Love to travel, but don’t enjoy long flights? These innovative airlines are pushing the boundaries when it comes to providing the best customer experience.
Do you ever wish that more help was available with children on long-haul flights, so you can sit back and have a little “me time”? Etihad provides fully-trained Flying Nannies to assist parents with an extra pair of hands – whether it’s helping to get the children settled for bed, keeping them entertained, or simply offering advice and support. Every Flying Nanny comes equipped with a goody bag of games and activities to help keep the little ones entertained, so go on and take your nap.
While many airlines are upping the ante when it comes to dining in air, Qantas offers its customers – even in Economy cabins – an option to pre-order their meals, so you don’t have to choose between the chicken or the pasta. Their menu is perhaps the most diverse one can find on a flight. For example, on the Australia-USA route, pick from shoyu ramen noodles, lamb biryani, moussaka, chipotle pulled pork, and many other tempting choices.
Prefer to fly on newer planes? American Airlines has placed the world’s largest aircraft order in history, replacing an average of one plane every week as part of their massive fleet renewal program. It means that by 2017, American will have one of the youngest fleets in the skies and the newest offerings among US carriers. The new planes will offer more legroom (as the number of rows are being reduced by half), WiFi on every flight, walk-up refreshment bars, and 700 hours of inflight entertainment.
One of the best ways to refresh yourself after a long flight is with a nice hot shower. But you don’t have to wait till you land. On Emirates Airlines, you can get ready at 40,000 feet in your private A380 Shower Spa. With your complimentary Bvlgari amenity kit filled with designer fragrances and lotions, you will arrive just in time to hit the red carpet.
Wine connoisseurs may prefer to travel on Qatar Airways. Though its home country is dry, the carrier is known to have the most extensive wine seections in air. Business class choices include Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune du Château 2010, Petit Clos Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from New Zealand’s Marlborough district, and McWilliams Elizabeth Semillon 2006, to name a few. The airline’s wine program is curated by Master of Wine, James Cluer, who climbed 19,331-foot Mount Kilimanjaro with nine bottles of premium wine, in order to learn how altitude affects their taste.
If the safety videos on Air New Zealand don’t get grab your attention, you must be asleep by now. Rugby stars rapping to Men in Black, hobbits roaming through Middle- earth, pro surfers catching the big waves, and swimsuit supermodels on stunning beaches are some of the figures you will see informing travelers of safety procedures on board. Since 2009, Air New Zealand has produced 10 safety videos, entertaining more than 65 million viewers globally with their wit and humor.
With only 12 extraordinary suites available on each A380 aircraft, Singapore Airlines Suites offer a home in the skies, complete with a sliding door and window blinds. The leather- and wood-finished suite has one of the largest seats in the sky. In addition, each suite is furnished with a 23-inch LCD video monitor, height-adjustable table, chaise lounge for companion seating, ambient and mood lighting, luggage stowage space, and a personal coat closet.
