Hot Hotel: Soneva Jani

Situated a mere 30-minute seaplane ride north of Male’s International Airport in the pristine waters of Noonu Atoll, is Medhufaru. This two-kilometre island may not be well known by its real island name, but it is known by thousands of influencers by a different guise – Soneva Jani – one of the most iconic, pristine,…

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TheDesignAir’s emerging trends for 2022

While 2022 is already underway, it seems that airlines are starting to emerge from hibernation, and with it, bringing a wave of passenger experience improvements from new cabin classes to new amenities. But what are the emerging trends we expect to see through 2022? Premium Economy wars As well as seeing new premium economy products…

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Doha’s Hamad International Airport expansion features indoor gardens and water features. A ‘growing’ trend?

Qatar Airways and Hamad International Airport have just announced plans for the second expansion phase in Doha. HIA’s expansion project will include a fairly grand 10,000 square metre indoor tropical garden in a central concourse as well as a 268 square metre water feature which will be the focal point of the expansion project. The…

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It’s a goodie bag! Virgin Atlantic revamps amenities, with cool eco-credentials

Virgin Atlantic has just pulled back the drawstring on a series of eco-savvy amenity enhancements across its cabins. Naturally focussing on their Upper Class product, which has recently had an upgrade, there are a plethora of extra enhancements from socks to pyjamas. The hero of these enhancement is Virgin’s quirkily-named ‘Goodie bag’ which features REN…

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Uncovering Etihad’s Latest Passenger Experience Developments (Pt II)

Recently, Etihad Airways completed a single-use plastic-free flight from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane to highlight the issues the industry faces when it comes to sustainability. But instead of this being a one-off stunt, it has actually turned into a learning curve with many of the disciplines being rolled out across the airline, a carrier fast becoming one…

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Uncovering Etihad’s Latest Passenger Experience Developments

Recently, Etihad Airways completed a single-use plastic-free flight from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane to highlight the issues the industry faces when it comes to sustainability. But instead of this being a one-off stunt, it has actually turned into a learning curve with many of the disciplines being rolled out across the airline, a carrier fast…

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Etihad Completes First Single-Use Plastic-Free Flight To Highlight Industry Challenges

Etihad Airways is now the first airline in the region to have operated a flight without any single-use plastics on board, in a bid to raise awareness of the effects of plastic pollution. Flight EY484 departed Abu Dhabi on 21 April, landing in Brisbane on 22 April, also known as Earth Day. H.H. Sheikh Theyab…

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Finnair Adds More Hygge By Launching New Amenities By Marimekko And L:A Bruket

Finnair is moving away from its more clinical approach to Finnish design and adding depth, texture and warmth with new soft products to bring a new layer of richness and comfort. Timed to coincide with the launch of its new service between Helsinki and Los Angeles on March 31st, Finnair has celebrated its long-standing relationship…

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Philippine Airlines Latest Lounge In Cebu’s Terminal 2 Showcases New Design Direction For Ground Product

Philippine Airlines has opened a small, yet perfectly formed new lounge in Cebu’s new Terminal 2 which itself, only opened a few weeks ago. The lounge, designed by GRiT Design Studio and brought to life by Atelier Almario showcases a new design direction for the carrier, with a homely, warm and inviting space, following the…

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Bottle-Up! Emirates Launches New Recycled Blanket Initiative

Emirates isn’t new to up-cycling, but this year, it has focussed its environmental efforts on part of its inflight experience. What is often seen as a small static-inducing luxury in economy (and often kept as a souvenir) could be one of the least environmentally-friendly passenger experience products. However, the Dubai based carrier has started a rather…

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Hot Hotel: Soneva Kiri, Thailand

When you hear ‘sustainable tourism’, let’s be honest, you wouldn’t picture yourself in a luxurious villa like the one above. However, we explored the finer side of the latest travel buzz-word in one of Thailand’s best hotels. Welcome to this month’s Hot Hotel, Soneva Kiri. The latest of the Soneva hotels to open, and still an established…

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