It’s now a time-old tradition: an airline comes along and wows us gullible public with what it insists will be the interior of its shiny new A380/787/777 – bowling alleys, private bedrooms and casinos – yet the reality never matches the hype. No doubt you know exactly the publicity loving red-engined airline I mean. So what does the future really hold for airline seating?
Aviation prides itself on being one of the most innovative industries around, with serious technological leaps on a regular basis, yet economy seating has remained constant for 40 years in terms of appearance. Now, however, there seems to be a revolution afoot with a few schools of thought on the way forward for seating – side by side with backs to the window, (the Ryanair option) bar room style and finally an alternate elevated option.
The side by side choice is a tried and trusted military option for transporting troops. Needless to say, Air Forces are organisations not typically recognised for their in-flight service so we’re not expecting much from this layout. Unsurprisingly the designers (Design Q) predict a 50% increase in passengers but they neglect to mention if this also means a 50% leap in comfort – somehow I seriously doubt it. They do claim a 30% reduction in fares is likely due to the higher density and insist that it is perfectly suitable for flights less than two hours. Close your eyes and you can imagine you’re on your way to Helmand. The military experience really does seems a viable option for anyone on a budget, especially when you bear in mind the battle for an aisle seat.
The side by side seating option
Staying with the budget theme, earlier this year Ryanair announced to the media that it was considering standing seats for passengers, despite the fact that this idea was originally discussed at least three years ago. Unfortunately for Ryanair, there seems to be no benefit for installing such “seats” as even if they save space, the airline already uses the maximum capacity of their 737-800 aircraft with 189 seats so what’s the point? Free publicity as always seems to be the prime motivation but as with most Ryanair initiatives, it seems to be a money-making exercise and no more.
The Ryanair "seat" of the future
If you want a proper seat, then you pay more than the poor souls who are standing behind you. Perfect: another way to squeeze the punters by the family jewels. However, never let it be said that Ryanair doesn’t have a sense of humour as they reportedly put this video up on their own site, thanks to a Dublin radio station.
Finally we come to the most futuristic concept, the Flex Seat by Jacob Innovations. A quasi double-decker system where every other row is elevated allowing for leg room for the seat behind it which is at conventional height. It looks fantastic, allows far more recline space and even has plenty of space for hand luggage. The elevated seats are reduced from four to three to make room for the steps on each side. It’s long on passenger comfort but short on revenue for airlines if the amount of seats are reduced – unfortunately it might not have a long term future. That’s a real shame considering the cattle conditions we have to put up with at the moment.
The elevated seating option by Jacob Innovations
As business class seating gets ever more luxurious and complex, economy seating remains relatively constant. The in-flight entertainment aspect of the product has changed for the better but the pitch, width and comfort is no better than when the 747 was launched. Will we still be stuck in the same seating in another 40 years? I hope not, but I also wish that we are not all standing up with wistful thoughts for the days when we actually had a seat! Ian Bradley
A few of us have little girls under the age of three waiting for us at home every evening, so it’s no surprise to read that we’re suckers for cutesy videos of toddlers that make us laugh. It probably takes our mind off the reality of having young kids – food flying in all directions at dinnertime, disastrous potty training, clothes regularly covered in puke, the screaming in public places…you get the idea!
We couldn’t resist this video by Evian, it even reminded us of some of the antics our little angels get up to…. and before you ask, no, Evian isn’t a client! Ian Bradley
Les Borjs de la Kasbah, a Hotel de Charme in Marrakech, and one of our clients, has been rightly recognised for its high levels of customer satisfaction and selected as the No. 1 Hotel in Africa and No. 22 in the world in the latest Expedia Insiders’ Select Survey (http://www.lesborjsdelakasbah.com/news.php).
At different times over the past two years, five of us from Travel PR have stayed at Les Borjs de la Kasbah (plus one staff member’s lucky mum and brother) and we all agree that owners Mike and Francoise Bruce-Mitford’s (founders of VFB Holidays) responsible approach to running this hotel sets it apart from the rest. Through our work with AITO and its responsible tourism credentials, we can spot greenwash a mile off and there is plenty of it around, but not in this instance. This unusual cross between a contemporary hotel and traditional riad was created following the guidance of RT consultancy Dick Sisman & Associates to ensure best practice with regards to the local environment, something that is typically overlooked in Morocco.
Only local craftsmen were employed to renovate the former buildings and all the knowledgable hotel staff are local too. The Front Desk Manager, Mohammed is fondly remembered for his helpful manner and dry wit and we ladies will always remember our satisfaction at the amount of dead and dirty skin scrubbed from our bodies by the therapists Hasna Moutih and Fatiha Akhmassi during a two hour hammam in the hotel’s spa. The hotel staff receive regular English lessons, ongoing hospitality training and also, uncommonly in Morocco, the tips are shared fair and square amongst each and every member of staff.
Clearly, the dedication of the team and the pride they take in their work has played a major part in being awarded this latest gong, and long may it continue. Mika Bishop.
Steering clear of the TripAdvisors, Expedias and WAYNs of this world, I’ve made a list of ten great, but lesser-known travel websites. Not that I don’t get out much during my lunchbreak…
(This is not an exercise to plug our own clients this time – although many of them have stellar sites – that’s for another day)
1. Raveable – The travel equivalent of a ubiquitous web trend: a website which aggregates aggregators. Raveable takes reviews from TripAdvisor, MyTravelGuide and individual bloggers, correlates them all, and calculates an overall ranking for the hotel or destination in question. In other words, rankings on Raveable are about as trustworthy as they come. Jeremy Head has also just blogged about Nextstop, another ‘review’-type website relying on User-Generated Content (and raised an interesting issue about copyright). Nextstop is in its infancy, so lots of searches will be fruitless, but it’s a very well laid-out and functional website, and cleverly attuned to Facebook.
2. Schmap – Maps are arguably the the fastest-developing area of travel websites (Guardian.co.uk/travel uses them brilliantly in its Interactive section) and Schmap is right at the forefront of this. It’s a little cumbersome, but that’s forgivable when you see the depth of its offerings: a unique digital paella of maps, photos and place reviews covering a fast-increasing range of destinations (currently 200). These guides can, of course, be downloaded to iPhones and Nokia handsets, for use while travelling. Similar cartographical cleverness is on display at Holiday Maps, which lets you create a personalised Google Map featuring places and locations you intend to visit.
3. Seatguru – This one’s been around a while, but it’s still strangely under-used despite TripAdvisor ownership. Seatguru carries plans of the aircraft of most major airlines and ranks the seats, so you can ensure you’re booking a decent spot on the plane. Seatplans.com performs the same service and boasts some extra airlines (e.g. Air Namibia) but Seatguru triumphs with its extra detail: outlining each aircraft’s ‘poor seats’, ‘power points’ and much more. A hotel-room version of this service is performed to some success by Tripkick.com.
4. FlightStats – Is your plane likely to leave on time? Will the loved-one you’ve so badly missed be arriving when promised? FlightStats is a good place to garner preliminary information – per airport it offers an average delay, and has live departure boards. Not all airports yet feature (London City doesn’t, for example), but there’s a wealth of good information, and you could well save yourself a few hours slumped in a terminal lounge.
5. PetrolPrices.com – Anyone who’s spent five minutes or more with a regular driver will have detected a deranged obsession with petrol prices; namely with tracking down the cheapest possible unleaded or diesel in town. PetrolPrices is their online heaven: join (for free) and you can tap in your postcode, or that of your destination, and find the where kerosene’s locally available for the fewest pennies per gallon. The best-priced breakdown cover and parking is also covered (for car rental, try VroomVroomVroom). This site is something of a secret, but possibly not for long: type ‘Petrol’ into a search engine and it’ll come out top of the pops every time.
6. TravelEtiquette.co.uk – Remember that HSBC advert where the man leaves chrysanthemums outside his Italian love interest’s door, only in Italy chrysanthemums are associated with death, so everyone thinks she’s dead, so everyone buys more chrysanthemums to put outside the door, except she isn’t dead…? We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Banking with HSBC is one solution to such perils, but TravelEtiquette is another. If you’re unsure about putting elbows on a table, draining a bowl of eels or making ambiguous finger gestures, this online resource should put you right.
7. Fotolia.co.uk – Holidays needn’t solely fill up the ‘outgoing’ column of your bank statement, you know. If you’re an avid, and reasonably decent, snapper, try selling your photographs post-trip to Fotolia, an online agency. It’s better than just banging them on Facebook or boring the grandkids, isn’t it? Other such agencies include 123RF and Picture Nation. If you’re still keener to make money from your getaway, start writing reviews for QYPE, for which you earn points – 1,000 of which qualify you for a bag of treats.
8. Extravigator – “Oh please darling, I’ve simply had enough of all these ‘websites for the people’. They’re all so dreadfully common. Can’t we take Marmaduke, Montgomery, Tuppy, Duppy and Dippy orf somewhere without having to consult the hoi polloi?” “Why yes, dear dandelion – those in high society like us can use Extravigator, an internet travel site for the posh. It’s full of ruddy marvellous information, such as a list of the hotels with the best toiletries, and a round-up of Manhattan spas. Mountjoy-Fanshawe told me about it during our Park Lane pub crawl last week.”
9. The Jaded Traveller – As a travel PR, I probably should deny all knowledge of this site. But it does make me titter, casting a cynical eye over the travel media world as it does. The clichés section scores an especially direct hit – how many of us, journalists, tourist boards and PRs alike, have labelled a market ‘vibrant or bustling’, or described a remote property as an ‘oasis of calm’? Nearly all, I’d think. If you don’t mind having a giggle at your own expense, The Jaded Traveller’s well worth a quick browse.
10. Bing – The latest, and easily best, search engine offering so far from Microsoft, Bing is after a slice of Google’s pie. That’s all very well, you say, and thanks for letting me know, but why the hell have you included it on a list of travel sites? Well, say I, Bing qualifies for the simple reason that, every day, its gorgeous UK homepage has a gorgeous picture of a gorgeous location (often an oasis of calm or a vibrant, bustling market). The same is true of the American version but with two crucial differences: one, the US page has a different daily picture, and two, it tells you the location of the image, with thumbnails adding extra info. Here in the UK, our Bing site’s still in Beta (i.e. launch) mode, so there are no such explanations. Meaning you probably won’t know where on Earth the gorgeous place is. Meaning it’s bloody frustrating. But still gorgeous… Richard Mellor
Overseas holiday bookings, like any industry, suffered at the hands of this recession – the Euro struggled and jobs were endangered, leaving little scope for a summer holiday booking. But recent stories quote analysts as saying that Britain may already be slowly clawing its way out of the recession; that the nadir may have passed. At the ITT Conference last week, John Walker, chairman of Oxford Economics, predicted the recession would end at the conclusion of 2009. The pound has even hit a 2009 high against the Euro. But is the recession showing signs of ending for travel companies?:
Sunvil Holidays’ Operations Director, Chris Wright, comments: “The recession may not be over quite yet, but people are certainly starting to think “I still have a job, I still have money… and I need a holiday.”
AITO Specialist Travel Agents’ Chairman, Barry Moxley: “It’s not over – but we are seeing signs that make us optimistic. People are still cautious and will remain so for the foreseeable future. However, queries are holding steady, footfall through the door is encouraging, operators are keen to provide sales & marketing support, and confidence is slowly returning.” AITO Specialist Travel Agents, a collection of 150 leading, independent travel agents, met in Gdansk from 11-14 June for their annual Conference. Barry was speaking from there.
Chairman of AITO, Derek Moore: “AITO are realists, and believe that, although things are improving, it’s going to take time. That said, travel companies are in a strong position when the economy strengthens, more holidays will be the primary purchase – ahead of a new car, or new kitchen, because people will want to treat themselves and forget these dark days.”
Clive Stacey, Managing Director of Discover The World, comments: “Until recently we were seeing passengers booking much later than previous years. But now we are seeing longer-term bookings pick up substantially, especially for next winter, as well as summer and autumn 2010. These are in respect of weekends to Swedish Lapland (and the Icehotel) and school trips to Iceland. People seem far be far more upbeat about the future.”
IS JUNE THE NEW JANUARY?
With the recession possibly ending and deals aplenty to be had – offered by accommodation-providers and airlines keen to fill their summer space – June seems like the time to book your summer holiday. It’s less brinkmanship than common sense. So is the lates-market delivering as hoped? And If June is the new holiday-booking hotbed, will it again be so next year? Or will providers react with less last-minute deals, and greater patience? Here are operators’ views on this year’s June market, and its long-term future:
Kirker Holidays reports that June sales are currently encouraging, with continued high demand for ‘last-minute’ holidays, booked within four to six weeks of departure. Ted Wake, Director of Sales & Marketing, says: “Kirker remains cautiously optimistic about its 2009 results, based on booking patterns to date. Whilst discerning clients are making their holiday decisions later than ever this year, we are finding that the array of special offers available – combined with added value elements, such as room upgrades and complimentary meals, that our reservations team can often secure at the time of booking – place Kirker in a strong position for a successful summer. We firmly believe that a Kirker short break should be an essential part of everyone’s 2009 recovery plan.”
Explore’s Product Director, Peter Crane, comments: “We have seen a late booking trend for several weeks now, and with over 150 tours in Europe departing this summer, we’re expecting this trend to intensify over the next few weeks, as the July / August / September Europe peak approaches. Many regions, including the Middle East, Turkey, Thailand and Indochina, are up on June last year. Europe in particular is booking late this year, especially non-Eurozone countries like Norway, Croatia, Montenegro and Albania. Late sales for Greece are coming in strongly now, possibly because Turkey has been popular and many peak date tours (and flights) are now fully booked.
“Customers have been reducing their booking lead times consistently for several years. This year the trend has intensified, but with many operators now reducing the number of holidays they’re selling there may well be a reaction next year – to book the trip you want on the date you want it may pay to book earlier. Explore tours operate all year round, so although we’ve seen a trend in recent years for customers to book later it’s not specifically a May or June late booking peak. We believe the internet offers the customer much greater transparency and certainty: itineraries, dates, prices and availability are all updated in real-time, and it’s easy than ever to shop around for the best itinerary and price. Fewer customers now are browsing holiday brochures in January: many feel confident to wait.”
Chris Wright, Operations Director at Sunvil Holidays, comments: “Although January was very quiet, February recovered to normal booking levels. The peak season family market seems to have been delayed, but bookings are now coming through strongly. The late market is very strong and prices are holding up. People are often shocked when they call as they are expecting availability to be wide open and often they can’t get what they want. We are seeing a recovery in Eurozone destinations, helped by the strengthening of the pound against the Euro.”
At Real Holidays, Managing Director Philip Davies says: “Before 9/11, there were very concrete British booking cycles for family holidays: a big boom of January bookings, and then a second strong wave in May. Ever since then the pattern has changed, and this year due to the recession and declining Euro, we’ve seen more late bookings than ever before. I see this trend of June bookings continuing next year; and where staff were once forbidden holidays in January, we may prohibit June breaks in 2010! It will be interesting, however, to see how property owners and accommodation providers react to all of this last-minute business – quite feasibly next year there will be a lot less resorting to special offers if they haven’t received summer bookings by the end of May, as they’ll now anticipate this June boom.” Richard Mellor.
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Is the future of airline seating sitting pretty?
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009It’s now a time-old tradition: an airline comes along and wows us gullible public with what it insists will be the interior of its shiny new A380/787/777 – bowling alleys, private bedrooms and casinos – yet the reality never matches the hype. No doubt you know exactly the publicity loving red-engined airline I mean. So what does the future really hold for airline seating?
Aviation prides itself on being one of the most innovative industries around, with serious technological leaps on a regular basis, yet economy seating has remained constant for 40 years in terms of appearance. Now, however, there seems to be a revolution afoot with a few schools of thought on the way forward for seating – side by side with backs to the window, (the Ryanair option) bar room style and finally an alternate elevated option.
The side by side choice is a tried and trusted military option for transporting troops. Needless to say, Air Forces are organisations not typically recognised for their in-flight service so we’re not expecting much from this layout. Unsurprisingly the designers (Design Q) predict a 50% increase in passengers but they neglect to mention if this also means a 50% leap in comfort – somehow I seriously doubt it. They do claim a 30% reduction in fares is likely due to the higher density and insist that it is perfectly suitable for flights less than two hours. Close your eyes and you can imagine you’re on your way to Helmand. The military experience really does seems a viable option for anyone on a budget, especially when you bear in mind the battle for an aisle seat.
The side by side seating option
Staying with the budget theme, earlier this year Ryanair announced to the media that it was considering standing seats for passengers, despite the fact that this idea was originally discussed at least three years ago. Unfortunately for Ryanair, there seems to be no benefit for installing such “seats” as even if they save space, the airline already uses the maximum capacity of their 737-800 aircraft with 189 seats so what’s the point? Free publicity as always seems to be the prime motivation but as with most Ryanair initiatives, it seems to be a money-making exercise and no more.
The Ryanair "seat" of the future
If you want a proper seat, then you pay more than the poor souls who are standing behind you. Perfect: another way to squeeze the punters by the family jewels. However, never let it be said that Ryanair doesn’t have a sense of humour as they reportedly put this video up on their own site, thanks to a Dublin radio station.
Finally we come to the most futuristic concept, the Flex Seat by Jacob Innovations. A quasi double-decker system where every other row is elevated allowing for leg room for the seat behind it which is at conventional height. It looks fantastic, allows far more recline space and even has plenty of space for hand luggage. The elevated seats are reduced from four to three to make room for the steps on each side. It’s long on passenger comfort but short on revenue for airlines if the amount of seats are reduced – unfortunately it might not have a long term future. That’s a real shame considering the cattle conditions we have to put up with at the moment.
The elevated seating option by Jacob Innovations
As business class seating gets ever more luxurious and complex, economy seating remains relatively constant. The in-flight entertainment aspect of the product has changed for the better but the pitch, width and comfort is no better than when the 747 was launched. Will we still be stuck in the same seating in another 40 years? I hope not, but I also wish that we are not all standing up with wistful thoughts for the days when we actually had a seat! Ian Bradley
Tags: Airline seating, airlines, airlines seating of the future, clever, clever airline seats, Design Q, elevated airline seating, futuristic airline seats, Jacob Innovations, Ryanair, Ryanair standing seats, side by side seating, www.travelpr.co.uk, “best travel websites”, “travel pr”
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