The analysts were wrong… It’s the New Year and the low-cost airline Norwegian hasn’t gone bust – despite some nasty rumours at the end of last year that suggested the carrier was close to defaulting on its huge debt pile. …
Passenger Experience
Norwegian No Longer Fly to Oakland International Airport from London Gatwick: Other Flight Changes On the Way
Norwegian will stop flying from London Gatwick to Oakland The airline will instead fly direct to San Francisco International Airport The switch will be made on 31st March with one-way fares starting at £174.90 Norwegian will also switch from Fort…
Iberia Steps Up On-Board Recycling Efforts But Are International Aviation Rules The Real Problem?
According to the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) airlines spend over half a billion dollars annually dealing with onboard waste – most of which comes from leftover in-flight catering. But while the international community becomes increasingly switched on about the…
Etihad is First Middle East Airline to Launch Premium Economy Cabin – Kind Of…
For years, the biggest three airlines in the Middle East – that’s Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways – have refused to offer a Premium Economy cabin. In fact, this ever more popular class of travel that bridges the gulf between…
Oh Dear: Travel Expert (and Journalist) Falls Foul of Saudia’s Very Opaque Dress Code
It’s pretty fair to say that 2017 was anything but a good year for United Airlines when it came to customer service fiasco’s – chief among them was the overbooking debacle that left Dr David Dao bloodied and bruised. But…
Lufthansa’s Yearly Oktoberfest Celebrations See the Return of Fresh Draft Beer After a 50-Year Hiatus
The world’s biggest and possibly the world’s most famous beer festival gets underway once again in Munich for a two-week extravaganza starting on 22nd September. The festival, is, of course, Oktoberfest and it draws in tens of thousands of beer…
The Majority of Flight Attendants Think Emotional Support Animals Have a “Negative” Impact On Air Travel
Airlines based in the United States have seen a surge in the number of passengers travelling with so-called Emotional Support Animals in the last few years. The well-intentioned Air Carrier Access Act was supposed to open up air travel for…
OPINION: Is it Finally Time for British Airways to Reinvent Itself?
British Airways has a serious problem (nothing new there you might say). It’s been a long time since the carrier has been able to call itself the “World’s favourite airline” (a self-proclaimed title anyhow) and instead seems to be on…
Airline Passengers Have Built An Economy Which Could Compete With Norway’s National Annual GDP
New research by HSBC reveals that airline passengers have helped create a booming new economy valued at something in the region of $400.5 billion USD – with a staggering $1.26 billion being added every single day. It’s an economy which…
Norwegian Putting Own Cabin Crew on Wet-Leased Planes in Attempt to Retain Consistent Passenger Experience
The plucky upstart airline, Norwegian – which is far more used to picking up accolades and industry awards has been attracting rather more negative headlines in recent weeks. The airline, which like many carriers around the world is facing problems…
Airline Economy Food That Actually Looks and Tastes Good: These Airlines Are Experimenting with a ‘Trayless’ Service
Back in 2014, the Australian airline Qantas launched a new dining concept for its Economy Class passengers on longer international flights. The idea was to improve both the quality and quantity of food the airline offered while also making the…
Airline Amenity Kits: Are They a Wasteful and Unnecessary Luxury Which Are Ripe for Disruption?
Premium airline passengers have certain expectations – a slap-up four-course meal on fine china, a nice wide seat that converts into a fully-flat bed and of course, an extensive range of in-flight entertainment options for those long intercontinental flights. Oh,…
Ever Been Stuck On an Unbearably Hot Plane? The 2Hot2Cold App is Designed to Build the Case for New Rules
As much of Europe swelters in near record-breaking temperatures, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is already predicting that 2018 will be the fourth hottest year on record. By global standards, only three years have been hotter – 2016 takes…
SOURCES: Emirates is Making More Cuts to Onboard Service – Pursers May Even be Axed
Passengers sat in one of Emirates’ new “game changer” First Class suites aboard its Boeing 777-300 aircraft may soon have to wait just a little longer for a member of cabin crew to answer their video call. Sources from within…
Campaigners Call for International Criminal Inquiry into ‘Aerotoxic Syndrome’
Campaigners are calling for the International Criminal Court at the Hague to investigate so-called ‘aerotoxic syndrome’ – a condition which is supposedly caused by dangerous chemicals and engine oil particles getting into the cabin air which is then breathed in…
VIDEO: Over 175,000 Starbucks employees watched this video to combat racial bias – Should airlines follow suit?
At 2pm on May 29th, 8,000 Starbucks stores shut up shop. Over 175,000 employees took part in a four-hour long workshop to address racial bias and elevate a spirit of “inclusion and equity”. Employees spoke about their own experiences, took…
Should More Airlines Follow Starbuck’s Lead With “Anti-Bias” Training for Flight Attendants?
On April 12th, Rashon Nelson and Nante Robinson, two young black African American men were arrested at a Starbucks store in Philadephia after sitting down without first buying anything. The men said they had simply been waiting for a friend…
Victims of In-Flight Sexual Assault: Trust Your Gut, Don’t Take Sleeping Pills and Keep the Armrest Down at all Times
At long last, the spotlight is being cast on in-flight sexual assault and harassment – A crime that travellers seem oblivious to and airlines apparently ignore. In the last few weeks, the Association of Flight Attendants released a shocking report…
Buying A Flight Isn’t All About Getting The Lowest Price, Is It? New App Allows Premium Airlines To Stand Out
We all love a good bargain, right? And no more so than when it comes to getting a cheap flight deal – just look at the rise and rise of low-cost airlines. And partly fueling the increasing dominance of the…
It’s That Time of Year Again: Hot Plane Cabins Continue to be a Problem for Both Passengers and Cabin Crew
The summer season in the Northern Hemisphere has well and truly started and the mercury is starting to inch higher and higher. But as long hot, sunny days will undoubtedly be welcomed by most people, it can bring a lot…
A New Law Will Help Combat Sexual Assault Onboard Any Plane Bound for the United States
A few months ago we asked why airlines weren’t providing specific training for cabin crew and flight attendants to deal with allegations of sexual assault and harassment onboard their flights. At the time, most airlines said they had measures to…
Qatar Airways Investment in Air Italy Just Goes to Prove Why Europeans Will Never Get Short-haul ‘First Class’
Yesterday, the chief executive of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker was present at the delivery ceremony of Air Italy’s brand new Boeing 737MAX 8 aircraft at the Boeing delivery center in Everett, near Seattle, Washington. The fact that Baker decided…
First and Business Class Passengers Still Remain Most Important for Airlines (and These Figures Prove Why)
Fascinating new figures reveal the current state of global aviation and they just go to show that despite the rise of low-cost airlines, First and Business Class passengers still remain very important for international airlines. The figures come as part…
68% Of Flight Attendants Have Experienced Sexual Harassment. 1 in 5 Physically Assaulted by Passengers
Shocking results from a survey of over 3,500 flight attendants has revealed that 68% of respondents have suffered some form of sexual harassment during their flying careers. The survey, which took in the views of flight attendants representing 29 airlines…
REVEALED: These Are The Things Most Likely to Annoy and Upset Airline Passengers
What are your top travel annoyances? In its annual survey of the things that really get on our nerves when flying, the travel experts at Expedia have lifted the lid on what really annoys airline passengers. And for the fourth…
The Airline Coffee Wars Are Heating Up: But Not Even Specialty Beans Will Stop Your Onboard Cup of Joe Tasting Bad
Our addiction to coffee seems insatiable. Estimates suggest around 400 million cups of the drink are consumed every day in the United States alone. Back in 2013, the National Coffee Association concluded that a staggering 83% of U.S. adults drank…
The TripAdvisor Community Has Spoken: These Are The Best Airlines In The World 2018
Singapore Airlines has come out as the winner in the annual Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards for Airlines 2018, beating off tough competition from the likes of Emirates, Air New Zealand and Japan Airlines. Singapore Airlines also won a number of…
jetBlue’s CEO Might Be The First Airline Executive To Admit Airbus’ Space Flex Galley Isn’t Good For Crew
For pretty much everyone, apart from airline shareholders perhaps, Airbus’ Space-Flex combined galley and toilet system doesn’t seem like a positive change for the passenger experience, does it? For those of you who aren’t in the know, the Space-Flex system…
Virgin Atlantic’s Brand Relies On Its Best In Market Passenger Experience But The Financials Are Horrid
Virgin Atlantic plunged into the red last year, recording a pre-tax loss of £28.4 million for the 12-months ending 31st December 2017 – that compares to a £23 million profit in 2016. Not that the disappointing results were entirely unexpected…
The #MeToo Movement for Flight Attendants: Three Quarters Have Experienced In-Flight Sexual Harassment
New figures reveal nearly three-quarters of flight attendants have been subjected to sexual harassment while at work. The revelation was made by Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants as she testified in Congress before the Congressional…
Inside the Strange World of Skytrax: The Aviation Rating Organization You Maybe Shouldn’t Trust
Worn as a proud badge of honour by airlines around the world, the air transport rating organisation, Skytrax has made a name for itself as the commercial aviation industry’s defacto Star Rating system. Yet surprisingly little is know about this…
EMPATHY: The Emotion Airlines Wished All Their Flight Attendants Possessed, Yet’s So Hard To Come By
Forget fancy First Class suite’s or state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment systems – There’s one thing that has a bigger impact on the passenger experience than all other touchpoints combined. You might not believe it but it is, in fact, your Flight…
Tech Startup, Volantio Aims to Reduce the Pain of Getting Bumped from Overbooked Flights
We all know that the vast majority of airlines overbook their flights. And nine times out of ten, this money-making tactic can boost an airline’s profit without having a negative impact on passengers. In fact, overbooking can even benefit passengers…
SOURCES: The British Airways Bed Bug Problem is Worse Than You Thought – Cabin Crew Slate Cleaning Teams
British Airways has a problem and its not only hurting its reputation but also physically hurting its passengers. It comes in the form of bed bugs – or to go by their scientific name, Cinex lectularius. Small nocturnal creatures that…
Delta Was Applauded For It’s New Stance On Service Animals But Guide Dog Users Are Not Happy
When Delta Air Lines recently made it harder for passengers to take service animals like guide dogs and so-called ’emotional support’ animals onboard its flights, it said it was doing so to protect its customers and employees. The move has…
Why Aren’t Flight Attendants Trained to Deal with Sexual Assaults? Something Needs to Change
At long last, the serious issue of in-flight sexual assaults is finally being openly talked about and debated. A series of high profile incidents that have been picked up by various media outlets are starting to shine a light on…
The Challenges Facing Airline Uniform Designers and Manufacturers
The flight attendant uniform is probably one of the most important branding exercises for an airline – the most visible way to convey it’s image, values and brand goals. And one which will stick in the minds of passengers long…
EXCLUSIVE: Sources Say This Will Be the New British Airways ‘Club World’ Business Class Seat
Frequent flyers in British Airways’ ‘Club World’ Business Class cabin have long derided what they view as an outdated and uncompetitive hard product. British Airways may have “revolutionised” the industry back in 2000 when it introduced the world’s first fully-flat…
Why Etihad’s New Buy On Board ‘Comfort Items and Amenities’ Should Be Considered Good for the Passenger Experience
At first glance, a new ‘buy on board’ offering from Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways could be seen as just a little desperate. A few days ago, the airline informed staff it would start offering a range of ‘comfort items and…
Is ‘Bring Your Own Device’ In-Flight Entertainment the Future? Market Set to be Worth $3.53 Billion by 2025
The wireless in-flight entertainment market is set to be worth a staggering $3.53 billion USD by 2025 – up from just $900.7 million in 2016. Traditionally, we’ve relied on airlines to provide us with seatback televisions, in-flight magazines and complimentary…
Japan Airlines is Partnering With ‘Boom’ to Once Again Make Supersonic Air Travel a Reality
Japan Airlines has today said it will invest $10 million USD in Denver-based, Boom Supersonic to once again make supersonic commercial air travel a reality. The Japenese airline said it had entered into a strategic partnership to provide expertise and…
How Did Air Transat Get it So Wrong? – The Basic Duties Flight Attendants and Flight Crew Need to Get Right
In July, one of Canada’s largest airlines, Air Transat which specialises in vacation trips, got itself in some pretty hot water due to the way it treated its passengers on two delayed flights. The problems started when bad weather in Montréal…
Will This Crazy Plan for Double Deck Airline Seating Ever Become a Reality?
The gulf between what premium airline passengers sat in the pointy end of the plane and those stuck in Economy experience just seems to get wider and wider. New seats (and even suite’s) for Business and First Class passengers are…
Lufthansa Reveals Even More Details About its New Business Class Seat – Promises Bed Length of Nearly 87 Inches
A few days ago, German flag carrier, Lufthansa gave us a glimpse of what the airline’s new Business Class seat and cabin would look like when it takes delivery of its first Boeing 777X aircraft. But while Lufthansa isn’t set…
The Revolutionary ‘No Tray’ Airplane Meal: Why Don’t More Airlines Copy the Example of Australian Carrier, Qantas?
Dining at 39,000 feet isn’t normally regarded as the best experience – and that’s just when talking about a Business or even First Class meal. But how about the experience in Economy? The rubbery meat, dry vegetables and stale bread…
It’s Official: We Want Free WiFi and Phone Calls On Planes – But Don’t Want Other Passengers to Take Advantage
In today’s ultra-connected world it seems almost unfathomable that we might go without access to our phones for even just one hour – let alone the length of a long haul flight. But up until recently, the one place you…
Fancy Going Fully Flat On a Low Cost Airline? flydubai Offers Just that Option – Shows Off its Brand New Boeing 737MAX
Yesterday, the first day of the 2017 Dubai Air Show kicked off in spectacular fashion with Emirates stealing much of the limelight with its ‘game changer‘ of a new First Class Suite. But on the sidelines of the massive event,…
British Airways Finally Reveals £4.5 bn Plan to Drastically Improve its Service On Long Haul Flights
At the end of last week, International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways and Iberia held its Capital Markets Day. The event is mostly aimed at shareholders and financial analysts who are keen to find out about…
This Fascinating Survey Reveals What We Really Want to Happen to Improve Air Travel
Recently published results from the annual Global Passenger Survey reveal what passengers from around the world think would really improve their air travel experience. Published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global trade body which represents 83% of…
American Airlines Agrees to Increase Number of Crew on Flagship 787-9 Dreamliner Due to “Extra Workload”
It’s a state-of-the-art aircraft which draws rave reviews from passengers for the many improvements it makes to the in-flight experience – The Boeing 787 Dreamliner offers a quieter cabin, higher humidity levels and LED mood lighting to combat jetlag, as…
