By Updesh Kapur/Doha

 

Innovation is literally taking the aviation industry to greater heights with the hotel sector increasingly playing a key role in its future.

And it is the focus on luxury which is propelling the industry towards game-changing experiences.

In the cut-throat world of airlines where competition is fierce, margins are thin and companies outdo one another in pursuit of more market share, there remains an appetite at the top end that continues to grow despite general economic doom and gloom.

Over the years, we have seen how the airline business has evolved leaps and bounds with initiatives targeting passengers looking to be pampered to make their journey at the front end of the cabin a memorable one.

Such innovation hasn’t stopped. It continues to grow full throttle with hotels now becoming a key tool to make that difference in the air.

The word concierge commonly used in the hotel sector to look after guests’ needs has been adopted by the airline community at airports around the word, specifically in premium lounges as passengers indulge in rest and relaxation before their flight.

A concierge service to look after a passenger’s onward travel needs that could include booking a new seat or securing a reservation at a top restaurant on arrival at a business city. Hotels do this well. Some airlines are adopting such services as added value for their most discerning customers.

As any high-flying travel executive knows all too well, time is precious and time is money. Being away from the comforts of their home for so long, they need to feel they are well looked after from the time they begin their journey in a chauffeur-driven car and airport check-in to the premium class flight and luxury hotel stay at the other end.

Hotels are renowned for their service with individuals trained to meet and exceed customers’ expectations.

It is this training and level of expectations that is being put to the test at 35,000ft  in two new ground-breaking developments that caught my eye this week – a convergence of hotels and airlines to bring a new meaning to hospitality.

The Gulf’s shining Big 3 airlines continue to set benchmarks for others to follow. This has been the case over the last five years, in particular, with innovation driving customer demand and more premium traffic brought into their fold thanks to powerful marketing and advertising campaigns.

Of the three – Etihad, Qatar Airways and Emirates – it is the former that has gone the extra mile, taking luxury to new levels, but not until the end of 2014 when this will become reality.

Unrivalled passenger comfort is seen to be an increasingly important differentiator and principle deciding factor to drive passenger choice.

Etihad has revealed revolutionary ultra-premium cabins to feature on its new fleet of Airbus A380, of which deliveries begin in December.

The Residence by Etihad – terminology taken from the hotel industry – is a three-room Presidential suite for one or two passengers featuring a living room, separate double bedroom and en suite shower room.

With 125sqft of personal space, the “flying apartment” is clearly and easily the most luxurious living space in the air of a commercial passenger aircraft and certainly an industry first. Private jets have been around for years. But commercial airlines taking such a bold move, is an eye opener.

The figures are staggering for the confined space of a commercial aircraft. The living room space has a 5ft, two-seater reclining sofa, twin two-foot dining tables and a 32-inch TV.

A near-seven foot length double bed with a width of four feet, full-length wardrobe and 27-inch TV monitor, together with an entertainment system that includes Live TV – all in the bedroom. 

The Residence by Etihad will be located on the upper deck of the A380 superjumbo which the airline starts taking delivery of from the end of the year.

To top it all, there will be a professionally trained personal butler, courtesy of the Savoy Butler Academy. The Academy is part of The Savoy, one of London’s premier hotels, steeped in over 100 years of history and said to be the UK capital’s first luxury hotel.

The Savoy established a school to train butlers who typically provide a round-the-clock service to guests, everything from making last-minute dinner arrangements, travel bookings, offering secretarial services, personal shopping and theatre ticket purchase, aside from preparing tea, coffee, offering a pressing service and serving in-room dining.

It is London that the Abu Dhabi-based carrier will inaugurate its A380 from December featuring the new luxury interiors.

Of course it does come at a price. At $20,000 each way, The Residence by Etihad will typically target private jet customers, but of course also the discerning passenger who flies in First Class, more so on personal travel rather than company expense that could justify the expenditure.

Only two residence apartments will be on each of Etihad’s new A380s, complemented by other cabins targeting more price conscious premium travellers. There will also be nine First Apartments, – again terminology taken from the hotel sector – private suites that we already see today for First Class customers on some carriers. Features include seats that convert into flat beds, together with mini-bar, TV, wardrobe and vanity unit.

There will also be 70 “hotel-termed” Business Studios, bigger than traditional First Class cabins on many airlines.

And finally, The Lobby, once again hotel-themed, will feature a serviced lounge and bar area between the First and Business cabins of the A380 and include a six-seat leather sofa, 27-inch table and large TV screen measuring 32 inches.

Says James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and CEO: “We wanted to create the perfect flight. These new living spaces will raise inflight product and service standards to their highest level yet in commercial aviation and alter air travellers’ expectations of inflight comfort and luxury forever.”

As one leading airline ventures into a new business concept, so too does one of the doyens of the hotel sector.

Luxury hotel chain Four Seasons has unveiled the hotel industry’s first fully branded flying experience.

The Four Seasons Jet is a hotel-inspired onboard experience customised by the hotel company’s team of designers. A retrofitted Boeing 757 will feature the Four Seasons signature name across the fuselage and iconic logo on its tail.

The customised cabin interiors will have only 52 seats compared with a typical capacity of 233 for the same aircraft-type.

Four Seasons onboard staff will be employed as flight attendants, there will be a dedicated inflight concierge, leather flat-bed seats, high-end cuisine and even spa treatments.

The aircraft is scheduled to enter service in early 2015 for use on 24-day round-the-world trips taking in the likes of Beijing, Marrakech, Tokyo, New York, Maldives, London, Los Angeles and Delhi, together with themed journeys, with all ground accommodation at Four Seasons properties.

Of course it comes at a price and is intended to target high net-worth individuals who typically stay at length in luxury hotels around the world.

Speaking to me from Four Seasons’ headquarters in Toronto, executive vice-president marketing Susan Helstab says the company is not planning to build an airline, but sees considerable opportunity and growth potential in the future of private jet travel.

“The Four Seasons Jet is a natural extension of what we have been doing in our hotels and resorts for more than 50 years as we continue to introduce industry-defining innovations, products and services,” she explains.

“The Four Seasons Jet delivers the brand’s legendary service, from the moment a guest books their trip. No detail is overlooked. From menus created by Four Seasons chefs to staff with comprehensive training from Four Seasons.

“While some hotel brands offer a chartered jet to transport guests from one property to the next, we are the first hotel company to offer a completely branded, custom-designed plane paired with exclusive itineraries and signature Four Seasons service. Travellers will stay at only Four Seasons properties, visit destinations through expertly curated itineraries and have access to exclusive experiences available only to Four Seasons Jet passengers.”

Adds Helstab: “As competition for the luxury traveller increases, we know that it is our ability to differentiate that will set us apart. Travel is integral to the lifestyle of successful and cultured individuals – this segment is constantly in search of unforgettable and epic adventures.”

It is clear that both airlines and hotels want to meet the expectations of their customers. Despite coming at a price, the market is clearly there to woo the affluent traveller to new heights and new experiences.

Etihad and Four Seasons venturing into unchartered territory could pave the way for others to follow. But the question is, can commercial airlines afford to use vital space in a metal tube to splash out on luxury interiors in an industry already squirming at thin margins.

And can hotels really become flying machines.

Passengers want more seamless travel and this means more connection, more co-operation and more collaboration between airlines and hotels as principal travel providers to ensure the customer has a fulfilling experience.

Travel companies can find new ways to differentiate, but the only way to success is to work together towards the same goal – satisfying the customer but not at the cost of squeezing the bottom line.