is an interesting proposition. Through the hype and slightly clumsy press launch, there’s a glimmer of something quite adventurous that could actually work once the kinks are ironed out. Connecting via Dubai certainly doesn’t make for a luxurious experience from Europe to the Maldives, but it’s no different to how many already get there.…
Read MoreTrip Report: Qantas A380 ‘Upgraded’ Business Class, May 2023
It’s mind-boggling to think that Qantas has been flying its A380s for almost two decades. These behemoth gentle giants almost saw an untimely end because of the turn of the 2020’s but thankfully airlines are bringing these flagship aircraft back on key routes across the globe. Qantas is one such carrier that is not only…
Read MoreITA Airways adds A330Neo with stunning new interiors
This week saw not only the partial-acquisition of ITA Airways by Lufthansa Group, but also the first of its 18 A330-900Neo aircraft which will form the backbone of its international fleet. The aircraft is the first to be fully realised with ITA Airways vision for the passenger experience, as the A350’s that are already flying…
Read MoreTrip Report: Condor A330-900Neo Business Class ‘Prime Seats’, March 2023
TheDesignAir was lucky enough to be invited to trial Condor’s brand new A330-900Neo ‘2-litre’ aircraft just a few months after it launched the shiny new plane to the world. Jumping at the chance, we wanted to explore in-depth the reasons why the airline won both best new livery and most improved airline brand 2022 last…
Read MoreIberia seeks to up the ante with new A350 interiors
Iberia is the first airline to take delivery of the new A350 cabins that feature ever-so-slightly wider cabins and new technologies that make the aircraft lighter and more advanced (such as greater flap settings and faster retracting landing gear), even though they look identical on the outside. However, on the inside, Iberia has opted to…
Read MorePikachu we see you. (Again.) Now flying on a China Airlines A321neo
Pokemon characters certainly don’t seem scared of flying, after all, there have been multiple themed aircraft from the franchise over the years. The latest – and first to grace Taiwan – can be found on China Airlines aptly named “Pikachu Jet CI”. The design is fairly complex, and took no less than 21 days to…
Read MoreHas the era of revolution ended? Long live evolution
Let’s face it, airline cabins are becoming more and more familiar, the day of being surprised when walking onboard is almost over. The era of innovation that saw all-aisle access, private suites, and fully flat beds in business class – which first blossomed some twenty years ago – has seemingly settled into a plateau that…
Read MoreVirgin Atlantic New A330Neo delights with ‘better-than-Upper Class’ product and better fleet alignment
Launched today in London’s still-trendy Shoreditch, Virgin Atlantic’s new A330neo product should indeed turn heads. Launching a brand new product across a small yet nimble fleet usually means that the product offering becomes increasingly fragmented, but actually the airline has stumbled upon better synergies than ever on its Transatlantic offering. Introduced on Virgin Atlantic’s 16…
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 MoreHoly Deckchairs Batman! Condor reveals stripey new livery and brand image
Condor revealed perhaps the bravest new livery and brand image today we’ve seen in a decade. Actively opting to shun its previous looks and celebrate its leisure market, the airline has adopted a bold new, deck chair and beach towel inspired (I kid you not) livery. No, it’s not April 1st, and we did have…
Read MoreSpecial Trip Report: Etihad’s New A350 proposition breathes fresh life into the carrier
Etihad has always been a challenger brand in the Middle East, even if it’s not the youngest of the carriers. Often shadowed by its much larger, blingier cousin Emirates, and self-styled luxury carrier Qatar Airways, Etihad has had a bigger hill to climb, either winning market share, or the hearts and wallets of this lucrative…
Read MoreSAS shows off new A321LR interiors
SAS has just revealed its photos of its new A321LR cabin. The transatlantic narrow body joins the carrier’s wide-body fleet in connecting the two continents, but trying to keep the same passenger experience touch-points across fundamentally different airframes was a difficult ask. While the airline sadly hasn’t been able to provide all aisle access, by…
Read MoreChina Airlines receives first A321neo with impressive interiors
Taiwanese carrier China Airlines has just received its first A321neo passenger aircraft which heralds a new era in the airline’s narrow-body fleet. A total of 25 of these advanced Airbus aircraft will enter the fleet over the coming years, which will operate short-haul routes including Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Cross-strait. The aircraft itself features…
Read MoreAir France introduces new A220-300 as backbone of medium-haul flying
Today saw Air France take delivery of its first Airbus A220-300, the company’s most modern aircraft in the fleet on its short and medium-haul network. The airline has been on a massive fleet renewal program since introducing the Airbus A350 on its long-haul network, and by 2025 it will have integrated the 60 A220-300s ordered…
Read MoreCathay set sights on A321neo flights in August with new Business Class cabin
Cathay Pacific is about to see the commercial take-off of its latest arrival, the A321neo. With the pandemic hitting at a pivotal time for the carrier, commercially things have been bittersweet. While passenger numbers have been decimated for 18-months, the regrowth of the airline can now be expedited by the addition of a new narrow-body…
Read MoreQatar Airways’ musical chair conundrum
Qatar Airways is seen as one of the ‘true’ Five Star airlines in the world and it has worked hard over the past decade to position itself as a true luxury carrier. At the heart of its recent efforts is the airline’s QSuite, a Flagship product that only a few carriers have managed to surpass…
Read MoreCorsair receives new A330neo with brand new hard products
French leisure carrier Corsair, based in Paris Orly has just received the very first of 5 new A330neo aircraft which will modernise its fleet. Last year saw the retirement of its 747s which have now been replaced by an all Airbus A330 fleet. The airline has streamlined its network offering which once spanned the US…
Read MoreJetBlue’s Trans-Atlantic ‘Mint’ might be turning heads, but the economy cabin isn’t half bad either
While we covered JetBlue’s fantastic new Mint product recently, the airline certainly kept our eyes at the front of the aircraft, as we thought that’s where the magic was going to happen. However, it seems when it comes to Economy Class travel, the airline has decided to firmly position itself as a challenger to the…
Read MoreAirbus’ impending A320 Airspace cabin gives airlines more opportunities to build branded experiences
Airbus is soon to bring its first A320 family Airspace cabin to the market thanks to JetBlue’s new A321 which will be flying in just a few months’ time. Airbus has just recently started flight testing of the first Airspace Single-Aisle aircraft. A second phase of in-flight testing will take place in February to validate…
Read MoreJetBlue’s new A220 features a sleek new cabin, mirroring the carrier’s latest fleet
JetBlue has just revealed the all-new onboard experience which will soon greet customers aboard the airline’s Airbus A220-300. It is the first of no less than 70 A220’s that JetBlue has on order, that was delivered to the airline’s home at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 5 in New York on New Year’s Eve.…
Read MoreTrip Report: TAP Portugal A330neo Business Class December 2020
TAP Portugal is well known as one of the cheapest Star Alliance carriers, however, with the addition of its new Airbus Neo fleet, the aging business class cabin (albeit comfortable) has been given a new lease of life thanks to brand new Recaro seats.
Read MoreUganda Airlines proves aircraft interiors don’t just have to come in shades of blue
Uganda Airlines might not be on everyones radar. But that’s because until last week, the carrier just operated a modest fleet of four Bombardier CRJ900’s. Resurrected from its predecessor that last flew in 2001, the latest incarnation spread its wings a little over a year ago, but seemingly has big plans. With aircraft bought by…
Read MoreVistara receives new A321Neo with three cabin classes including fully-flat beds in Business Class
Vistara was one of the last airlines we covered pre-lockdown who received a brand new jet. The carrier’s 787 certainly showed this airline meant business and its latest arrival, a brand new Airbus A321neo shows Vistara is living up to its promises. The aircraft – which is part of a hefty order of 50 from…
Read MoreMEA receives new A321neo with new interiors and livery
MEA doesn’t often feature on TheDesignAir, as it has slipped under the radar for a while with its older fleet and less-than-design approach to aviation. However it seems the airline has turned a corner and is featuring firmly on our radar now. While not as ‘bells and whistles’ as many other Middle Eastern carriers, it…
Read MoreSAS reveals A350 interiors, which match the carrier’s bold, minimalist new livery
The first of SAS’s A350s has officially entered its fleet and starting in January, the carrier’s passengers will be able to take flight on one of the most advanced aircraft in the skies featuring the newest livery featuring super huge silver billboard titles across the fuselage. Inside, the carrier has opted for the same paired…
Read MoreFiji Airways shares a sneak peek of what their A350 will look like, and it’s pretty close to a private jet…
The latest renderings of Fiji Airways‘ A350 have showcased what their cabin and livery will look like – and quite frankly both are stunning. The airline, while opting for an incredibly minimalist design inside their latest airframe, has managed to encapsulate the feeling of a private jet with crisp lines and clean white and grey…
Read MoreRoo-hoo! Qantas shows off the newly refurbished A380 product, now flying to London
The first of Qantas’ upgraded A380s welcomed its first passengers yesterday on the London to Sydney route, delivering a radical new cabin enhancement for Australia’s national carrier’s largest aircraft. The multi-million dollar upgrade of their 12 superjumbo aircraft includes new seating across Business and larger Premium Economy cabins and a refresh of the aircraft’s First…
Read MoreAir France launches new A350 with brand-new Business Class and Premium Economy cabins
Last week Air France took delivery of its first Airbus A350 at the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse France. The first of 28 A350-900s which will arrive by 2025. The new aircraft is equipped with 324 seats, with 34 in a brand-new Business cabin, 24 in a new Premium Economy cabin and 266 in Economy. Air…
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