It is the first time for the carrier to launch a Universal Beijing Resort-themed flight, with the second one to be launched within the year, the airline said. 

Linked to the theme-painted aircraft, the carrier will also unveil air travel experience in an all-round way through interactive activities, themed electronic boarding passes and themed meals to help passengers enjoy their flight more. 
​
BDIA has become a hot spot for domestic and international routes for airlines to meet the rising demand during the summer travel peak. Xiamen Air said it operates more than 100 flights each day into Daxing airport, with the coverage of 27 cities in China. 

The aviation market in China has entered the peak season, and the airport is expected to facilitate 55,400 flights across the summer season of July and August, equal to more than 7.9 million passengers. 

On August 10 at a packed conference room in New Delhi, ​Tata Group unveiled a new logo, branding and plane livery for Air India as part of a multi-million dollar transformation of the former state-run carrier.

Air India’s new logo symbol – ‘The Vista’ – is inspired by the peak of the gold window frame, signifying limitless possibilities, progressiveness, and the airline’s bold, confident outlook for the future.  

Air India’s brand-new aircraft livery and design features a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold highlights, as well as a chakra-inspired pattern. It also boasts a striking new custom-made ‘Air India Sans’ font, marrying confidence with warmth to position Air India as premium, inclusive, and accessible. 

It has been long awaited, and as Air India prepares to receive the first of its 470 aircraft on order, they will be carrying its new colors, creating a new association for passengers at home and globally. In a statement, the airline said, "The new design captures the essence of a bold new India, marking a milestone in the transformation of the national Indian institution into a national Indian and global inspiration."

Air India will roll out the livery in December, featuring it on its inaugural Airbus A350.

Campbell Wilson, Air India CEO & MD, said, "Our transformative new brand reflects an ambition to make Air India a world class airline serving guests from around the globe, and that represents a new India proudly on the global stage. The new Air India is bold, confident, and vibrant, but also warm and deeply rooted to its rich history and traditions that make Indian hospitality a global benchmark for standards in service."

Air India is making significant investments throughout the guest experience to elevate its service and to strengthening its position as the preferred airline for travellers flying to, from, and within India: 

• Air India has confirmed historic purchase agreements to acquire 470 aircraft from Airbus and Boeing at US$70 billion (based on published list prices), with deliveries of the new aircraft starting November this year.
• The transformation of Air India’s fleet has already begun with the airline leasing and buying 20 widebody aircraft this year. A US$400 million programme to completely refurbish the interiors of its legacy fleet of 43 widebody aircraft commences mid-2024, which will lead to the installation of brand-new seats in every cabin, new inflight entertainment systems, and inflight Wi-Fi internet connectivity. By March 2024, 33% of the airline’s widebody fleet will be upgraded, and over the next two-and-a-half years, its entire long-haul fleet will be reborn.
• Air India has launched a new website and mobile app, offering a significantly improved web experience with new digital tools and features.
• The carrier will also launch a new “open all hours, every day” customer contact centre in nine Indian and foreign languages by the end of this year, as well as a completely redesigned loyalty program in early 2024 that will enable thousands of new redemption possibilities.
• The airline is investing in building completely new lounges at Delhi and New York JFK airports, having recently announced a global lounge network expansion, achieving 100% lounge access coverage for premium customers at all destinations in its international route network.
• Air India has now welcomed more than 5,000 new staff, including 3,200 Cabin Crew and nearly 1,000 Cockpit Crew, who are helping to drive the cultural transformation taking place at the heart of Air India. It is also heavily investing in building one of the world’s largest aviation training academies in India that will upskill a massive number of aviation professionals.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been named World’s Best Airline in the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards, the fifth time it has won this prestigious accolade.

SIA took the top spot in four categories at this year’s Skytrax awards, including Best First Class Airline, Best First Class Comfort Amenities, and Best Airline in Asia. SIA’s low-cost subsidiary Scoot was named Best Long Haul Low-cost Airline, and ranked second in the World’s Best Low-cost Airlines category.

The Skytrax awards are based on surveys of more than 20 million travellers across over 100 nationalities, who rated more than 325 airlines between September 2022 and May 2023.

Mr Goh Choon Phong, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Airlines, received the World’s Best Airline award on behalf of the Airline in Paris on 20 June 2023.

“This award is a testament to the indomitable spirit of our people, who worked tirelessly and made many sacrifices to ensure that SIA was ready for the recovery in air travel. That has allowed us to emerge stronger and fitter from the pandemic as a leading international airline,” said Mr Goh.

“We are very grateful to our customers for their enduring loyalty to and affection for Singapore Airlines. During the pandemic, their support and encouragement gave us the strength and determination to overcome the unprecedented challenges. Today, as we recover from the pandemic, we are firmly committed to innovating and investing in industry-leading products and services, and ensuring that SIA continues to offer our customers a world-class travel experience.”

Air India, the national flag carrier of India, has really revamping its in-flight passenger experience offering. Proudly partnering with the international travel and lifestyle brand TUMI, Air India has certainly set sights in the right direction to impress airline passengers and make a mark in the world aviation scene. Perhaps this could be a hint of things to come, and especially to make the rest of the travel experience better, including seating, food etc.

​“Designed for life on the move, TUMI is the leading international business, accessory, and travel lifestyle brand,” states Air India’s press release. Technical innovation paired with design excellence and unparalleled quality makes TUMI the leading luxury travel brand for the global citizen. The partnership was created in collaboration with Buzz, who helped spearhead the new amenities for the carrier.

Air India’s collaboration with TUMI spans amenity kits for First Class, Business Class and Premium Economy passengers, as well as Sleepwear which will be available to First and Business Class passengers.

TUMI Sleepwear
​TUMI’s new sleepwear for Air India has been made with quality materials, considered design and sustainability in mind, the pajama's recycled materials are blended with cotton, for extra softness and breathability. Each sleeper suit is made using the equivalent of twenty-three 500ml plastic bottles, which will result in over 18 million plastic bottles diverted from landfill annually.
Featuring a unisex design and crew neck style, the sleepwear comes in a two-tone grey marble colour, with contrasting white stitching. A prominent design element is the TUMI branding as well as accent highlights of TUMI red on the drawcord. The TUMI Sleepwear is provided to First Class and Business Class passengers in a functional and reusable cotton blend bag with a contrast TUMI red drawstring.

Air India customers on selected US routes can now purchase tickets for the carrier’s new premium economy product.

The seat will initially be available on Boeing 777-200LR flights from Bengaluru to San Francisco, Mumbai to San Francisco, and Mumbai to New York, with tickets sales now open for travel from May 15.

It is understood that the 777 aircraft have been leased from Delta, and feature the US carrier’s Premium Select seating, as well as its business class Delta One product.

Mr. Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, Air India, said: “The popularity of Premium Economy has grown
among travellers around the world, as people are increasingly opting for upgraded, yet affordable flying experiences. We are delighted to introduce a distinctive Premium Economy experience for our customers on select flights for now, with a plan to extend it to many more routes soon, as we rapidly expand and modernise our fleet. This is another step forward in our sincere, ongoing effort to transform Air India into a modern, global carrier of world-class products and service standards.”

Air India’s Premium Economy will offer an exclusive travel experience designed for customers who do not mind paying a reasonable premium over Economy Class fares to fly in style and enjoy a lot more space, comfort, and convenience.
 
Fast-track airport experience: Premium Economy customers will be able to check-in at dedicated counters and have priority tags affixed to their check-in baggage, and also be amongst the first to be
invited to board the aircraft.
 
Separate, spacious cabin with wider seats: Premium Economy class on Air India’s Boeing 777-200LR aircraft features 48 leather-upholstered, memory foam seats that have 19 inches of width, 38 inches of pitch, and 5 inches of recline with adjustable leg rest and footrest, and winged headrests. The seats provide extra legroom for customers to stretch out during flight, enabling customers to rest or work in comfort.
 
Amenities: Premium Economy customers receive a complimentary, elegant TUMI amenity kit (specially designed for Air India) consisting of a pair of flight socks, an eye mask, MALIN+GOETZ lip moisturizer, and a pen, in addition to carpet slippers. Customers also receive noise-cancelling headphones for use during flight to complement the experience of Air India’s In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system.
 
Onboard dining: Customers will be welcomed on board Air India’s Premium Economy class with a
welcome drink served on an elegant silver tray and a menu card reflecting a glimpse of a delectable
culinary experience during the flight. On board, customers will be able to choose from a delicious
selection of three meal choices for the main course, served on fine chinaware casserole, accompanied by an appetizer and dessert. The drinks menu includes a fine selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

​Air India, India’s leading airline and a Star Alliance member, launched its first-ever non-stop flight to London Gatwick, from Amritsar today. It has now become the first and only Indian airline to operate at Gatwick Airport— the second-largest airport in the UK. The services to Gatwick are in line with Air India’s ongoing endeavor of enhancing connectivity between India’s major cities and leading global destinations to provide more choices to its passengers.   

Equipped with 18 Business class seats featuring fully-flat beds and 238 Economy class seats, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will be operating three flights a week on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from Amritsar. In addition to the flights from Amritsar, Air India will operate 9 other weekly flights scheduled from Ahmedabad, Goa, and Kochi—making it a total of 12 weekly flights to Gatwick. These operations will reaffirm Air India's operations, presence, and network in the UK. In total, the airline now operates 49 flights in the UK per week— 43 flights to London (Heathrow and Gatwick) and six flights to Birmingham. Air India also operates 31 weekly flights to Heathrow, London from Delhi and Mumbai.

The Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Hon'ble Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, General (Retd) V.K. Singh, and BJP National Secretary, Punjab, Mr. Tarun Chugh graced the virtual inauguration ceremony of the flight. They flagged it off along with Mr. Rajiv Bansal, Secretary, Civil Aviation, and Air India CEO & MD Campbell Wilson. 

On the occasion, Hon’ble Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, said, “It is a historic day for Amritsar and Punjab. This new connection will bring a new impetus to the state and provide key connectivity with the UK, bringing people closer. This will also boost trade and tourism and open up new employment opportunities.” Mr. Jyotiraditya M. Scindia also commended Air India for the fleet acquisition plan and expressed hope that Air India will soon connect all the continents and make India the global hub of aviation.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Campbell Wilson, CEO & MD, said, “As part of our five-year transformation plan, Vihaan.AI, we plan to significantly enhance connectivity between India’s major cities and prime global destinations and be acknowledged as India’s Flying Ambassador to the world. These flights will also fulfil the growing demand for direct air connectivity from various important destinations in India to the UK and from the UK to these popular cities in India.” 

About Amritsar
Amritsar is the largest city in the state of Punjab, in the north of India and is a major cultural centre for the country. The Sikhs’ main place of worship, the Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib, is located in the heart of Amritsar and is well worth visiting for spirituality. Alongside the Golden Temple, the city has many spiritual and historical locations, such as the Partition Museum, Wagah Border and the Shri Durgiana Mandir, which can all be explored. The Punjabi culture is unique and beautiful, and by visiting the Sadda Pind, which is a Punjabi Culture Living Museum, you have the opportunity to authentically witness the culture through folk dances, cultural performances, local handicrafts, songs, stories and the cuisine; it is an amazing experience for both the young and old, which can be experienced as a single day visit or a stay visit.

Many festivals take place each year in Amritsar, and we highly recommend experiencing, as they’re filled with feasting, traditional music, dancing and fairs, producing a memory that’ll last a lifetime. Punjabi cuisine is recognized and enjoyed all around the world, with some of the best being found around Amritsar, where you can even try some of the city's own specialties. ​

Emirates Airline has given the world a new refreshed look.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: “Aircraft livery is the most instantly recognisable brand real estate for any airline. It’s a visual representation of our unique identity, something we wear proudly, and display in all the cities we fly to around the world. We’re refreshing our livery to keep it modern, without losing the key elements of our identity such as the UAE flag on our tailfin and the Arabic calligraphy.”

Eagle-eyed plane spotters and fans will immediately notice changes to the tailfin and wingtips.  In this latest design, the UAE flag on the Emirates tailfin is much more dynamic and flowing with a 3D effect artwork, and the wingtips have been painted red with the Emirates logo in Arabic calligraphy “popping” out in reverse white. Passengers onboard with a window view will see the UAE flag colours painted on the wingtips facing the fuselage.

This is the 3rd iteration of Emirates’ official aircraft brand colours. The original livery unveiled with the airline’s launch in 1985 had its first refresh 14 years later, with the delivery of Emirates’ first Boeing 777-300 at the 1999 Dubai Airshow.

The first aircraft to sport Emirates’ newest livery is A6-EOE, an Airbus A380, which has rolled out of Emirates Engineering this week after its makeover. Its first deployment will be to Munich on 17 March as flight EK51.

The new livery will be gradually applied across the rest of the existing Emirates fleet with 24 aircraft, including 17 Boeing 777s, expected to sport the refreshed livery by the end of 2023.  All new Emirates aircraft, from the first Airbus A350 entering the fleet in August 2024 will be delivered in this new livery.

Emirates’ original livery in 1985 was designed by UK design company Negus & Negus. All of the airline’s subsequent aircraft colours were created by its inhouse design team. Over the years, Emirates’ numerous colourful and eye-catching aircraft livery have included bespoke designs to drive sponsorship brand association, and for special occasions such as the UAE’s 50th Jubilee livery, and Expo 2020 Dubai.

Watch timelapse video of the first aircraft receiving its new livery at Emirates Engineering in Dubai below:

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister and Chairman of the Public Investment Fund (“PIF”), announced the establishment of “Riyadh Air,” a PIF wholly owned company. The new national carrier will leverage Saudi Arabia’s strategic geographic location between the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, enabling Riyadh to become a gateway to the world and a global destination for transportation, trade, and tourism.

Riyadh Air will be chaired by His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Governor of PIF, while Tony Douglas, who brings more than 40 years of experience in the aviation (Inc. ex CEO of Etihad Airways), transportation and logistics industries, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. The airline’s senior management will include Saudi and international expertise.

Operating from Riyadh as its hub, the airline will usher in a new era for the travel and aviation industry globally. Riyadh Air will be a world-class airline, adopting the global best sustainability and safety standards across its advanced fleet of aircraft equipped with the latest cutting-edge technology. The airline is expected to add USD20 billion to non-oil GDP growth, and create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.

As a wholly owned PIF subsidiary, the new national airline is set to benefit from PIF’s investment expertise and financial capabilities while expanding on the company’s operations to become a leading national carrier. The new national airline represents PIF’s latest investment in the sector, along with the recently announced King Salman International Airport masterplan.

Riyadh Air aims to enhance customers’ journey while connecting them to over 100 destinations around the world by 2030; through offering an exceptional experience with an authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart.

The airline will provide tourists from around the world the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia’s cultural and natural attractions. Riyadh Air will also serve as a catalyst for the Saudi National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the National Tourism Strategy by increasing air transport options, raising cargo capacity and, in turn, growing international passenger traffic.

​The establishment of Riyadh Air is part of PIF’s strategy to unlock the capabilities of promising sectors that can help drive the diversification of the local economy. It will enable a more financially resilient aviation ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, supporting the industry’s global competitiveness in line with Vision 2030. This is something special, and one airline to watch out for!

Wow, time flies (literally)...after almost two decades (, yep, you read that right!), British Airways has refreshed its uniform, and in following tradition, selected British designer of Saville Row fame – Ozwald Boateng – to shape the new look for over 30,000 front line employees that are customer facing. The collection was shaped by Boateng shadowing various staff members from engineering to pilots to cabin crew, as well as the additional input from 1,500 staff members from various other parts of the business. The result has been quite impressive! 

China Southern Airlines has retired its last two Airbus A380s, marking the type’s complete exit from the Chinese market after more than a decade of operations. 
In its half-year financial report, the Guangzhou-based carrier – China’s only A380 operator – says it exited the two aircraft during the first half of 2023. 

In February 2022, reports emerged that the airline was looking to dispose of its A380s by the end of that year, after chalking up heavy losses in the years of operation. 

In April 2021, a senior airline executive said China Southern was reviewing the future of the type, acknowledging the uncertainty about the international recovery, coupled with high operating costs. 

The airline’s first A380 was delivered in 2011, three years later than original projections, and began flying to Los Angeles in 2012. China Southern was said to be incurring millions of dollars in A380-related losses, before a change in scheduling helped the type generate profits. 

On some flights, China Southern also deployed the A380 on domestic flights, and I had the pleasure of reviewing one of these flights from Beijing to Guangzhou. The authentic China Southern service was world-class, but the sad part was that the cabins were not even half full. I recall on my flight, it only seemed like maybe 100 seats were filled, and mostly in Economy Class. How do you make profit out of that?

Virgin Atlantic has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330 neo aircraft, which will debut on the carrier’s Heathrow-Boston route.

Earlier this year, the airline revealed its hotly anticipated Airbus A330neo, designed to provide a premium, personalised customer experience. The airline’s Upper Class cabin boasts a brand new seat, evolution of its iconic social space and the unveiling of The Retreat Suite, the most spacious suite in Virgin Atlantic’s history.

Throughout the aircraft, there will be more ways for customers to stay connected than ever before. Those travelling in Premium and Upper Class can take advantage of game changing in-seat wireless charging, whilst customers in every cabin can enjoy a greater number of USB connections, Bluetooth enabled entertainment systems and the airline’s fastest ever Wi-Fi. 

Virgin Atlantic will be the first UK operator of the A330 neo, and has 13 of the aircraft on order (six on lease from Air Lease Corporation), with “an intention to expand the fleet to 16 eventually”. You gotta love those cockpit windows; looks like the Airbus is wearing cool shades!

The aircraft also marks the 50th Airbus delivery for the carrier. Read more here.

The new Lufthansa livery has been revealed, and we love it! The Lufthansa Blue project will see the airline’s classic yellow and blue tailfins replaced with a new, deeper blue design. A redrawn wordmark will also feature while the airline’s fuselages are now all white, instead of the existing grey underbelly. The crane logo, created by Otto Firle in 1918, has been retained. It is sleek and stylish, and has a modern look.

The livery was shown to media at an event in Cape Town by CEO Carsten Spohr. But what really matters to passengers is fixing the interiors of the planes. Service is good; but the aircraft interiors also need to world-class. The passenger experience comes from what's inside the aircraft, not what's outside. I recall trying out the Business Class seats of the brand new Boeing 747-8i, and it was like sitting in a brand new Mercedes car!

Starting December 1st Emirates will introduce a refreshed interior across its Boeing 777 fleet with the carriers updated “light and modern” colour scheme featuring refined textured panels, as well as new lighting and design accents. There has certainly been a lot of investment in terms of wowing the customer experience and especially what you get for your money.

At the heart of the refresh is the long-awaited First Class and Business Class products. As an industry first, the airline will adopt floor to ceiling sliding doors in the First Class cabin, taking design features from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. They plan to 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.

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said:

“The inflight experience is the heart of our brand and service proposition. The new 777 interiors that we are unveiling today is part of Emirates’ ongoing investment to continually raise the bar and exceed our customers’ expectations. Aside from our new fully enclosed private suites, Business Class features our latest fully-flat leather seats with personal minibars, Economy Class seats have adjustable full leather headrests, and the inflight entertainment system has been upgraded for all cabin classes. Throughout the aircraft, our customers will see modern and airy cabins, with painstaking attention to detail evident in design touches such as the textured wall and ceiling panels, lighting features, and more.”

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 new Emirates 777 First Class cabin interior uses a whole new colour palette of soft greys, cream and champagne, conveying a contemporary, open and airy feel, with quiet and timeless luxury. Read more.

Hong Kong Airlines has received it's first Airbus A350 aircraft, on lease from AerCap, making the carrier the 15th airline to operate the airliner. Altogether Hong Kong Airlines will acquire 21 Airbus A350 XWBs, including 15 purchased directly from Airbus and six on lease from third party lessors.

Hong Kong Airlines has configured its A350-900s with a premium three-class layout with a total of 334 seats, comprising 33 in Business Class, convertible to fully lie-flat beds, 108 in the new cabin class “Economy Comfort” and 193 in Economy Class. Slightly different from the configuration on the other wide-bodies, such as the A330.

The aircraft features the airline’s latest cabin products, including an all-new entertainment system and full in-flight connectivity. After an initial period flying on regional routes, Hong Kong Airlines’ A350-900 will begin long-haul operations in December this year, flying on the carrier’s non-stop service to Los Angeles.

Excuse the pun, but Icelandair have perhaps one of the coolest liveries around in the air! The airline has introduced a pretty impressive aircraft livery to celebrate their 80th year flying. The Boeing 757-200, which took 2,500 man-hours to paint, is named after the largest glacier in the whole of Europe. Named “Vatnajökull” (I know, try and pronounce that!) the new vibrant livery will bring one of Iceland’s most famous landmarks across the carrier’s ever expanding network across Europe and North America. It is very similar to it’s Northern Lights aircraft, the airline has also invested in turning its interior into an experiential zone.

If you are fortunate enough to fly on this plane then make sure you take the best photos that you can. Watch the video below to find out more and also check this link out!

Hawaiian Airlines revealed an updated logo and a new livery for its aircraft on May 1, 2017, though the changes are more a tweak to the previous versions than a complete overhaul.
Hawaiian debuted its new look by rolling out one of its Boeing 717 jets (registered tail number N488HA) in the new paint scheme on the 1st of May 2017, celebrated as "Lei Day" in Hawaii. The carrier also provided the media an image and a logo (on the top of the article) of an Airbus A330 painted in the new livery. 

“Our new livery embodies a stronger, more contemporary representation of Hawaiian Airlines’ culture of service and hospitality, which is the bedrock of our guest experience,” said president and CEO Mark Dunkerley, who unveiled the new brand design at Honolulu International Airport during a special employee event on Lei Day, a statewide annual celebration of Hawaiian culture. “It acknowledges our place as Hawaii’s airline and underscores the commitment our employees make every day to provide our guests with a gracious and genuine island welcome.”

Also receiving a subtle update is Hawaiian’s logo, which also features Pualani. Pualani remains central to the logo, but she’ll now be “framed” by what Hawaiian says is the likeness of a “rising sun.” Previously, Pualani’s image was framed by a floral-themed background.

Hawaiian Airlines is one of the more exotic and special airlines that I really want to try as and when I get the chance one day!

On March 6, Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) revealed a special livery for its first new Airbus A380 aircraft. The livery was selected from over 2,000 submissions received in an open competition organised by the carrier. The winning design will be painted on the airline’s first new A380, which will be delivered in early 2019. ANA will operate the aircraft on its most popular leisure route, from Tokyo to Honolulu in Hawaii. The winning entry consists of a colourful design featuring the Hawaiian green sea turtle – a symbol of good luck and prosperity in Hawaii.

The flights between Japan and Hawaii represent a highly competitive market because around 1.5 million Japanese travel to Hawaii annually, with airlines enjoying consistently high load factors.
ANA parent company ANA Holdings placed its order for three A380s in January 2016 and will become the first Japanese airline to operate the type.

In relation to the introduction of the new aircraft, ANA is planning a number of future activities in Hawaii to protect the green sea turtle, known as the “Honu” in Hawaii and one that is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as an endangered species.

Watch the official video, released by Airbus:

The national flag carrier of India, Air India says it has made the first passenger journey around the world operated by an all-women crew. The Air India flight departed from New Delhi (DEL) to San Francisco (SFO) on Monday 27th February and returned to the Indian capital on Friday 3rd March.

The Boeing 777-200LR flew over the Pacific Ocean on its trip to the US, while its return flight was over the Atlantic, encircling the globe, the company said.

Air India says it has applied for an entry on the Guinness World Record. The airline confirmed that the check-in and ground handling staff, the engineers who certified the aircraft and the air traffic controllers who authorised the departure and arrival of the plane were also all women.

Air India also becomes the first Indian carrier to operate on the Pacific Ocean route which has reduced the total flying duration by three hours.

Last week, Singapore Airlines (SIA/SQ) launched their latest digital campaign video which showcases dishes from its “Book the Cook” menu. Rather than showing how the life-sized versions are made, it instead created miniature versions of the food made in a tiny kitchen.

The campaign, which is the brainchild of social media agency Dentsu Mobius, aims to draw the audiences focus to the airline's passion for high-end exquisite food, flavors and craftsmanship- especially in their Business and First Class cabins. 

The digital campaign generated nearly a million views within the first 24 hours of launch. Since then, the Facebook video has garnered 1,667,683 views, and over 27,000 reactions.

The tiny kitchen features miniature versions of stoves, grills and even utensils used to prepare the food which is cooked over a candle flame. The dishes during filming were reduced to just 5.5cm. This was to show that there is indeed “no detail too small”, which is the name of its campaign.

Singapore Airlines specifically hired a food artist who specialises in miniature food to replicate mini versions of in flight meals. The airline is one of the best when it comes to providing a truly 5-star customer service, and hence for the quality of service they provide, their fares also tend to be slightly higher than most other airlines (even for Economy Class as well).  

Cathay Pacific Airways’ first Airbus A350-900XWB aircraft arrived at Hong Kong International Airport from Toulouse, France on Sunday, 29 May. It is the first of 48 A350s scheduled to be delivered to the airline. The new aircraft features Cathay Pacific’s latest inflight products in the Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy Class cabins, enriching the experience of passengers and helping the airline to deliver on its promise of a Life Well Travelled.
 
Cathay Pacific have been working hard in the past two years, aligning two brands, opening world-leading impressive lounges across the network, and introducing the new brand direction with simpler websites and airport signage. It is all about considered simplicity – removing the clutter and focusing on the elements that really matter to the passenger experience.
 
The airline held a special event in the hangars of Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company Limited (HAECO) at Hong Kong International Airport on the 30th of May to give an exclusive preview of the new arrival to aviation and trade officials, key business partners, members of the Marco Polo Club loyalty programme and guests from the Hong Kong public.
 
Guest of Honour at the event was Joseph Lai, Permanent Secretary for Transport & Housing (Transport), who officiated at the welcome ceremony together with Cathay Pacific Chief Operating Officer (COO) Rupert Hogg.
 
“We understand that for our passengers, sleeping well, enjoying first-class entertainment, and using products that have been designed with them in mind are of the utmost importance. The new A350 will provide the very best of all these,” Mr Hogg said. “The lower cabin pressure and noise levels combine with our new features to set passengers up for the best sleeping experience possible in the skies. We have gone all out to provide the best inflight entertainment too.

All seats come with the latest high-definition touchscreen personal TVs and a greater selection of movies, TV, live news channels and music. Inflight Wi-Fi is also available to connect passengers to family, work and world events, if they choose. We could not be more excited with what we’ve seen so far of the A350, and I’m sure that our passengers will feel the same way once they step on board.
 
“This superbly efficient aircraft will help us further expand our global network and strengthen Hong Kong’s reputation as an international aviation hub, helping to oil the wheels of commerce and trade in our home city,” Mr Hogg added.
 
Each of the cabins features brand new products. In Business Class the seat has been refined with new enhancements, in premium economy there are brand new seats, and Economy Class features larger screens, and more intelligent storage to increase passenger space and comfort.
 
There is no First Class cabin on the A350 on Cathay Pacific, however, the Business Class section has had a complete refresh. The Business Class has a complete finish and trim mirrors, normally the same as you would expect on a corporate private jet. The existing seats have been completely reworked to offer enhanced automotive lines, new finishes that are calmer, and reduce the heavier forest green found in the current cabin.
 
Everything feels cleaner, from the seat controls to the seat cushion. The biggest and most noticeable differences are the new IFE screen, which is much larger and has a more intuitive and simpler interface, the bed extender, which no longer flips up from the seat, but instead from the armrest – which makes it stronger, and more practical – and also a new tray table which isn’t fixed in one position unlike its predecessor.
 
In the Premium Economy cabin, passengers will enjoy brand new B/E Aerospace MiQ seats, which will offer enhanced passenger comfort compared to the previous generation Premium Economy seats. The biggest improvement that has been introduced to the new seats includes leg rests for each passenger and enhanced an IFE screen size. Responding to passenger’s needs, Airbus have made the Airbus A350 first aircraft for Cathay that offers Wi-Fi for passengers (at a fee).
 
The seats also offer push down arm rests on the aisle, which allow for passengers requiring assistance to be seated easily, as well as offering increased space for passengers who want a bit more room. The Premium Economy cabin seat configuration is a 2 x 4 x 2 arrangement, matching the current Boeing 777 layout.
 
To revamp its Economy Class cabin, Tangerine, a London based company, were brought in to re-imagine the seats, inspired by glass skyscrapers and bamboo. The finishes, like the other cabins, are inspired by Asian minimalist tradition. Bulkheads feature an embossed irregular-striped pattern that is evocative of bamboo, contrasting with the natural textured finishes that are incorporated throughout the interior across all classes. Green is an essential colour palette for Cathay Pacific’s brand and three shades of green, blended with natural tones, were used.

​London 23 May 2016: Digital and creative agency, Catch, is today announcing its latest digital campaign with the British airline Thomas Cook Airline, entitled #CatsOnAPlane.
 
The campaign, which launches as part of a wider advertising initiative for Thomas Cook Airlines in both the UK and Germany, aims to highlight the airline’s belief that customers “deserve better” when flying on their hard-earned holidays.
 
#CatsOnAPlane sees a team of furry testers try out Thomas Cook Airline’s newly refurbished fleet in a bid to highlight the quality of the airline’s newly refurbished fleet. The animals were used to test the interiors of both Thomas Cook Airlines’ planes and those from sister airline, Condor, playing on the perception of them being creatures of comfort.
 
The campaign will see activation across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and involve a series of short videos. These will show the feline characters challenging the brand’s standards including examining everything from the carrier’s award-winning service to comfort levels and seat quality.
 
The filming involved a 24-hour shoot with 10 cats - each with their own distinct personality - on an Airbus A330 and Boeing 767 at Manchester airport. Each short video features the cats exploring different areas of the planes, including Premium Economy for Thomas Cook Airlines UK and Business Class for Condor.
 
To ensure no cats came to harm on the shoot, vet Aniket Sardana was onsite for the full duration of filming.
 
Speaking of the campaign, Senior Group Marketing Manager at Thomas Cook Airlines, Tom Morey said: “No-one can assess comfort like a cat. They’re the hardest customers to please, which is why we wanted to test our new interiors with the best. And the results left the cautious kitties feline great.”
 
Discussing the launch, Catch’s Creative Director, Sam Chatwin added: "Cats are the undisputed champions of the internet. They’re fussy, demanding and know exactly what they want. What better way to put the airline’s service to the test. We love working with the team at Thomas Cook Airlines, they're fearless and you can't ask for more than that in a client."
 
To view the campaign, visit the Thomas Cook Airlines YouTube channel or Facebook.

Alitalia launched a new global brand campaign with the worldwide premiere of a new television commercial at the Nazionale Spazio Eventi in Rome, attended by hundreds of representatives of the global media and specially invited guests. The television commercial celebrates the Italian airline as it faces the future with renewed vigour and vitality, following a successful restructure in 2014, which saw it also introduce a series of enhancements and upgrades to its inflight product and fleet.

Cramer Ball, Alitalia’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Italy is the embodiment of beauty, warmth, passion, hospitality and a way of life celebrated the world over. It is an undisputed leader of style and innovative design. The Alitalia of today, as a national symbol, is imbued with the finest qualities for which this country is famous. It is with this spirit that we introduce our new global brand campaign, starting with a television commercial which presents the best of Italy and the importance that the country enjoys on the world stage.”

The new campaign showcases Alitalia as a modern airline, its commitment to excellence in all areas of its operations, and the pride and passion of its talented people, who are the driving force behind the progress the airline has made since its re-launch. It also strives to represent Italian excellence around the world, to promote a vibrant nation at the forefront of design and style, highlighting its arts, culture and landscapes.

Two weeks of video and photo shoots took place in a variety of locations including Alitalia’s hub at Rome’s Fiumicino airport and onboard its aircraft. The campaign’s photography collection was produced at studios in Milan.

Pierpaolo Ferrari, one of the most highly acclaimed fashion photographers in Italy, was commissioned by Alitalia to capture the nuances of Italian beauty, including a set of stunning images of its new uniform collection, designed by Milan based haute couturier Ettore Bilotta.

The campaign also integrates a series of web videos revealing aspects of Italian warmth and hospitality, the skill and experience which has propelled Alitalia along a remarkable renewal process, and a selection of interviews with the airline’s industry partners, who include exclusive and quintessentially Italian brands such as Poltrona Frau, Lavazza, Ettore Bilotta, diego dalla palma Milano, Cantine Ferrari, Atelier Fragranze Milano, and architect Marco Piva, who created the airline’s new ‘Casa Alitalia’ airport lounge designs.

The feature will be shown on global TV stations in major markets such as Italy, the USA, Brazil and Germany in both 60 and 30 second formats, and on social media channels, with still versions of the campaign appearing in print, digital and on outdoor channels. A strong focus will be placed on digital channels with a strategic presence on main news portals, entertainment websites and on social networks, and on mobile devices and tablets.

The Alitalia brand story has been visually interpreted by award-winning director Federico Brugia, whose work includes motion pictures, music videos and commercials for major brands including BMW, Damiani, Audi, and Dolce & Gabbana. His music industry collaborations include Elton John, Malika Ayane, and the late Luciano Pavarotti, among others.

Mr. Brugia said: “This short film has provided an opportunity to create a visual and emotional piece of work which connects Alitalia’s brand and vision directly with the heart and mind of the viewer. Whether they are Italian or from elsewhere around the world, we wanted to deliver the same message, and that is one of Italian passion and culture, expressed through the experience and achievements of its airline.”

The concept for the new campaign was created and developed by communication agency Leo Burnett Italia, part of Leo Burnett Worldwide, one of the world’s leading advertising agencies, and part of the giant Publicis Groupe. Media strategy and planning were managed by Starcom, leading worldwide media agency and referent agency for the Etihad Airways Partners group. The Italian carrier is 49 per cent owned by the UAE's Etihad Airways

Alitalia commissioned award-winning Italian singer Malika Ayane to provide the vocals for the title track of the television commercial, the timeless Italian song ‘Volare’. The singer, who is famous in Italy for her raw, emotional musical style, also performed the song live at the official launch event of the new advertising campaign in Rome.
 
The new campaign is on air from today and can be viewed on the Alitalia.com website.

Australia's national flag carrier, Qantas Airways, revealed their latest uniform for their cabin crew and pilots. 

Designer Martin Grant has given a nostalgic feel to the uniform, who has resurrected the Naval inspired white pilots cap, making the uniform not only striking, but iconic as well.

The uniform replaces the 13-year old uniform designed by Peter Morrissey, but one which maintains the single breasted jacket, with a more fitted look – and the new threads actually hark back to the uniforms of Qantas from the 1940s. 

It kind of has a similarity to the Pan Am uniform, especially with the white cap. The fitting of the jacket doesn’t just reflect fashion trends, but also serves a purpose, allowing more range of movement in the cockpit, a fairly confined space.