LATAM Airlines unveiled a fantastic and innovative new dining concept for the Economy cabin of its long-haul international flights (longer than seven hours), which is now available onboard flights to/from Chile and will be introduced throughout the airline group’s international network before the end of 2017.

LATAM has defied convention and replaced the traditional tray – normally associated with in-flight dining – with a choice of individual gourmet dishes that are 50% bigger with fewer peripheral elements, which showcase Latin American, international and vegetarian cuisine.

Passengers will now be presented with a menu with three choices for lunch or dinner, including a hot dish, vegetarian meal or a lighter cold option, which is accompanied by a drinks service and sweet snack. There also will be two breakfast choices – all at no additional cost to passengers.

“At LATAM, we are committed to offering our passengers an unrivalled travel experience and they tell us that onboard dining is one of the most important differentiators. That’s why, we embarked on journey to develop a unique culinary experience that offers unparalleled quality, comfort and variety,” said Claudia Sender, Senior Vice-President Clients, LATAM Airlines Group.

The new dining concept was developed over 16 months together with airline catering experts at the Gategroup Innovation Centre in Amsterdam. The onboard experience was central to the creative process and from the outset LATAM’s catering team collaborated with cabin crew and Gategroup’s specialist chefs, taking into account service time and the constraints of the aircraft’s galley.

“The passenger was central to every decision in the development process. We asked them what they wanted and collaborated with industry experts and our cabin crew to ensure it was deliverable on-board. Every detail was important to us – from the ingredients used to how each dish is prepared and served,” said Sender.

During the development process, LATAM also sought passenger feedback, carrying out 14 in-flight trials. Passengers were surveyed about the overall in-flight experience and on average satisfaction scores doubled with the new dining concept when compared to its previous Economy service on long-haul flights. In total, the company has created over 300 new dishes, which will be served to an average of 14,000 passengers on 64 flights each day.

Starting December 1st Emirates will introduce a refreshed interior across its 777 fleet with the carriers updated “light and modern” colour scheme featuring refined textured panels, as well as new lighting and design accents. At the heart of the refresh is the long-awaited First Class product.

As an industry first, the airline has adopted floor to ceiling sliding doors taking design features from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. They might not be as large as the Singapore Airlines A380 suites, but they have less real estate to play with. That said, they offer up to 40 square feet of personal space each, laid out in a 1-1-1 configuration. The inclusion of an artistic motif representing the Ghaf (prosopis cineraria) tree, is used as a design highlight throughout the aircraft. An indigenous evergreen plant, the Ghaf is a considered the national tree of the United Arab Emirates, and has deep cultural and ecological significance.

The airline has also followed the emerging trend of looking at the entire aircraft when coming up with a cabin refresh. From First Class through to the Business and Economy Class cabins, all along the walkways, in the washrooms and galleys, Emirates multi-million dollar upgrade includes newly-designed seats and upgraded inflight entertainment systems in all cabins.

Spearheading the innovations, first class is abundant in details. Akin to a private yacht or sleeper train cabin, these private cabins allow the user to manage everything from the lighting colour to the temperature. Interestingly, every single suite is a window seat. Even those in the aisle. This is made possible by a series of virtual windows in the middle of the cabin, with imagery beamed from cameras on the outside of the aircraft.

The true window seats are still the best, benefitting from binoculars for those who want to truly explore the world. On the airline’s new First Class product, Sir Tim said, “Emirates pioneered the First Class private suite concept back in 2003, and today it’s the industry benchmark when it comes to first class travel.

Over the years we have continually improved on our private suites, adding thoughtful refinements and features. We are very excited about our new fully-enclosed suite which is a real game-changer in terms of privacy, comfort, and thoughtful luxury. This is the first time an Emirates product has been so influenced by another luxury brand, but it is a natural fit as both Emirates and Mercedes-Benz have the same unwavering commitment to fine detail, uncompromising quality, and a drive to push the boundaries.”

The relationship with Mercedes-Benz has been developed further with not only a fleet of S-Class cars being utilised for chauffeur drive but allowing the automotive expert to influence the cabin design. The collaboration inspired several design details in the private suite including the soft leather seating, high-tech control panels and the mood lighting.

Created in collaboration with Boeing, Rockwell Collins interior systems, Panasonic, Jacques Pierre Jean Design studio and Seattle-based design firm Teague, each fully enclosed private suite has a floor to ceiling sliding door, and combines smart technologies and intelligent design to deliver function, as well as luxury and comfort.

The soft leather seat reclines into a fully flat bed and can be placed in a “zero-gravity” position inspired by NASA technology, giving a feeling of relaxation and weightlessness. The roomy suites also have ample space for passengers to change in the privacy of their suites even after the bed has been made.

Privacy is maintained in the suite, a conscious design choice. However, passengers can easily communicate with the cabin crew, or request for room service using the video call function. The suites also come with a service window where customers can be served drinks and canapes undisturbed.

Emirates has retained and updated the most popular features of its private suites such as “the personal mini bar for drinks and snacks within each suite; and wireless controls to adjust seating positions, as well as to navigate Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system, ice.”

The suite features a 32-inch Full HD LCD TV screen, or project content from their own devices. The viewing experience is now enhanced with brand new Bowers & Wilkins Active Noise Cancelling E1 headphones created exclusively for Emirates. These headphones were designed by award-winning audio brand Bowers & Wilkins to ensure the sound was optimised for the First Class cabin environment.

Each suite is fitted with an inspiration kit which features a luxury Byredo skincare collection found only on Emirates, Hydra Active moisturising pyjamas, and Bulgari amenity kits. Taking inspiration from sleeper train cabins, the airline has also utilised every space within the suite to provide ample storage, including over head storage units.

The design and shape of Emirates’ Business Class seat onboard the new 777 was also inspired by the interior of a modern sports car, with a diamond stitch pattern on the full leather cover, ergonomically designed headrest, and a sleek overall look and feel.

The seat has a pitch of 72 inches and moves into a fully-flat sleeping position. It also has touchscreen controls for the seat and inflight entertainment system, several personal lighting options, privacy panels between seats, a shoe stowage area, footrest, and a personal mini-bar.

Even economy has received a facelift, now featuring a colour palette of soft greys and blues. The ergonomically designed seats come with full leather headrests that have flexible side panels and can also be adjusted vertically for optimum support.

The Big Picture

flydubai today showed off its new interiors for its’ 737 Max 8 Aircraft designed by JPA Design. The first aircraft, bearing the UAE registration mark A6-MAX, is the first of 76 aircraft on order from Boeing; all of which will be delivered by 2023. No less than six of these aircraft will join the flydubai fleet by the end of the last quarter of 2017.

JPA Design’s full scope of work took in all cabin elements, including seat design and customisation for Economy and Business class, lavatories, full CMF (colour materials and finishes), soft furnishings – including curtains and carpets, service wear – bulkheads, lighting and Inflight Entertainment GUI (Interface) menu content.

Interestingly, flydubai has moved its current business class offering from deep recliner chairs to fully-flat beds similar to those found on JetBlue, which gives the carrier the ability to lift its product offering, helping it align with its codeshare big brother carrier Emirates.

flydubai’s Chairman, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum commenting on the occasion said: “At the 2013 Dubai Airshow we made history by placing the largest order for this aircraft type in the Middle East. This was made before this aircraft took its first commercial flight. To see that commitment being fulfilled today is another milestone in Dubai’s aviation success story. The efficiency and enhanced performance this aircraft promises is going to play an important role in the new chapter of flydubai’s growth strategy.”

The flat-beds will get good use as well. flydubai’s new Boeing 737 MAX 8s will initially be deployed on the furthest points on the carrier’s network. Destinations including Bangkok, Prague, Yekaterinburg and Zanzibar will be among the first to be served by the MAX 8. The additional aircraft being delivered over the next few years will be rolled out across the fleet and will become available on most of the routes on the network.

flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith Al Ghaith, commenting on the arrival of the MAX 8: “We are gearing up and putting the final touches to these new aircraft which will improve our overall fleet performance, bring more flexibility and efficiency to our operations and further support our commitment to opening up new destinations, whilst delivering an exceptional onboard experience for our passengers.”

The Big Picture

2020 will see a new type of business class seat join Lufthansa’s fleet. Last week Lufthansa revealed its brand-new Business Class product that will be available with the roll-out of the Boeing 777-9. The new seat might look familiar, as it shares a lot of similarities with Acumen’s Optima seat design, which can also be found in United’s new Polaris cabin right now.

As a novel improvement to the seat construction, the seat cushioning has been updated with sleep in mind. The construction of the back rest makes it possible for the shoulder to sink in when you are lying on the side. This keeps the spine straight and makes it possible for side sleepers to also benefit from ideally healthy and relaxing sleep.

“The new, ultra-modern Lufthansa Business Class creates a new global benchmark. It offers our passengers a unique travel experience,” says Harry Hohmeister, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. “We have consistently and continuously refined our range of premium products for our guests and modernized Lufthansa. Our focus is and has always been on the wishes of our customers and their specific needs. We want to provide them with the perfect travel experience. The new Business Class showcases the full innovative capacity of Lufthansa.”

Compared to its predecessors, the Boeing 777-9 has a considerably wider cabin, yet the configuration actually matches the 2 x 3 x 2 found in some 777 business class cabins. However, due to the staggered configuration, Business class passengers will now have direct access to the aisle, made possible by a repeating 1-2-1 and 1-1-1 seat configuration.

The airline is pushing customer personalisation as a unique sales tool, however, they are truly reflecting the fact that the seats actually offer slightly different passenger space and bed lengths. “Depending on their personal needs, passengers can choose between a number of spatial configurations. For instance, they can choose to have an extended-length bed or a seat with twice as much desk space. Lufthansa’s new high-end Business Class offers business and leisure travellers an incomparably luxurious, healthy and relaxing flight experience,” states the press release.

All the functions of the seat as well as the in-flight entertainment system can be controlled using the passenger’s personal device (a bit like Singapore Airlines new system.) Smartphones and tablets can also be recharged at the seat using wireless technology. And in the future, anyone who wants to watch one of the movies from the extensive entertainment program will experience the blockbusters on much larger screens, in full HD.

2020 might be a while to wait, but the good news is that there will be some innovations in the existing Business Class in the upcoming year to significantly improve the comfort level for passengers. Mattresses that have been developed exclusively for Lufthansa will be provided on long intercontinental flights as of early 2018. On request, passengers will also be provided with sleeping sweaters. So far, these have only been available in First Class. Lufthansa will also be offering its Business Class passengers new blankets.

This week saw the announcement of a new, smart and sophisticated design flourish to Finnair’s business and economy cabins. Supporting the new fabrics and amenity kit designs in business class, is a new service concept, allowing passengers to eat on demand.

Inspired by pure essentials, Nordic design and meaningful encounters, Finnair’s new service concept will offer a wider range of dining and wine options just as if you were dining in a restaurant.  

“More than ever, our Business Class customers enjoy the opportunity to customize their travel and dining experience,” says Piia Karhu, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Finnair. “Our objective is to create an unspoken bond with our guests, every time they fly. We have dedicated cabin crew personnel for business class passengers, providing a more individual service, with the aim of setting new standards for comfort and overall well-being onboard Finnair flights.

The service offering also includes Kahvikutsut, a traditional coffee and dessert course featuring no less than seven different sweet treats including Carelian pies, cinnamon buns, coffee cake and traditional Finnish chocolates, served between the two main meal services.

Finnair’s new business class service concept will commence as of February 7, 2018, on flights to Seoul, Tokyo and Shanghai, with a gradual roll-out of the remaining long-haul destinations during the spring and summer.

In the A350, Marimekko has extended its collaboration with Finnair with a new range of textile designs including new simple and stylish seat covers, pillows, blankets and chinaware with prints from the iconic Finnish design house Marimekko.

“With Nordic-inspired design throughout the entire cabin, our aim is for our guests to be treated to a travel experience that sooths the senses and clears the mind,” says David Kondo, Head of Cabin Interior Development at Finnair. “Our new seat textiles and comfort amenities have a fresh and modern aesthetic that is inspired by Nordic homes and landscapes. ”The new interior elements are rolled out to Finnair’s Airbus A350 aircraft in phases during 2018.

In addition to its complimentary inflight service and hospitality offering, Etihad Airways has introduced a selection of inflight products aimed at enhancing the travel experience and providing more choice for its guests in Economy Class. The items are available for purchase on a selected number of routes to and from Abu Dhabi.

The new selection includes comfort items such as Christian Lacroix male and female amenity kits featuring exclusive skincare products by pioneering Hungarian skincare brand Omorovicza; Christian Lacroix cotton sleepwear in a range of sizes; Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Brut NV champagne; Coffee Planet cold brew coffee; and tasty snack boxes with sweet and healthy treats complementing the custom free meal service.

Linda Celestino, Vice President Guest Experience and Delivery, said: “Etihad Airways is always looking at new ways to give our guests more power and control over their experience, through options to customise and personalise their journey.

“In addition to providing extra comfort and choice in the air, some of the items are great gift ideas, particularly in the run up to the holiday season. We will monitor guest satisfaction and aim to expand the range of items for sale in the future.”

Etihad have already added pay-for lounge access for economy passengers as well as chauffeur drive services, free middle-seats and a range of other passenger perks. While some might see this drive as a revenue enhancing drive, it also gives passengers what they want, when they want them at fairly affordable value. We don’t think this will be the first or last airline to bolt on comfort extras like this, but the fact they are partnering with premium brands such as Lacroix, Piper-Heidsieck and Omorovicza helps reinforce the airline’s design-led approach to the passenger experience.

Malaysia Airlines this week saw the launch of its new A350 product on its prestigious London route, with plans for it to replace the A380 product by March 2018. While this will see a capacity decrease, it will see a more contemporary product on the route, including a very intimate First Class cabin of just 4 seats, 31 larger business class seats, and 251 economy plus & economy seats.

Malaysia Airlines brought in Factorydesign to work on their Business Class and First Class cabins, which are adaptations of the Thompson Vantage seats. The unique configuration sees a myriad of Business Class seat options on the one aircraft, but each offers more space compared to the A380.

Thanks to the all-new Airbus A350 with extra wide cabins, passengers can also enjoy better air quality, a quieter environment and intelligent mood lighting. The A350 offers the latest in aircraft innovation with superior connectivity thanks to onboard WIFI and upgraded in-flight entertainment, featuring the latest blockbuster films displayed on large HD screens.

First Class

With a simple partition, the front zone of the business class has been sectioned off to provide a 1 x 2 x 1 seating arrangement. While fundamentally its the same seat, it offers more storage space, and privacy in the form of sliding doors. The airline has adopted a simple brushed copper and black colour palette, to add sophistication and a very on-trend designer look.

The actual seats aren’t as wide as their A380 seats, but there is still ample room to stretch out. The middle seats do have a retracting partition for those travelling together, but it isn’t along the whole seat, meaning conversations are through a large enough space when the seats are only semi reclined.

Each unit however features a large HD TV, ample storage, and a myriad of seat controls including a massage function. The user interface with its simple iconography matches the simple clean lines of the cabin, and the brushed copper finish trims virtually every surface.

The mood lighting panels beside the seat are a lovely touch too, and an iconic design, which will become instantly recognisable. Other small design details like the stitchwort on the seats, tactile faux-suede lined storage compartments, and copper pillows finish these mini-First Suites.

Business Class

The business class cabin at first glance is just as comparable, the Thomson Vantage seat coming into it’s own. Due to the width of the A350, and not opting for the XL seat, the airline has a 2 x 2 x 1 configuration (of sorts) and due to the layout, each seat has slightly different elements.

Some have large storage units featuring vanity mirrors, and side tables, while others don’t, some have footwells that are contained (and perhaps a tiny bit constrictive) while others don’t, and then there are the famous ‘throne’ seats, which are by far the best seats in the house, featuring two storage areas, aisle access and no neighbour passenger.

While this sounds complex, the choice is simple to digest, for those solo travellers, pick the left hand window seats (A) or throne seats (2,5,9,11K), for those travelling together, pick the middle pairs (D,G). Perhaps the less desirable seats are those situated on the right hand of the aircraft by the window (3K,6K,10K), where you have to step over a neighbour, and don’t enjoy any extra storage.

While this might all sound confusing, the core product is excellent, and the above just helps you get the most out of the seating. In any seat, you will be enjoying a lot of personal space, a large TV and a long, flat bed.

Economy Class

The economy cabin is split in two, with three rows at the front featuring extended legroom, and the whole cabin enjoys a 3 x 3 x 3 arrangement, with wider seats. Even in the main economy cabin, passengers can enjoy a lot of legroom. When testing, we were very comfortable even with the seat in front reclined.

The seats feature bi-fold tray tables, a large TV screen and controller in the seat, meaning less chance of stopping your entertainment when trying to get comfortable in the seat.

The seats also feature large, comfortable and adjustable leather headrests, which add a little bit of colour into the cabin. Overall, we were hoping to see bulkheads and fixtures featuring more colour, pattern and texture, however, remembering that the crew are impeccably dressed and feature wonderfully patterned Sarong Kebayas which add the needed colour, pattern and texture into the aircraft.

Overall, this is a wonderful addition to Malaysia Airlines fleet, it’s carefully thought out, to reflect the airline’s need for cost efficiencies, to play in a very competitive Asia market, and to delight passengers with a comfortable, modern experience, that will serve the airline well for years to come.

Commenting on the inaugural flight, CEO Izham Ismail, said: “We boast one of the most modern fleets in Asia and are delighted to have the A350 now operating on our London route. The aircraft has been especially designed for long-haul routes, and will offer our customers a superior travel experience with enhanced levels of comfort, privacy and functionality.”

The Big Picture

United has just announced it will be launching its own International-standard Premium Economy product this year. Titled Premium Plus (Merging both ‘Economy Plus’ and ‘Premium Economy’ monikers) this new cabin may cause confusion for passengers booking the cabin class. However, those travelling in it will enjoy “more space, comfort and amenities. The seats will be more spacious and you’ll enjoy upgraded dining on china dinnerware, free alcoholic beverages, a Saks Fifth Avenue blanket and pillow, an amenity kit and more.”

While details of the actual product are limited, they seem to have also offered an exact replica hard product of the seats found on both American and Delta aircraft, the B/E Aerospace MiQ. This means that the war for this cabin class will be only really be found in the soft product and service offerings. It will be interesting to see how Amenity kits, dining options and priority services will adapt over the coming months as the war is waged.

There could have been an opportunity to innovate in this increasingly popular cabin class, to create a point of difference and jump above the competition, especially when being the last to market. Still, now all the airlines are offering a true international Premium Economy product, whether it’s called Premium Plus, Premium Select or Premium Economy.

It might look like a game of spot the difference but Emirates has announced a more spacious business class seat on their 777-200LR’s. These new cabins aren’t found on all the 777 fleet, in fact, the new 2-class configuration is found only just 10 aircraft, flying specific routes starting with Ft. Lauderdale on 6th March.

The new 2 x 2 x 2 configuration means that passengers can enjoy wider seats and thankfully no more dreaded middle seat. However, it is still the only ME carrier to continue rolling out a configuration that isn’t all-aisle-access.

Even so, the airline has invested over US$150 million to refurbish these 10 existing 777-200LR aircraft in its fleet. Removing the older First Class product, the newly refurbished Emirates 777-200LR aircraft is now set in a two-class configuration which offers 38 Business Class seats and 264 seats in Economy Class in a 10 across configuration.

While the Business Class seats are in the same design and shape of Emirates’ latest lie-flat seats, they are now two inches wider for a more comfortable journey. The seats retain the champagne coloured finish and diamond stitch pattern on the full leather cover, and the ergonomically designed headrest revealed on Emirates’ newest Boeing 777 in November.

The new seats have a pitch of 72 inches and offer a fully-flat sleeping position. It also has touchscreen controls for the seat and inflight entertainment system, several personal lighting options, privacy panels between seats, a shoe stowage area, footrest and a personal mini-bar. To add a sense of space, the centre bins have been removed and the bulkheads now feature the Ghaf tree mural, a new signature design on the latest Emirates aircraft.

In addition, the new Business Class cabin features a social area – unique to the Boeing 777-200LR fleet. The mini lounge area features snacks such as crisps, although this is now in the centre of the aircraft, which if used as a social gathering space, could cause distraction to nearby passengers. The good news is that the new 777-X aircraft joining the fleet will offer a 1 x 2 x 1 seating configuration, meaning all passengers will finally get aisle access on Emirates Boeing fleet.

Today saw Singapore Airlines reveal a brand new Regional Business Class product, fitted in its 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, which will become the backbone of its regional network. Not shy of innovation and luxury, Singapore Airlines has invested US$350 million to equip their initial 20 787-10s with the new and impressive products.

Flying routes up to 8 hours, these business class seats may seem like an over-delivery on passengers expectations, but due to a clever LOPA arrangement and an importance of offering a point of difference from their competitors, the airline has impressed passengers with a ground-breaking regional-specific product.

Not dissimilar from their new A380 business class product, the new business class seat cocoons the passenger in a shell of technology. Manufactured by Stelia Aerospace, the new fully-flat bed regional Business Class seats on the 787-10s are arranged in a forward-facing 1-2-1 staggered configuration to provide every customer direct aisle access.

With each seat able to recline directly into a 76” fully-flat bed, Business Class customers can rest in more comfort, even on the shortest flights. Customers will have more options to relax in their seat while being entertained by KrisWorld, SIA’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, on their personal 18” full high-definition touchscreen monitor, powered by Panasonic’s latest eX3 system.

The airline has provided a range of honeymoon seat pairs (although not as magical as the A380 seats, as the partition doesn’t fully descent below the seat pad) and a myriad of single seats. Due to the seat pitch, seat egress is quite tight unless situated on an ‘aisle’ seat, and those closer to the windows will be slightly harder to enter and exit.

That said, most passengers will be happy to have this level of privacy and comfort on a relatively short flight, and the airline has seemingly struck the right chord between comfort and LOPA affordability.

Although the seats will feel smaller than a long-haul product they may have just stepped off, with the clever lowering of the armrests, the seats will have a maximum width of 29″ around the shoulder line, and the foot well is larger than most.

Customers can also look forward to other features to enhance their travelling experience, such as a huge sturdy table, ample stowage space for personal items, a business panel with in-seat power supply and USB ports, and integrated reading light unit with adjustable lighting intensity.

Osaka and Perth will be the first scheduled destinations to be served by the new 787-10s, from May 2018. Prior to the launch of these regular services, the aircraft will be operated on selected flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur for crew training purposes. “The introduction of the new cabin products on our Boeing 787-10 fleet reinforces our unwavering commitment to product leadership, one of the key pillars of our brand promise,” said SIA CEO Mr Goh Choon Phong.

Fragrances aren’t new to airlines, in fact, probably more airlines than you think have found ways to freshen and brand their aircraft through yet another sense. Joining the likes of Cathay Pacific, Delta, Turkish and Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic has launched a signature scent called ‘Air.’

Collaborating with British scent designer and candle chandler Rachel Vosper Virgin Atlantic has created the bespoke scent to “elevate the customer experience, on the ground and in the air”. This new fragrance has tried to embody warm and exotic notes inspired by the airline’s top destinations, and will be present at various points throughout the Virgin Atlantic experience to inspire feelings of adventure and relaxation.

Ensuring there is an olfactory brand throughout the passenger experience, the airline is now utilising the scent at check-in, airport gates, Clubhouses and boarding all cabins. But the airline is also now selling the fragrance as part of their on-board retail outfit, as well as selling on their online pre-order service too.

This new fragrance joins the ranks of other signature scents, such as the one from Cathay Pacific. To reinforce their elite status as one of the best airlines in the world, the Hong Kong based brand worked closely with Air Aroma to translate their brand into a unique signature scent.

Diffused throughout their first-class airport lounges, the Cathay Pacific scent reflects the brand ethos while seamlessly fitting into the aesthetics of the prestigious airport lounges. The use of materials like natural woods, onyx, limestone and bronze reflects the wellbeing focus of the lounge while giving it a contemporary luxury feel, the Air Aroma scent for Cathay Pacific is a mixture of subtle woods, white florals, and fresh green tea notes.

But there are dozens more examples of airlines using scent, from Singapore Airlines scented towels to United’s cabin scent and the use of flowers on aircraft and lounges. The sense of smell is another key brand enforcement, that helps build brand memories. Virgin’s decision to sell the scent is a clever twist, allowing passengers to reinforce their experience at home, as well as creating a branded up-sell.

Gulf Air, once the cream of the crop in the Middle East, sadly started to slip against the backdrop of the now globally-famous ‘ME Three’. Ageing hard products and a limited route network meant the carrier was very rarely the top of passengers preferences.

However, things might be about to change. Gone the heavy golden and navy livery, now replaced with a brand new design featuring golden nacelles, large logotype and refreshed Falcon tail fin logo. The design, which is certainly a lot more contemporary, loses some of it’s originality, but makes up for it with a more contemporary and bold visual statement. Eagle-eyed readers might notice the logotype has a layer of shadow built in, offering a 3D effect to the typeface.

Inside, the aircraft shows off a far more radical change. In economy, the 3 x 3 x 3 seating, normal to a 787-9 now, features large TV screens, a lot of storage and bi-fold tray tables, offering economy passengers enhanced space and utilisation.

In business class however the airline has done an Olympic leap-jump from its current ‘lie-flat’ flat-bed 2 x 2 x 2 seats. Opting for Apex Suites, the seats now offer all-aisle access. While the hard product is the same as those found on Japan Airlines and Oman Air, the trim and finish that the airline has opted for is highly customised. (Although, not sure what the Orchid is doing on the table in the image below)

This means there are a variety of textures which reflect and capture the airline’s mood light with a wealth of matt ash, champagne and brushed golden trim complementing the neutral seat shell colours. There is a range of seating arrangements, the centre pairs offer side by side seating, while the side pairs are slightly staggered to allow for aisle access, meaning the aisle seats here also offer a small storage unit by the seat while upright.

We are incredibly pleasantly surprised to see this product upgrade, which is less of a matter of keeping up with the local competition, and more a matter of offering a cabin class-leading product. Hopefully the new livery and hard product will re-inject life into the cabin crew, to create a product that inspires pride in the carrier for years to come.

Yes, these sparkly new seats are on British Airways, in fact they are already being rolled out on the carrier’s ‘sunshine routes’ from their hub in Gatwick. Retrofitting their fleet of 777s means they are removing some of their business class cabin to fit a larger World Traveller Plus cabin and even sneak in a few extra economy seats.

While this means that the chance of people being able to upgrade to Club World has diminished, there are more options for passengers looking to pay only a little extra for relative comfort. Although the images might be impressing you so far, be warned, these are the Premium Economy ‘World Traveller Plus’ seats. While they aren’t the same model as they have on their Heathrow routes, they offer a similar product, with wide arm rests separating the seats and large IFE touch-screens.

The new seats have been developed by the airline’s in-house design teams. For the new World Traveller Plus seats the team have introduced features such as new leg and footrests, as well as an improved fully adjustable six-way headrest to suit customers of all heights.

In economy, the airline is boasting larger 10″ IFE screens, a six-way headrest with adjustable ears for added comfort and movable middle arm rests, aimed for travelling pairs.

But if you look again at the cabin photo, you might notice things look a little tighter, that is because the airline has gone 10-across in it’s 777 economy cabin, something they chose not to highlight in their recent press release. While its a disappointment – as British Airways was one of only a few airlines to still offer nine across – it was inevitable that this change was going to happen.

The airline has worked hard however to distract their economy class passengers, with the addition of better entertainment, mood lighting and intelligent seats that offer bi-fold tables and USB charging, to make the most of the passengers personal space. These improvements are lightyears ahead of the older British Airways seats, which might have been comfortable, offered an inferior passenger experience.

The good, or bad news, depending how you look at it, is that the new economy seats will eventually be rolled out across the airline’s Heathrow fleet too, starting in the Autumn of 2019.

The Big Picture

At the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Germany today, we saw the unveiling of a new business class seat model, created by a joint venture between Adient and Boeing. They have developed lie-flat business class seat prototypes to potential customers at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany.

“It will be our goal to provide a superior customer and passenger experience by delivering superior quality seats with intelligent product design,” said Alan Wittman, nominated CEO of Adient Aerospace. “In addition to expanding seating choices and adding manufacturing capacity to address broader commercial airplane industry needs, we are focusing on comfort, craftsmanship and operational excellence to differentiate our future products and services.”

It wouldn’t be rocket science to presume one of these clients will be Emirates – Boeing’s largest 777 operator – which these seat designs seem to be optimised for. On first glance, they look similar to the QSuites and to Emirates current A380 business class seats. There are some clues in the artists impressions to gear this towards Emirates product set. The familiar looking mini bar at the side of the seat and the use of a wooden veneer hasn’t gone amiss either. In one of the images, even the Perrier bottle is a dead give away, as it’s one of the most iconic drinks found on Emirates business class minibar.

One of the seat prototypes also seems to provide a double bed, currently being touted by Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines, key competitors to Emirates. The fact that Adient are working on this project will also do them well, as their automotive pedigree will follow suit of Emirates’ recent adoption of Mercedes on their new 777 First Class Suites.

There are a few upgrades, which seem like a natural evolution. Wireless phone charging could be a possibility here as highlighted in the seat’s side table, and is speculation due to a lack of detail on the release. One of the seat prototypes also somewhat resembles the tech specs of the Waterfront seat but with a secondary ‘curved’ screen acting as a passenger interface to the seat instead of the handheld device that the airline currently has. A closer inspection of the seat controls also shows both suite ‘cooling and heating’ which would match the current comfort levels offered in Emirates’ new First Class Suites.

Emirates’ new First Class Suites, only found on the 777

While this is mere speculation from TheDesignAir, these seats seem to fit the bill for an airline that can take an off the shelf product from Boeing, and with a little customisation, create products that could compete with the heavily personalised products from Qatar, Etihad and Singapore Airlines.

Rockwell Collins used AIX as an opportunity to launch its brand new narrow body business class seat type dubbed ‘Air Rest.’ The seat is actually already flying, and can be found exclusively on Oman Air’s 737 MAX aircraft. Initial deliveries for a total of 30 aircraft recently began and will continue through 2022.

This seat, which is similar to in concept to the regional business class seats found on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon, “brings the comfort and technology of Rockwell Collins’ widebody business class seat to narrowbody business seating,” according to the press release. The enhanced cradle-style recline, featuring patented seat kinematics – along with latest generation video monitor integration, ample stowage and large bi-fold table work hard to provide both excellent working and relaxation conditions.

Being a fixed shell seat, there is little intrusion on fellow passengers when the seat is reclined and due to the high shell of the seat there is also increased privacy. This new seating solution is provided by Rockwell Collins’ Interior Systems business, which was created following the acquisition of B/E Aerospace in April of 2017. Air Rest joins the manufacturer’s MiQ product in the narrowbody business class seating portfolio.

Most people probably remember when Airbus first launched their A380, there was talk about the cargo area being used as an onboard lounge, retail unit or even a restaurant for passengers. Naturally, like many things in aviation, these ideas gradually disappeared and practicality took over. Gone the ideas of having a large retail unit, when cargo could potentially drive more revenue.

However, with some airlines showing a decline in cargo kilometres, the belly of these birds is often not as full as it could be, and what was once a potential revenue earner, is being flown empty.

Along come Airbus and Zodiac Aerospace, who at AIX revealed a new concept for lower deck sleeping facilities. These pods, which could be accessed from the main passenger deck increase the footprint for passenger accommodation, and considering there would be no windows, and passenger evacuation could be an issue, the space is more suited to temporary passenger comfort.

With the A330-Neo offering ultra-long haul range, additional comfort and space will be key to passenger satisfaction

This isn’t just a matter of hypothesis, Airbus wants these additions to be included in catalogue of certified solutions by 2020, starting with the A330. The idea is very clever, these pod-like units are interchangeable, and can be swapped with regular cargo containers during a typical turnaround if required. Moreover, the aircraft’s cargo floor and cargo loading system will not be affected at all, as the passenger module will sit directly on it.

Lufthansa’s A340-600 downstairs toilet is unique to the industry

Utilising the cargo space isn’t unheard of, Lufthansa had passenger toilets in the lower deck of the A340 and the space was often utilised for crew rest accommodation too.

Geoff Pinner, Head of Airbus Cabin & Cargo Programme said: “This approach to commercial air travel is a step change towards passenger comfort. We have already received very positive feedback from several airlines on our first mock-ups. We are pleased to partner with Zodiac Aerospace on this project which will introduce a new passenger experience and add value for airlines.”

Interestingly, the manufacturer has released images of differing pod designs. While sleeping accommodation seems like a practical use, for the pods to be worthwhile, passengers would have to pay for the extra service, and would most likely pick business class over economy class plus a bed, meaning the economics could be a stumbling block. Seat manufacturers are also already creating beds out of economy class seats, like the SkyCouch found on Air New Zealand, which are much more cost effective.

Airlines such as Virgin Atlantic could move their bar downstairs

That said, there is scope here to increase passenger accommodation on the upper deck. Airlines such as Virgin Atlantic, could shift their onboard bar downstairs, and free up space for more Upper Class or Premium economy seats. Korean Air would probably show interest in shifting their A380 Duty Free shop down to the lower deck to free up more space for economy passengers. There are also ancillary services that could be provided, not currently offered on aircraft, such as a spa space, meeting rooms, even a play area for children, something most parents would shift their choice of airline for.

Korean Air’s Duty Free Shop replaced a few rows of economy seats on their A380

While we won’t see these come to life for another couple of years (if ever) it shows that innovation, utilisation of space, and ancillary sales are still at the heart of aviation in 2018.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will be the first airline to introduce JAMCO’s new Venture Business Class seats for eight Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft, which will start flying for the airline next year.

The Current 787-9 Seats will look fairly similar to the new 787-10

The seats may not look that different from the current 787-9 aircraft that KLM flies, however there are some substantial benefits from opting for this new seat type. The next-generation seat is lighter than its predecessors, reducing fuel consumption. In addition, the fishbone configuration of the new Venture seats ensures more effective utilisation of the available space.

The new seats will offer passengers greater personal space and comfort, with fully-flat recline and an increased 18.5-inch entertainment screen (compared to 16″ on the 787-9). Another new feature is the “Do not disturb” button on the armrest, which passengers can turn on and off at will. The middle seats in WBC have a movable partition, allowing passengers to opt for maximum privacy or for an optimum shared travel experience.

The current 787-9 Business Class cabin

“KLM is delighted to be working with JAMCO on this brand-new 787-10 World Business Class seat programme. Together, we are striving to create the best possible seating, sleeping comfort, and travel environment for our business-class customers, ” states Boet Kreiken, EVP Customer Experience.

There will be 38 World Business Class seats aboard these new aircraft. All of these seats will offer direct access to the aisle. The new seats will be KLM-branded, based on a design created in cooperation with Hella Jongerius who has been involved with the redesign of the airline’s World Business Class cabin.

With the recent launch of Air Belgium, legacy carrier Brussels Airlines has had to make sure it keeps its product offering competitive. Not surprisingly, they turned to JPA Design, a London-headquartered company that has brought the likes of premium carriers Singapore Airlines and Finnair to life, as well as other mid-level carriers such as Hawaiian Airlines and FlyDubai.

FlyDubai new cabin by JPA

With Brussels Airlines’ brand sitting somewhere between premium and mid-level, it makes sense for the airline to approach a design company who is able to respond to both. Partnering with JPA Design the carrier will re-imagine a new look and feel for its Business, Premium Economy and Economy Class on its wide-body aircraft, with a key focus to reflect the airline’s “customer-friendly approach”.

Finnair’s Scandi interiors on their A350’s, by JPA

The retrofit program will have a brief to capture the fun and vibrant personality of the airline’s brand, the all-new product range encompasses the entire cabin interiors, nose to tail, and will launch at the end of 2018.

Commenting on the new partnership with JPA, Tanguy Cartuyvels Vice President Product and Marketing of Brussels Airlines, said: “Recognized for its expertise in designing premium cabin interiors, JPA is the right partner to respond to our needs. Our new cabin in all three classes will not only reflect our DNA, but also offer our guests top notch comfort.”

As Air Belgium has opted for the same hard product as Brussels Airlines currently offers in business class, and introduce a dedicated premium economy cabin, it would be fair to say Brussels Airlines will need to invest in a product that is a step above, and in many ways the current product is dated in comparison to those offered on other European carriers and lacks the attractive Premium Economy product.

Swiss’ New 777 Business Class Cabin

While details are scant, we’ve come to know JPA’s design aesthetic. With such a tight turnaround for the project, we will see off the shelf products, and being part of the Lufthansa group, we could expect synergies in product offering here. Swiss for example stepped up a similar seat to a customised Thompson Vantage seat. We hope that to remain competitive JPA will suggest the XL version to offer every passenger aisle access.

Brussels Airlines’ Rackham Livery celebrates Belgian comic ‘Tintin’

John Tighe, JPA’s Design Director of Transport leading the cabin design project said: “Brussels Airlines is a very strong and powerful brand, having a deep connection with their customers through operating long-established long-haul flights to Africa but also to the US and India. The user experience we’re creating is vibrant, and achieves the rare success of being on-brand upon first view, whilst having a depth of design which reveals itself as you relax into your own personal space. There is a trend for many brands to talk about being ‘human’, but Brussels Airlines has been living this philosophy for many years and can truly offer a characterful and warm experience throughout. ‘We go the extra smile’ is their mantra and it is JPA’s mission to capture this friendly vibrancy throughout the entire cabin.”

Brussels Airlines ‘The Loft’ Lounge offers a designer pseudo-residential aesthetic 

The colours and trim will be harder to perfect, as Brussels Airlines brand colours of navy and red do little to reflect ‘human’ and their marketing materials which utilise bright neon-esque colours might suit a low-cost carrier, but not of a legacy carrier. To be taken seriously and to reflect this human element, expect to see a smart residential cabin where detailing will offer the ‘Belgitude’ the carrier embodies – most likely think Magritte murals in the toilets, or Tintin popping up on the menus or something similar.

In an exciting move, Air Canada today introduced its new Signature Service, providing an enhanced and seamless end-to-end travel experience for customers flying in Air Canada’s ‘Signature Class’, the premium cabin of its wide-body aircraft. Available today for international customers and, starting June 1 on select flights within North America, the new service makes Air Canada the first North American airline to designate aircraft with lie-flat seats for premium customers on select non-stop, transcontinental flights within Canada and to the U.S., including overnight daily flights from Vancouver, Los Angeles and San Francisco to Toronto.

This means Air Canada’s ‘Signature Service’ International Business Class customers will not only receive priority service at every stage of the journey and Air Canada Maple Leaf Lounge access but now for eligible customers travelling to international destinations from Toronto-Pearson, access to the exclusive Air Canada Signature Suite, featuring à la carte restaurant dining from a menu created by celebrated Canadian chef David Hawksworth.

Available starting today on all Air Canada international flights and beginning June 1 on select transcontinental flights within North America, Air Canada Signature Service and Air Canada Signature Class incorporate and elevate the award-winning attributes of Air Canada’s International Business Class, featuring its next generation lie-flat suites.

Air Canada Signature Service will be available on select transborder and domestic Canadian transcontinental flights when operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 777, Boeing 767 and Airbus A330 aircraft. This includes routes between Toronto and the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, and between Vancouver and the cities of New York-Newark and Montreal.

This new Signature Service includes a myriad of luxuries, some new and some pre-existing.

• Updated onboard menu items from chef David Hawksworth, including for the first time on flights serving lunch and dinner in North America Air Canada Signature Class starting June 1, and a South Asian menu by chef Vikram Vij on flights to Mumbai and New Delhi, complemented by an expanded wine selection chosen by Air Canada sommelier Véronique Rivest; service on new restaurant style dishware and glassware;
• For transcontinental travellers, enhanced wine and spirits, and the added option of espresso and cappuccino served with dessert or a new cheese selection, while for international travellers Air Canada will now offer Laurent-Perrier champagne; on all routes, customers will be able to enjoy the new Air Canada Signature Cocktail;
• For international travelers, personal comfort items by Canadian brands, including enhanced amenity kits by Want Les Essentiels, with premium care products by vitruvi;
• Mattress pads to enhance the sleep experience;
• At Air Canada’s Toronto-Pearson global hub, full fare Air Canada Signature Class customers departing on International flights will have access to the Air Canada Signature Suite. The suite is an exclusive airport retreat, where eligible customers can dine à la carte at a complimentary, full-service restaurant from a menu created by chef Hawksworth, or enjoy, Moet & Chandon champagne, fine wines and premium cocktails in an intimate, Canadian-designed and decorated setting;
• For full fare premium cabin customers originating in Toronto-Pearson or arriving at Toronto-Pearson originating from a domestic flight with onward international travel, Air Canada will also provide Air Canada Valet Service, powered by BMW, starting later in 2018. It is the first dedicated service offered by an airline in North America for customers booked in a premium cabin, where a dedicated fleet of BMW sedans whisk customers over the tarmac to connect, making connecting at Toronto-Pearson truly exclusive and seamless.

These developments go very far in positioning Air Canada as a serious contender in North America for a true flagship carrier with luxurious ambitions. The lounges already offer a premium experience, and the long-haul fleet which now offer larger, flat-bed comfort are a true leader in some instances against the routes it now flies. Even the shorter 4-hour transcontinental hops get the full comfort experience, meaning a few hours shut-eye on those dreaded red-eye flights, with fine dining available on the ground before taking off.

Ahead of the airline’s new lounge opening, Oman Air has revealed the designs for its new 787-9 interiors, which include a new fully private First Class Suite design for its most prestigious passengers.

Instead of the airline’s current Business and economy layout for their 787-9’s these new suites will occupy part of the front section of the aircraft, with 8 suites replacing the airline’s previous A330 cabin of just six. The new suites however, are massively improved in comparison to the predecessor model.

The cabin embraces Omani design heritage for a distinctive interior. The unique arch shape on the feature wall and on each private suite door, is inspired by the architectural form of the Omani archway — as seen from centuries old forts to the iconic modern Royal Opera House in the capital city of Muscat.

The interiors across the aircraft have been finished with modern materials and lighting accents that adorn the cabin surround, emulating the interiors of a private boutique hotel, following suit of many airlines who are looking to residential interiors to influence cabin design.

The seat also features a touchscreen control panel, which allows for control of mood lighting, seat position and a ‘do not disturb’ function. The centre seats also feature a portion that can be raised and lowered by the control panel. For added privacy the suites also feature a raised partition behind the seat, which increases privacy from taller passengers.

As for storage, there are a variety of stowage spaces. Jackets and coats can be stored in an individual wardrobe which acts as part of the seat’s privacy doors. The seat’s ottoman also can store cabin baggage, as well as act as a second seat for passengers dining together.

Following the move from Etihad, and a one up from Emirates, Oman Air offers their first class passengers a chilled minibar housing a selection of beverages and snacks.

When it comes to sleeping, cabin crew will prepare and turn down the 78″ long and 30″ wide bed. The bed will be supported by soft products such as soft quilted duvets, fluffy silk trimmed sleep pillows, as well as pure cotton sleeper suits and slippers.

The 787-9 will also be the first in the fleet to introduce the latest generation in High Definition technology, all played on a massive 23 inch personal screen and noise canceling headsets. ARIA, Oman Air’s newly designed entertainment system will be an upgrade too, reflecting Oman’s spectacular landscapes, warm hospitality and tranquil pace of life through the use of evocative colors and panoramic imagery.

All these upgrades are supported by the airline’s latest business class seats, and an upgraded economy class seat. The upgrades are certainly going to be welcome and place Oman Air as a smaller, but just as impressive carrier as the famous ME3. With the additional benefits of a brand new terminal at Muscat, a brand new lounge around the corner, and these new state of the art cabins, Oman Air certainly should become an airline of choice for many passengers.