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 have the best reputation for passenger experience, however this Taiwanese airline is one of three outstanding airlines in the region, and thanks to our ratings, awarded the best of them. Another great advantage which is often overlooked is China Airlines’ great route network which allows for ..read more

Sometimes we see concepts that are so far fetched come across our desks here at TheDesignAir that we know they just simply won’t take flight, but the latest concept that has landed here has certainly piqued our interest. Brought to life by David Caon’s design studio (the very same designer who has his fingerprint all over the Qantas passenger experience) the new Modulo seat doesn’t just look great, it answers some of the industry’s more pressing weight and sustainability buttons too. It’s not a surprise that Modulo answers some of these issues in such an elegant way. It is a concept born from ..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 will comprise 297 seats with 28 in Business Class and 269 in Economy Class, of which 24 seats come with extra legroom. We’ve always felt Malaysia Airlines has all the trademarks of being a leading carrier, but historically the high-density cabins have let the airline down in c ..read more

There aren’t many hotels that are steeped in history, yet both Suiran and sister property Shisui both share similar traits. With hundreds of years of legacy between them, staying in these unassuming design properties hidden on the outskirts of two of Japan’s oldest and most important cities are destinations unto themselves. Working perfectly as a city pair, Kyoto and Nara are for those looking to step back to Japan’s rich and colourful past and the perfect antidote to the bustling modern cities of Osaka and Tokyo. Connecting between the two hotels couldn’t be easier, either by arranging a car ..read more

Today saw Cathay add its new Aria suite product to its website, promoting the new product that will take to the skies later in the year. This is one of the most anticipated seat launches of the year, as Cathay vies for the most lucrative of passengers through the Asia region. While the airline revealed some very cryptic and hard to decipher images last year, the airline has clearly revealed the passenger experience ahead of the actual launch of the product with this delightful video render which also shows a new premium economy product, refreshed economy product and new gallery in the skies ..read more

In a bid to keep things minty fresh, JetBlue is bringing a new range of NYC brands to the skies once again. As of next week, Mint guests will be supplied a brand new amenity range ‘tucked into a stylish and reusable foldable backpack’ for Transatlantic and a snapping, collectible pouch for domestic Mint, both designed by Caraa. The new amenity kits contain popular wellness products from New York-based brands Dr. Dennis Gross and Plus Ultra, replacing the pervious amenity ranges. But one thing won’t change, the existing sleep amenities from Tuft & Needle. “Created in pa ..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 strategically looking to invest in passenger experience areas where its needed most. At the heart of the improvements is a new seat and cabin for the short haul fleet. The new short-haul seats and cabin interiors will feature on the next generation of British Airways’ Airbus A320neo a ..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 needed tapestry of Indian culture to offset the ‘blandalised’ master brand. While Qantas revealed a lengthy and overly complex destination-based video, Air India have seemingly managed to find the sweet spot with their new ‘Safety Mudras’, the airline’s new inflight safety video. I ..read more

It seems Etihad Airways has finally completed its upgrade to the passenger experience by enriching the offering with a stunning new collection of amenity kits and loungewear created in partnership with renowned Italian design house, Giorgio Armani, the sister brand to Armani/Casa that already features in the airlines bedding and tableware. The new amenity kit ranges replace the Acqua Di Parma range – which now features on Air Canada – with a more refined and luxury wellbeing brand, ESPA. It’s not just at the front that there are changes afoot, as Etihad has also introduced a range of complime ..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 organisations that require brand identities, products, experiences, environments and service to express their ideas and personality. In a previous life, I’m pretty sure I was a movie director. There are so many parallels between an airline and a theatrical experience – a scripted performance, on ..read more