RGN In Conversation

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 [email protected] 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?