Economy Class & Beyond

Airlines: A Reminder – Airplane! is NOT instruction manual

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With everything that's gone on with the US3 over the past few weeks (with American now on the back foot), it was timely that Film4 in the UK played everyone's favourite aviation comedy - Airplane! Just before it went out on air, I tweeted this: Please note airlines. #Airplane is not an instruction manual on how to handle #paxex. #iamserious #dontcallmeshirley — … [Read more...]

Can you buy the Japan Rail Pass WHILST in Japan? On trial basis… YES!

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The Japan Rail Pass if used right can be a real money saver when travelling on routes operates by JR Group companies. However, to get one - normally you needed to buy an exchange order outside Japan to get one, and then exchange it for a rail pass JR Rail Pass, Exchange Order and a letter from JTB - Image, Economy Class and Beyond However, it seems the JR Group have … [Read more...]

Medium Haul Rail Travel done right – The Chiltern Mainline Silver Train

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Trains can be much of a muchness in the UK, with train operators moving away from the ideas of comfort to the point where they  densifying them to a point where an airline executive would thin "Maybe that's a touch tight". Recent express and long haul stock have done not a lot to change this impression. Chiltern Railways some time ago tried to change their game with some … [Read more...]

ATR and Geven to introduce a new seat… and its a major improvement

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ATR have been working with Geven seating (their current major supplier) to introduce a new seat for the ATR42-600 and ATR72-600. And it's an important seat. Why? Let's look at current seat - this is pitched at 30" (although carriers do pitch it lower). This was introduced by Geven in 2011 - a long time ago in seating terms. The current ATR Seat by Geven ATR … [Read more...]

Re-examining the Stelia Aerospace Celeste seat – who’s buying it?

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A couple of years ago, I looked at a seat that was impressive in its space - the Stelia Aerospace Celeste seat. But no-one had touched it in terms of orders. And that has been a shame as it is an interesting premium seat. Until now it seems. Stelia Aerospace has refocused its plans, and have redesigned the Celeste seat it to be a regional business class seat for narrow … [Read more...]

British Airways and Iberia go for the slimline Recaro SL3510

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Last week at Aircraft Interiors Expo, a representative of Recaro revealed that they had landed an order from a big legacy airline for their SL3510. Sadly, they did not disclose it to me directly. Recaro SL3510 seats at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2016 - Image, Economy Class and Beyond In a press release, Recaro confirm that the next customers for the slimline SL3510 … [Read more...]

#ToFlyToMeh – Has British Airways Club Europe meal service sunk to new lows?

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Last week, I flew British Airways short-haul in Club Europe. And normally, you know what you're going to get on a short flight between the UK and Germany – something that is comical and small. However, there had been a change in the catering recently. And I think we need to step back a minute and work out what's going on with this airline - because I'm struggling to see any … [Read more...]

Air New Zealand select Acro Series 6 seating for A320neo

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Air New Zealand have selected Acro seating to provide seats for their upcoming Airbus A320neo family aircraft Here's the press picture: Acro Series 6 Seating for Air New Zealand - Image, Acro And one with the seat and an Air New Zealand flight attendant. Acro Series 6 - Image, Economy Class and Beyond Air New Zealand will be deploying the Acro 6 in its … [Read more...]

Haeco and Airbus announce a way to increase overhead bin space

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At Economy Class and Beyond, we're slightly obsessed about overhead bins. When I say slightly - see my piece last year about the Airbus vs Boeing overhead bin I wrote last year at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2016. But why? It's a big passenger experience thing. It allows people to stow their items without worrying about their safety too much. Of course there's a problem along … [Read more...]

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