As we come up to awards season, we are about to announce this years nominees for some of the best advancements this year in cabin experience. We’ll be announcing the shortlist before the end of September, so get ready to start voting! Every time i work on TheDesignAir, I’m in awe of the following it…
Read More
Over the decades, airlines across the globe have approached fashion designers to add a bit of creative flair into their brand. So it’s no surprise that start-up Riyadh Air –which plans on setting the bar high – has searched for a couturier to help create the carrier’s very first uniform. And in reality it didn’t…
Read More
Ever since Qatar Airways launched its impressive business class product QSuite a decade ago, most airlines have tried to up their own ante to compete with this incredibly competitive Business Class seat. Not to be outdone, Qatar Airways has just revealed an update to the QSuite which will feature on the airlines new 777-9 which…
Read More
Korean Air is a fairly iconic brand. Its timeless baby blue and white liveries are instantly recognisable. There are very few airlines that can boast such an identifiable ‘blue’ livery. And while the logo itself is somewhat reminiscent of the Pepsi logo, this Taegeuk has a much deeper cultural meaning within Korea stemming back hundreds…
Read More
Delta Air Lines has introduced its first Delta One Lounge at JFK, exclusive for Delta One passengers and certain partners. Spanning over 39,000 square feet, it offers premium amenities including fine dining, spa-like services, and unique design elements inspired by Manhattan. Additional Delta One Lounges are planned to open at LAX and Boston Logan soon.
Read More
Neutral Digital has established itself as a premier 3D studio specializing in CGI for the aviation sector. Over two decades, it has provided airlines with innovative visual solutions, enhancing brand experiences and customer loyalty. By leveraging CGI, airlines gain creative control over imagery, enabling engaging marketing tools that boost revenue and streamline content creation.
Read More
The Aircraft Interiors Expo showcases innovations in airline seating and technology, reflecting a post-COVID resurgence in passenger experience. Despite excitement, airlines face challenges in setting distinct identities and navigating a plethora of choices. Collaboration among suppliers and embracing an open IP approach could enhance future developments in airline interiors, promoting faster innovation and integration.
Read More
Factorydesign is one of the world’s leading aviation design agencies. Based in London it’s been part of some of the most iconic cabin designs and has helped shape today’s passenger experience across the globe. With almost three decades in the industry, I take some time ahead of AIX 2024 to talk with Peter Tennent, one…
Read More
The never ending game of cat and mouse between the US3 carriers is playing dividends for the inflight and ground customer experience in the USA. A region that was once a decade behind the rest of the world when it came to cabin interiors, has fast become a hot-bed of creativity and world-standard hard products.…
Read More
This year turning out to be a pretty exciting year for the passenger experience world. While airlines are recording record profits, they are investing heavily into their new aircraft, looking to try and win over market share. Here’s TheDesignAir’s round up of best business class seats you should fly in 2024. 1. Cathay Pacific 777…
Read More
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 More
This week saw British Airways host an event in London to present a wave of improvements to the passenger experience costing the carrier no less than £7bn over the coming years. Now usually this would be seen as a series of individual stories, but as a collective, the overarching impression is that the airline is…
Read More
Air India has had a challenging launch of a new brand in our eyes. How can an airline both represent and value a nation’s pride while also modernising its image to the international stage. While the airline originally launched a new brand and livery that fell flat, the carrier has slowly been building the much…
Read More
In the second of our studio spotlights, I take an afternoon to sit down with Paul Wylde, one of the industry’s leading design veterans who has worked across a range of exciting and varied projects. So Paul, firstly, can you tell us a little bit about your background? I love telling stories on behalf of…
Read More
January saw the launch of yet another lounge, The Chase Sapphire Lounge in New York’s LaGuardia (LGA) airport. The Chase Sapphire Lounge was also joined last week by a sister lounge in JFK, in partnership with Etihad Airways, both of which are run by The Club, an Airport Dimensions brand. This might sound complicated, but…
Read More
Where Air India’s recent rebranding failed to excite with the new master brand, livery and hard product, the recent announcement of enhancements to the soft product launch has filled in gaps to the missed deeper connection to its national heritage. This week has seen the airline reveal new amenity kits, a luxurious and sustainable bedding…
Read More
Today we are pleased to announce TheDesignAir’s 11th annual award winners, as we celebrate the very best in aviation design, brand, and passenger experience around the world. Every year we see airlines across the globe continue to advance the passenger experience in the air and on the ground. There has been a new wave of…
Read More
Etihad Airways has just given a sneak peek of its new flagship premium lounges at Abu Dhabi International Airport’s much awaited “Terminal A”. Etihad inaugurated the new terminal on October 31st with a special one off flight before introducing a full transition to the Terminal which should be complete by the 14th November. Etihad’s impressive new…
Read More
LOT Polish Airlines is continuing its drive towards enhancing the passenger experience. The new LOT Business Lounge at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport will be the first space of its kind outside Europe. It will be opening in the second half of 2024. Much like the new interiors for the aircraft, the lounge’s new interior will be…
Read More
On a recent flight through Warsaw to Chicago i was able to experience LOT Polish Airlines business class product, and I have to say, apart from a slightly dated cabin, the product was near excellence. There will be a review of that on my site soon, as well as a full video trip report on…
Read More
Now those with a good memory will notice that the announcement of Saudia’s new brand feels a little bit familiar. That’s for good reason. Saudia’s latest livery is actually a previous incarnation of the brand image from the 1980s. A time when futurism was based on a mix between brutalism and pixelated screen technology, which…
Read More
You will be forgiven for not knowing of this new Bermuda-based startup, but it’s certainly going to be getting a lot of attention in the coming months. The airline has been a long time in the making. Bermudair actually comes from Adam Scott—the same CEO who wanted to start Odyssey, the all-business class airline that…
Read More
I think most of us were surprised that when Vistara and Air India were going to merge, Air India was going to be the dominant brand, considering how considered and elegant Vistara’s brand image was in comparison to the crumbling image of a legacy carrier from yesteryear. But in hindsight, as Air India has been…
Read More
We’re currently in an era of rebounded passenger volumes, overwhelming profit margins, and seemingly sustained growth in virtually all aspects of the aviation industry. While much of that profit has been realised by heavily streamlined operations post-COVID, it’s also been due to pared back passenger experiences over the past 12 months, with many airlines only…
Read More
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 More
Alaska Airlines has had a long-time relationship with the Alaskan Salmon, In fact, in 1932, the airline took its first flight between Anchorage and Bristol Bay, home of the world’s most extensive sockeye salmon run. Since then its constantly been a part of distributing salmon across the States, so celebrating this ironic Alaskan export makes…
Read More
The update to a livery for an airline with a large fleet is a costly, and arduous undertaking. A dramatic shift in livery and brand can create inconsistency for years while a fleet is repainted, and too subtle a shift can be seen as folly. But sometimes the arrival of a new sub-fleet can bring…
Read More
It may not be first to the punch, but following on Lufthansa’s coattails, Swiss has revealed its own personalised ‘SWISS Senses’ air travel experience from 2025 onwards utilising exactly the same hardware as sister carrier Lufthansa. The centrepiece of the new customer product is a redesigned cabin for the airline’s long-haul aircraft fleet, which was…
Read More
Qantas has finally unveiled prototypes of the First and Business cabins on the aircraftthat will fly passengers non-stop from Australia to New York and London from late 2025 along with a detailed virtual reality fly-through render of the aircraft cabins. This comes shortly after news of a new First Class lounge that will open in…
Read More
This is the TheDesignAir’s hottest Design Airlines to try in 2023. Whether you fly regularly or are saving up for that once in a lifetime trip, here’s our recommendation for airlines, big and small, that bring a bit of style to the skies, but which have you flown and which are you wanting to try?…
Read More