RGN In Conversation

LIFT Aero Design’s Aaron Yong joins aviation journalist John Walton from Singapore, bringing an update from the aviation superpower citystate, as well as how aircraft interior designers are responding to the COVID-19 crisis. What’s the situation in Singapore like right now? How will the forthcoming Singapore-Hong Kong quarantine-free air corridor work? And what exactly is going on with the world’s longest flight — or, it seems, not the world’s longest flight according to the airline — moving from Newark to New York JFK? Inside the cabin, what are designers focussing on in the age of COVID-19? Are we set to return to the “wall of beige thermoplastic” in the name of hygiene? How are the details of the “visibly clean” trend shaking out? And what about incorporating antimicrobials into the very fabric (and plastics) of seats? And how is Singapore Airlines making the most of its iconic brand to keep in touch with passengers even on the ground?

Joanna Bailey and Thomas Boon from Simple Flying join RGN deputy editor John Walton to face off about the newest business class seats from Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. How does Virgin’s Safran Seats Cirrus NG hold up, beyond the well-discussed issue with the table — has the seatmaker fixed its problems? Is the lack of doors a dealbreaker for this new cabin? What about the new Loft lounge space that has replaced the signature Virgin Atlantic bar? What about BA’s Collins Aerospace Super Diamond with its door? How has this seat changed, both compared with BA’s old business class seat and compared with existing Super Diamond seats? Do the colours, material and finish (CMF) stand up to scrutiny? What about the Club Kitchen? And how do both seats compare with each other, face to face? Every episode of In Conversation is available on iTunes. A transcript of this podcast will also be published on this page shortly: please email info@runwaygirlnetwork.com with any feedback on formatting or with any recommendations for increasing its accessibility to the widest possible audience.

Reuters’ chief correspondent, Asia aviation and defence, Jamie Freed joins RGN contributing editor John Walton for a wide-ranging conversation about the effects that the ongoing instability in Hong Kong has been affecting aviation within the region. How has it affected passengers, the airport, and the demand for its third runway? What about the airlines based in Hong Kong, including Cathay Pacific, HNA’s Hong Kong Airlines and newly-Cathay LCC Hong Kong Express? What do the new people in charge mean for Cathay Pacific after the departure of board chairman John Slosar, CEO Rupert Hogg and chief customer and commercial officer Paul Loo? What changes are likely to Cathay’s strategy, especially for Cathay Dragon and HK Express? How about other airlines who fly into Hong Kong, and the other regional hubs like Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok and so on? How is this new unidentified pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan fitting into the picture? And what are the challenges coming forward for the 2020s?

Australian aviation journalist Jordan Chong joins RGN deputy editor John Walton to get to the bottom of Project Sunrise, Qantas’ plan to fly nonstop to London and New York from Australia’s east coast. What is Project Sunrise? What are these “research flights” Qantas has been doing all about? How do the two aircraft being put up by Airbus and Boeing for Project Sunrise stack up, and is Qantas happy with the offerings? How does Qantas’ perspective as an airline at the “end of the line” inform its decisionmaking? How will Project Sunrise fit in with Qantas’ “longhaul U” strategy of using its Dreamliners for optimal efficiency to Europe, domestically and the US? How will Air New Zealand’s choice to move its flagship flights from London to New York affect the demand for Project Sunrise? And what might the passenger experience on board look like — does Qantas need a new business class seat for the world’s longest flight?

Nik Loukas from InflightFeed.com joins RGN deputy editor John Walton for a wide-ranging conversation about onboard catering and how airlines of all kinds keep us fed and watered on the aircraft. What’s new in the world of plane food? What are low-cost airlines focussing on, and how are they doing? Which are the ones to watch…and which are the ones to watch out for? How do the airlines doing a great job with onboard grub do it? What are some of the best meals that Nik and John have enjoyed, and what were some of the shockers? How is the trend of bigger main meals — and smaller side dishes — on full services carriers going? How important is the environmental movement in reducing waste and being more thoughtful about the impact of #PaxEx on the planet? 

Head of the Independent Aircraft Modifier Alliance Nicole Noack joins RGN deputy editor John Walton for an in-depth conversation about the fascinating world of aircraft maintenance! What is IAMA, and why does it exist? How does its work, and the work of its member companies, affect the passenger experience? Why did they decide to create an alliance, and what is it working towards? What will IAMA produce, and how will it help airlines, aircraft manufacturers, the companies that maintain airplanes, and the lessors who own them, make passenger experience better? What are the gaps in the certification and regulatory system that mean that IAMA and its work are necessary? And what’s next for IAMA and its members? Every episode of In Conversation is available on iTunes. A transcript of this podcast will also be published on this page shortly: please email john@runwaygirlnetwork.com with any feedback on formatting or with any recommendations for increasing its accessibility to the widest possible audience.

ATR’s vice president and head of marketing Zuzana Hrnkova joins RGN deputy editor John Walton to talk about the past, present and future of the turboprop airframer. What is ATR, and  where do its two aircraft, the ATR 72 and 42, fit in the aviation spectrum? How are they different from the rest of the market? Why are turbopropos more efficient, with a lower environmental impact, than jet aircraft? What’s the ATR-42S short-takeoff-and-landing version, and why is ATR proposing it? Just how many missions need an 800-metre runway, and where? How has the passenger experience aboard ATR’s turboprops changed over the years, and how has the Armonia cabin helped? Just how have ATR and Geven fit 18-inch-wide seats into a turboprop fuselage, and are airlines still requesting seats with recline? And lastly, how is ATR’s work to bring induction loop technology for Deaf and hard of hearing passengers going? What is the solution looking like, and how will it be implemented?

What’s new with the Mitsubishi SpaceJet, and where has the programme come from? What’s the latest on this delayed but very promising aircraft? How did its history — and Japan’s corporate landscape — lead it to where it is today, and what does today’s market look like for this size of plane in the context of Airbus’s A220, Boeing’s E2 partnership with Embraer, and indeed the CRJ moving to Mits? How do the new M100 and M90 compare with the MRJ70 and MRJ90 in the 70-odd and 90-odd passenger space? What about a stretched M200? How does the new Safran ECOS family-based cabin stand up? Why is the future bright for Mitsubishi and the aircraft? And where might Mitsubishi base its US operations for the SpaceJet? Listen here, or every episode of In Conversation is also available on iTunes. A transcript of this podcast will also be published on this page shortly: please emailjohn@runwaygirlnetwork.com with any feedback on formatting or with any recommendations for increasing its accessibility to the widest possible audience.

Recorded live at Le Bourget during the 53rd Paris Air Show, Aérospatium's Caroline Bruneau joins RGN deputy editor John Walton to put this most unusual show into its wider aviation context. Beyond the passenger experience, beyond the Boeing 737 MAX, Airbus A321XLR and others news in the commercial space, what are the problems facing the aviation industry more widely? What do we as an industry need to be doing in order to meet the growing forecasts for industry employees in the future, and how do we make sure that we can fill the proverbial pipeline? Within France, what’s the latest on the political movement to ban domestic flying? Elsewhere, how are global low cost carriers moving forward with their aircraft, in the context of the absence of the A380? And what about the Boeing NMA with the new longer-range A321neo?

Fresh from the Airbus Innovation Days in Toulouse, aviation journalist and storyteller Howard Slutsken joins RGN deputy editor John Walton to talk about what’s new in the world of Airbus, from new faces at the top of the business to new options for the A321neo, new seating for the A350 and much more. Will Airbus launch the A321XLR, YLR or ZLR at the Paris Air Show next month? Just how rocky is the “rock” and how hard is the “hard place” in the middle of the market? What’s new with the Airbus A220, né Bombardier C Series, and how did Airbus put some Canadian backs up at the Innovation Days? Will Airbus fold yacht technology back into aviation? What other innovations is the airframer looking at? And will the new ten-abreast A350 configuration with sculpted sidewalls live up to the promises Airbus’ sales supremo Christian Scherer is making? Listen here, or every episode of In Conversation is also available on iTunes. A transcript of this podcast will also be published on this page shortly: please email john@runwaygirlnetwork.com with any feedback on formatting or with any recommendations for increasing its accessibility to the widest possible audience.

Runway Girl Network editor Mary Kirby and journalist Marisa Garcia join deputy editor John Walton at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg to debrief on the world’s largest and most important #PaxEx trade show with a special extended episode of In Conversation. The big surprise this year was the impact of the 737 MAX on the industry, so what does that mean for the passenger experience suppliers at the show? Elsewhere, what’s the future of inflight connectivity? Has Ka-band beaten Ku-band in the satellite internet stakes? What’s next for inflight maps, with new solutions and technologies abounding? How about responsive surfaces, and new seats? How is the airline industry working to achieve equality of access for Deaf and hard of hearing passengers? And what more can we all do to remove barriers to participation in aviation? A transcript of this podcast will also be published on this page shortly: please email john@runwaygirlnetwork.com with any feedback on formatting or with any recommendations for increasing its accessibility to the widest possible audience.

John Morris from WheelchairTravel.org joins RGN deputy editor John Walton for an update on how airlines, airports and other parts of the aviation industry are serving passengers with reduced mobility. What are John’s experiences using a wheelchair while travelling? Are airlines living up to their obligations? Why are some newer business class seats — including Qatar Airways’ Qsuite — a big problem for some disabled passengers? Are lavatory facilities sufficient? What is the airport experience like for wheelchair users, and how can it improve? Where is the best practice for boarding and disembarking the aircraft? And how does aviation compare with other parts of the transport and travel industry: hotel rooms, hotel shuttles, airports, taxis, and ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft?

What do we lose when we lose the Airbus A380? Why do passengers love it, and why haven’t airlines been as keen? What can airlines do to replicate the passenger experience on the popular superjumbo aboard their smaller aircraft? And what are our memories aboard the famous “whalejet”? Meanwhile, with inflight meals a subject of much conversation online this week, why is it so cool to hate on airplane food? Do caterers and airlines deserve it? What’s the good and the bad in airline catering? Which airlines do it well, and which carriers can others learn from? And is bringing a bag of brussels sprouts the solution? (Spoiler: no, it is not.)

It’s a busy 2019 already for European aviation, with airlines disappearing, drones appearing and Brexit looming. Aviation journalist Gesche Wüpper is in conversation with RGN deputy editor John Walton to analyse the very latest news and consider the consequences. What are the implications of Virgin Atlantic’s purchase of Flybe? Will it work where previous efforts have failed? Why is Air France ending the Joon experiment, and what does it mean for new Air France-KLM head honcho Benjamin Smith? Are there too many brands within Air France-KLM still? Across the channel, what can the Gatwick and Heathrow drone situations teach other airports? And with time ticking down to Brexit, what’s the latest around the UK’s exit from the EU — for airlines, manufacturers including Airbus, and indeed the human passenger experience consequences for travellers?

Australia is a bellwether market for passenger experience, and Australian Aviation’s News Editor Jordan Chong is in conversation with RGN deputy editor John Walton to bring you an update on what’s up down under. How is Qantas’ seventeen and a half hour flight from Perth to London — in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner nine-abreast economy? How does the way Qantas delivers the flight schedule work? What’s the soft product like? Do the passenger experience benefits of the cabins of the Dreamliner and Airbus A350 really stack up? What’s the latest on Project Sunrise, Qantas’ dream for nonstop flights from Sydney to London and New York? Will it really be possible with a full load of passengers? More widely, how is the low-cost carrier model developing in Australia? What’s new with the duopoly between Qantas and Jetstar, and Virgin Australia and Tigerair? How are these two airline groups segmenting their passengers? And where’s the Australian market going in general? Listen here, or every episode of In Conversation is available on iTunes!

At Finnair headquarters in Helsinki, the airline’s chief digital officer Katri Harra-Salonen is in conversation with RGN deputy editor John Walton, talking all things digital. What exactly is a CDO, and what do they do? How is Finnair transforming itself with the help of digital technologies? What platforms is Finnair investing in, and what’s onboard and at the airport? How does all this improve the passenger experience? How can new technologies help to find new options to offer passengers? What will the future bring? And just why is the tech industry descending on Helsinki — in December?

With interviews recorded live at the Aircraft Passenger Experience Association (APEX) EXPO and co-located AIX Americas expo in Boston, seven senior industry executives are in conversation with Runway Girl Network deputy editor John Walton on topics ranging from seating and entertainment to inflight connectivity. What does Finnair senior vice president for customer experience Piia Karhu want from expos like this? What can Claire Nurcombe, head of marketing at seatmaker Stelia, reveal about the new 4D cinematic VR headset technology, in partnership with Skylights and InSeat Solutions? How is Thales making the user interface on inflight entertainment systems more adaptable and flexible, asks Priti Arora, solution product line manager. How does Inmarsat vice president for aviation David Coiley see the next 120 days of the Panasonic Avionics-Inmarsat partnership playing out? What are the priorities for Seamless Air Alliance chief executive officer Jack Mandala? On the AIX side, we ask Acro senior vice president for sales Alan McInness what’s next for the innovative seatmaker. How is IFPL vice president of business development David Thomas pitching its “Charge to Charge” pay-per-use power socket system? And what was the overall feel at the pair of co-located expos, on and off the record?

During a visit to Recaro Aircraft Seating’s headquarters in Schwäbisch Hall, CEO Mark Hiller is in conversation with RGN deputy editor John Walton for a wide-ranging discussion of the aircraft interiors industry. How have the high-tech seats we sit on in aircraft today evolved over time? Why is Recaro positioning itself as a consumer brand in a B2B2C space, and how does it work with airlines to market itself? What’s new in the world of seating, especially with the narrowbodied middle-of-market aircraft reaching longer and longer distances? How do the trends of individualisation, privacy, customisation and upgradeability work together? And are we still using the Beyonce Model (if you liked it, you should have put a door on it) to create business class suites?

Taking a magnifying glass to the pointy end of the plane, air traffic controller turned luxury travel writer Michele Robson of UK-based travel site Turning Left for Less is in conversation with RGN deputy editor John Walton. With business class heading the way of first class, and with company budgets banning flatbeds, is premium economy really becoming the new business class? How well are airlines doing taking care of their premium leisure travellers? Which are the best business class seats in the sky? How are the new Iberia A350 seats, and how do they compare with IAG stablemate British Airways? Speaking of British Airways, is it too late for the airline to be able to avoid a non-suite product? If so, what does that do to BA’s “world’s best business class” First product? Does it become a lounge-brand product? And what about soft product? Listen here, or every episode of In Conversation is also available on iTunes.

Fresh from the Farnborough Air Show 2018, aviation journalist Bernie Baldwin is in conversation with RGN deputy editor John Walton, analysing the big passenger experience news from this year’s pivotal airshow. What was the Embraer E190-E2 like inside, and how has it changed from previous versions of the E-Jet family? How will the new staggered first class seating change the game? What’s up with the new Bombardier CRJ Atmosphère regional jet cabin, and what will be different for passengers on board? With the Bombardier C Series now seeing orders as the Airbus A220, what’s new for this segment? What’s new with the Mitsubishi MRJ? Why is Airbus pulling out the cabin of the A330neo, and what’s insider HiFly’s first second-hand A380? And just how many times can Bernie and John enthuse about overhead bins?

Diving into what went down at this year’s IATA AGM in Sydney, aviation journalist Marisa Garcia joins RGN deputy editor John Walton to analyse what commercial aviation’s largest and most influential trade body is thinking. What did new chairman of the board Akbar al Baker say about the capacity and capability of women to run airlines — and was it, as he suggests, both blown out of proportion and a joke that missed the mark? Did IATA and Qatar Airways do enough to correct the record after the shocked aftermath? But what skills do aviation CEOs need, and are they unique to aviation? Elsewhere on the IATA agenda, why do airlines want airports re-regulated? And what changes are afoot among the global airline alliances?

Going deep on economy seats, Routehappy by ATPCO director of airline research Jason Rabinowitz joins RGN deputy editor John Walton to discuss the latest trends down the back of the plane, where new generations of seating products create more space for airlines, and in some cases for passengers. What new slimline seats are on the horizon for passengers in economy class? Which airlines have big plans for their economy product? What do these changes mean for passengers’ knees — and for their eyeballs? Which of the new generation of slimlines, with their brand-new engineering, work best for passengers, and which get the density airlines want but at the cost of comfort? And, if you’re an airline, how can you get them on your planes fastest, including by leasing a full set of seats from Lufthansa Technik?

What’s new in the world of the Aircraft Interiors Expo? RGN’s Mary Kirby and John Walton are in conversation about AIX 2018, talking new slimline economy seats, business suites, inflight entertainment, connectivity, and more from the busiest interiors show in quite some time! How do these new slimline seats work? Do they really give you more room than previously? What’s the difference between the models from Geven, Recaro, Rockwell Collins, Pitch, Mirus and others? Is that really the Skyrider saddle seat making a reappearance? Why are so many seatmakers bringing business class suites with doors to the show? What’s new in the world of inflight entertainment, and what new systems are on the market? And in a turbulent time for connectivity, what’s the latest from the show floor? Can we also include the subscription link? Something like: Listen here, or every episode of In Conversation is also available on iTunes.

Recorded live in one of flydubai's 737 MAX aircraft, the airline’s vice president of inflight product, Dan Kerrison, is in conversation with RGN Deputy Editor John Walton, discussing this fascinating airline — “always the launch customer for something!” — and the innovative passenger experience it continues to design. How is flydubai’s inflight and on-the-ground product evolving? To what extent does being a smaller airline than its bigger neighbour — and partner — Emirates make the airline more nimble? How did the airline work with JPA Design, Thompson Aero Seating, Recaro and Zodiac Aerospace to create the new cabin, seats and IFE? What soft product improvements are planned? How does inflight entertainment content work with the airline’s three official languages? Why does flydubai take its new 737 aircraft empty from Boeing? And how is the airframer’s new radome affecting inflight connectivity?

Aviation Yteke de Jong speaks with RGN Deputy Editor John Walton from Amsterdam, talking all things KLM and Schiphol Airport in the context of some looming threats for both the airline and its hub operation. What do the relatively positive annual report figures during the booming economy mean for KLM and, with less rosy figures, Air France-KLM? What does KLM need to do to put itself in a better position — in terms of passenger experience and other performance — for leaner times? With 20% of its market touching the UK, how will Brexit affect KLM? What about the trans-Atlantic partnership with Delta, Air France, Virgin Atlantic and Alitalia? And with government constraints, what does Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport need to do in order to keep its place as a favoured hub within northwestern Europe?

Recorded the day before the International Trade Commission’s surprise ruling in favour of Bombardier in Boeing’s case against the Canadian airframer’s C Series, CNN Aviation Editor Jon Ostrower joins RGN Deputy Editor John Walton to discuss the latest in this ongoing saga. Who are the key players, and what’s their interest in the game? What was Boeing’s argument to trade adjudicators about the C Series? Did it measure up to industry scrutiny? Do airlines really consider the C Series, the Boeing 737 MAX 7, and the Airbus A319neo in the same fleet conversation? How did Boeing’s move push Airbus and Bombardier closer together, leaving Boeing with the almost inevitable conclusion to continue working closely with Embraer? And what’s next for this market segment at a time of monumental change?

Aviation journalist Benét Wilson explains how peak holiday travel affects #PaxEx to RGN deputy editor John Walton, with insights from her years working for airlines and covering the industry as a journalist.  How does the passenger experience change over the holidays, with so many people (including infrequent travellers) on the road? How do airline operations change at this busiest time? What airlines and airports spread the magic of the season well, and what can other players in the industry — from small to large — learn from them? And what are some of the tips and tricks that Benét advises consumers to use when travelling at this time of year? 

The Royal Aeronautical Society’s Tim Robinson joins RGN deputy editor John Walton to talk about what the UK leaving the EU will mean for the British aviation industry, delving deep into recent submissions to parliamentary committees. How will aviation safety certification, the CAA, and EASA need to change? What changes will manufacturing have to make? How will aviation employees and the next generations of the industry be affected? What is the prospect of an interim deal for aviation? And is there any good news — for passengers or for airlines — at all?  

Icelandic photographer and aviation industry Bergdís Norðdahl is in conversation with RGN Deputy Editor John Walton this week, talking about one of the world’s most fascinating aviation markets: the international flights via and domestic demand from Keflavik Airport in Reykjavik. How has Iceland’s domestic market — about half of the demand for the Icelandic carriers — recovered from the global financial crisis, which hit the island country particularly hard? What do Icelanders want from Icelandair and WOW Air? Is WOW’s customer-wowing pricing sustainable? Will WOW U-turn over connectivity? And what’s next in passenger experience from one of the world’s key Boeing 757 niche markets?

RGN deputy editor John Walton is in conversation with Olli Vainio, a frequently flying Finn with a wealth of knowledge about national carrier Finnair, its passenger experience, and its markets. John and Olli explore how this niche carrier is expanding after a period of consolidation, and discuss how the airline attracts a wide range of passengers. How does Finland’s busiest domestic route link in with a wider European network and one of the region’s largest Asian networks? What aspects of the passenger experience have been created to appeal to domestic, European and Asian travellers? How does primary local competition Norwegian’s free inflight connectivity affect what Finnair provides to its passengers? And what do Finns really think about all the Marimekko and Moomins?

RGN deputy editor John Walton is in conversation with Jamie Freed, a Reuters senior correspondent covering aviation and business in Sydney. This episode, John and Jamie delve deep into the context and background of Australia’s airline duopoly and the growing strength of Qantas’ position. How is Qantas thriving given Australia’s end-of-the-world location? Why is Jetstar so successful when other airlines’ dual-brand low-cost carrier strategies have failed? What’s next for troubled Virgin Australia? Why are most Australian airports still split into separate international and domestic buildings? How have Australia’s airlines leveraged their partnerships with the Gulf carriers and other international airlines? And how will the first nonstop hop on the Kangaroo Route from Australia to London shake everything up?

RGN Contributing Editor John Walton is in conversation with Seth Miller, Jason Rabinowitz and Mary Kirby in Hamburg at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2017, talking about what feels like a myriad new seats at this year’s show. How has Mirus evolved its barebones slimline into a fully featured seat? What was behind the curtain at B/E Aerospace? What’s the new “compact staggered” business class seat all about? Is the B/E Aspire seat as revolutionary as rumoured? And what else was new at AIX17?

RGN contributing editor John Walton is in conversation with New Yorker Jason Rabinowitz, director of airline research at Routehappy, about New York’s three, four, five or six airports (depending on how you count them), the #PaxEx in the world’s largest aviation market, and future plans from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. What’s going on with “third world” LaGuardia? Why is JFK still a mess? Is the Port Authority making things worse? Will we ever see decent public transportation to the airports? How do the airlines at JFK, Newark, LaGuardia and elsewhere line up? Will Norwegian’s Stewart operation be a Ryanair-style “New York-ish” success? And what needs to happen for change to be possible in the future?

RGN contributing editor John Walton is in conversation with Reuters’ European airline correspondent Victoria Bryan in Berlin, discussing what’s going on with Lufthansa, airberlin and Eurowings in the German and European airline markets. What’s next for the seemingly endless industrial relations disputes? With Lufthansa taking over airberlin planes for Eurowings and Austrian, as well as turning Brussels Airlines into part of the Eurowings group, it is clearly a time of change for one of the world’s most influential airlines. John and Victoria also discuss Lufthansa #PaxEx, including the carrier’s expansion of inflight connectivity to its short-haul fleet.

RGN contributing editor John Walton is in conversation with German New Zealander Kai Koenig, talking about the passenger experience in New Zealand and on trans-Tasman routes between Australia and the Land of the Long White Cloud. With growing international focus on this innovative region, including all three of its major airline groups now planning next-generation inflight connectivity, what options do travellers have — from barebones LCC to ultra-luxe first class suites? And how will the unique passenger experience demand from this region affect both seats, wifi and service of the airlines that serve it?