We love a special jet, and there is no more special than Four Season’s little black number revealed today to the world’s press. This is the basically the Orient Express for the 21st century, carefully transporting 52 very exclusive passengers on a money-can’t-buy itinerary of a lifetime. Working in partnership with Four Seasons Hotels, TCS…
Read More
Flight: CX250 Aircraft Type: B777-300ER Class: Business Class Route: LHR-HKG Flight time: 11:45 Seat: 16D Date: April 2015 http://www.cathaypacific.com Best for: Regular travellers connecting from Europe to Asia, with five flights a day, the airline offers a great variety of flight departure times with connections onto a variety of China and pan-Asian destinations. The crowd: Completely full, as always. Cathay manages to combine…
Read More
Written for TheDesignAir by Adam Ralston | Reported last year and finally seen in the wild, Boeing showcased their new Space Bins, boasting storage space for up to six roll-aboard bags, two more than the current bins in the Boeing Sky Interior afford. All in, Boeing claim the new Space Bins will provide room for an…
Read More
SilkAir, the regional carrier for Singapore Airlines has just revealed its latest uniforms, set to take to the skies tomorrow. The ‘Pseudo-Trekkie’ ensemble comes in two colours, Aqua blue for junior crew, and in a twist, red for the senior members of the 500 strong cabin crew. All puns aside, these effortless and simple uniform…
Read More
By out latest TheDesignAir contributor Zoe Belhomme | The first plane to have flown the world’s longest commercial flight from London to Sydney bid its final farewell to the skies last week before heading to its retirement home at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) in New South Wales. The Qantas Boeing 747-400 made the 15-minute…
Read More
Our good friends at Hawaiian Airlines have just announced completion of a comprehensive retrofit on the first of its 18 Boeing 717 aircraft, featuring an island-inspired interior cabin designed by US based design studio paulwylde including trim and finish for a new lightweight Main Cabin seating from Acro Aircraft Seating Ltd. While we love the carrier for still…
Read More
We all know the story of the ill-fated Eos, MaxJet and SilverJet, who sadly all ceased operations during the credit crunch a few years ago. The only surviver, L’Avion, was snapped up by British Airways, who turned the carrier around, rebranding it British Airways “OpenSkies”. The carrier since, has continued operations, flying between Paris (Orly) and…
Read More
Today is the launch party of China Eastern‘s New 777-300ER which has now commenced commercial service to LA, with the carrier launching the brand new Boeing aircraft on their prestigious trans-Pacific Shanghai – Los Angeles route. With already established routes to America, including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Honolulu to Shanghai, China Eastern is poised to become a…
Read More
Qantas has followed suit of many other airlines over the past few years, unveiling its first ever “retro” inspired livery on one of its brand new Boeing 737 aircraft. The eye catching design is a flying tribute to 70 years of the iconic flying kangaroo logo – a widely recognised symbol of home to millions of intrepid…
Read More
KLM in the light of the recent departure of their last MD-11, have announced a further modernisation of their fleet. The new 777-200 economy cabin has been revealed, as designed by Dutch designer Hella Jongerius, who also designed their new World Business Class cabin. Whilst the airline still offers only a two class cabin across…
Read More
What can you do if you had 5 days, 12 painters and 350 litres of paint. Well, if you are Air New Zealand you could paint your new 787-9 in an ‘All Black’ paint job. Our favourite of the airline’s two new livery designs, this black beauty is well proportioned and striking to look at, With…
Read More
Lufthansa have been working on a new premium economy product for the past few years and have just announced they are to be introduced into their long haul fleet. Seen globally as a huge success since the invention from Virgin Atlantic, in 1992, many airlines now offer a class between economy and business class, as…
Read More
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…
Read More
Thanks to our friends at Australian Business Traveller, we can share the latest news from Asia LCC Scoot. Singapore Airlines’ low-cost offshoot will take delivery of its first Boeing 787-9 in November this year and shift to an all-Boeing 787 fleet by the middle of 2015 as the airline seeks to parlay the Dreamliner’s increased fuel…
Read More
In a roll out across the 777 fleet, and part of the ‘Best & Beyond’ service and product renovation project, Air France have finally caught up with their international competitors by offering fully flat seating in their business class cabins. The seating may look familiar, being adopted the world round for it’s successful mix of…
Read More
Originally by Dominique Afacan, one of our DesignAir judges for forbes.com. She talks business, beds and Boeing with Roberto Abbondio, Head of Sales and Marketing UK/IR for Cathay Pacific. Cathay just won Best Business Class in the Airline Ratings.com awards – how does the cabin differ to the previous offering? It is a brand new concept. The thing we are very…
Read More
Just like the new 777’s that Kenya Airways launched late last year, Kenya Airways have released on YouTube a computer generated image of what their new 787’s will be like when they arrive. The first thing that strikes us is the new interior in the Premier World (business class) is the beds are identical to…
Read More
The end of December 2013 marks an historic moment for Cathay Pacific Airways as it bids farewell to its Boeing 747-400s. Proud to have one of the youngest fleet in the world, the airline has announced that it will operate the fuel efficient and environmentally beneficial Boeing 777-300ER on all of its London flights in…
Read More
Flight: CX237 Aircraft Type: 777-300ER Class: Business Class Route: HKG-LHR Date: 1st December 2013 http://www.cathaypacific.co.uk Best for: Passengers wanting no-fuss elegant luxury, space and dining flying to and from Hong Kong. Most likely to sit next to: A mix of couples, suited business men and mainly passengers that keep themselves to themselves. Business or pleasure: Whilst there is no Wi-Fi on board, the…
Read More
Air Canada, who have created one of the densest seating 777‘s going, which apart from their new business class cabin (which is great), packed passengers in their economy cabin, has now released impressions of their 787. Whilst the economy cabin offers 3 x 3 x 3 seating (which although tight is similar to almost all…
Read More
Flight: CX254 Aircraft Type: 777-300ER Class: Premium Economy Route: LHR-HKG Date: 30th November 2013 http://www.cathaypacific.co.uk Best for: Savvy frequent travellers who are happy with a great reclining chair but don’t want to spend their money on business class. Most likely to sit next to: On our flight, I was next to business travellers, one of which was a Boeing Engineer, and most…
Read More
With the premiere of the latest in the Hobbit franchise being one of the most talked about tickets this month, it is no surprise that one airline has gone a little Hobbit crazy. Perhaps the World’s biggest fan of Tolkein’s works, Air New Zealand has celebrated the new film with another of their special Lord…
Read More
Thanks to our antipodean friends at Australian Business Traveller, we have a few images to share from their news on the unveiling of Qantas’ latest Boeing-737 Aboriginal Painted Jet. The ‘Mendoowoorrji’ artwork is from the late Paddy Bedford, a famous West Australian Aboriginal artist, and specifically from his 2005 painting ‘Medicine Pocket’ and is different…
Read More
We were very excited to receive a press release this morning from Air New Zealand, it showed in full glory the new 787-9 interiors, and their first routes. Initially flying on the Auckland – Perth route, as more aircraft join the fleet it will then start flying Auckland – Tokyo, Auckland – Shanghai, and also…
Read More
We are slightly taken aback by Transaero’s latest announcement regarding the cabin offerings on their six new 737-800 aircraft. Transaero, a Russian carrier, that was fairly unheard of until a few years ago, was recently awarded by SkyTrax “Most Improved Airline In the World” and by the looks of things, quite rightly so. In what…
Read More
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…
Read More
Last May, Japan AIrlines announced the airline was renovating the airline’s 767 cabin for its international routes. The first route will be first introduced on flights between Tokyo (Narita) and Vancouver from December 09, 2013 and following this, flights between Tokyo (Narita) and Kuala Lumpur from January 2014. The airline also plans to expand this new service…
Read More
Air France has made a “Best&Beyond” promise to change it’s ways recently, shaking off some of the history it has steeped up over the years, and add a more contemporary ‘luxury’ feel to the airline. The French legacy carrier, like Lufthansa and British Airways, is fast becoming another bastion of European ‘luxury refined’ travel. Each…
Read More
British Airways Business Class Report Flight: BA2666 Aircraft Type: 737-400 Class: Business Class (Club Europe) Route: LGW – RAK Date: 02nd August 2013 Best for: Leisure Travellers who pick up a rash from low cost carriers. Most likely to sit next to: On this flight, most likely business executives using their airmiles to ship themselves and their entire family (including Nanny)…
Read More
Only a day after JetBlue announced their new premium trans-continental product launch including mini-suites, Delta have announced their new premium trans-continental US service onboard their 757 fleet. All in all, they have pulled out the big guns, and with American yet to reveal their new cabin product, the gloves, most certainly are off. Way to…
Read More