Airlines continue investing in premium products, but better hospitality takes more than simply adding a recognizable brand or a new amenity on board. During a thought leadership session at IFSA Global Expo, “Premium by Design: The New Era of Airline Hospitality,” ATL Live host and moderator Savannah Louie joined Delta Air Lines Managing Director of Brand Experience Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Southwest Airlines Director of Inflight Services Elly Jurgensen, and JSX Vice President of Hospitality Devin Burns to discuss how airlines can make travel feel more personal while still delivering products reliably at scale. 

Air France will move all of its New York-JFK flights to the airport’s New Terminal One next year and open a more than 29,000-square-foot lounge, the largest in its international network. The two-level lounge will accommodate more than 400 guests and include dedicated spaces for La Première customers and Flying Blue Ultimate members, along with dining, relaxation, beauty and work areas. The investment comes in one of Air France’s most important international markets; the airline operates up to six daily flights from JFK during the summer season.

The most valuable digital real estate in aviation may already sit directly in front of the passenger. For three, six, or even twelve uninterrupted hours, a seatback in-flight entertainment (IFE) display can command attention that few airport billboards, social feeds, or search engines can replicate within the same journey context. Until recently, most airlines evaluated that asset primarily through entertainment, passenger satisfaction, and competitive differentiation. Research carried out by APEX suggests that this calculation could change far faster than conventional wisdom anticipates. 

EL AL has launched a new inflight menu from Michelin-starred chef Assaf Granit featuring Israeli and Mediterranean dishes in Business Class on flights from New York, Newark and Boston to Tel Aviv. The menu includes new breakfast and dinner options, with flights departing after 09:30 PM offering a lighter main course. Variations of the menu have been extended to Premium Economy and Economy. The new menu is now available on EL AL flights to Tel Aviv (TLV) from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).

Paradigm Aerospace, a UK-based aviation engineering firm, claims to have created a new airline travel class that fits between economy and premium economy. The concept, named BlueSky SuperEconomy, is based around a fixed-back economy-class seat that passengers can opt to be converted into a comfortable lounger through an inexpensive upgrade. A target market is leisure carriers operating all-economy-class layouts that are looking to expand their customer offer and gain extra revenue.

Priority Pass, the world’s original and market-leading airport experiences programme, today set out how it will benefit from the Collinson Group’s £500 million, five-year investment programme, accelerated by a new £350 million financing facility. A significant proportion of the programme will be directed towards expansion of the group’s proprietary lounge network and investment in Priority Pass — continuing to strengthen the latter’s core proposition, accelerating the development of digital, AI and data capabilities, and broadening the range of travel services available to clients and travellers.

flyadeal, Saudia Group’s fast-growing low-cost carrier and one of the largest low-cost airlines in the GCC, has unveiled the next evolution of its customer offering. With the introduction of Time to Think and flyadeal Connections, flyadeal is delivering more than just low fares by offering customers greater choice, flexibility and peace of mind. The airline has launched Time to Think (TTT), allowing customers to cancel their booking within 24 hours at no charge and receive a full refund to their original form of payment for all bookings made on the flyadeal website or app, provided travel is at least seven days away. 

Recognise the products, services and programmes that are making a meaningful impact on the passenger experience and advancing innovation across the industry. Nominations are now open for the 2027 APEX Awards, with four categories celebrating excellence in cabin innovation, inflight connectivity, inflight entertainment and safety videos. Submit your nomination by 30 September 2026. Winners will be announced at the APEX Awards Ceremony on 19 November in Singapore.

Just as there has been an overuse of touchscreens in automobiles — with drivers forced to take their eyes off the road for key functions — the use of touchscreens for aircraft seat and IFE controllers can have unintended consequences: making the platforms less accessible for the blind and those with physical impairments. Enter RAVE Aerospace, which used the occasion of the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg to put forward a new concept for a passenger control unit (PCU). Utilizing technology from Lufthansa Technik that’s already found in the VVIP business jet space, the PCU is notably centered on improving accessibility and the overall user experience.

Turkish Airlines is set to become Liverpool Football Club’s Main Club Partner starting 1 June 2027, which will be the first time the club has changed its primary shirt partner in 17 years. Under the new agreement, the airline’s logo will feature on the front of the men’s, women’s, and academy shirts beginning with the 2027/28 season. Operating from its Istanbul hub, Turkish Airlines connects passengers to an extensive international network and currently flies to more countries than any other carrier. The airline posits that its global reach mirrors Liverpool FC’s international supporter base, which spans every continent.

oneworld is including free Timeshifter subscriptions with round-the-world (RTW) tickets booked on its website, giving travelers jet lag plans covering every flight and time zone change while adding a booking benefit in a category where it competes with Star Alliance. Announced September 8 at the alliance’s inaugural Loyalty Summit in Dallas/Fort Worth, the partnership is intended to help the alliance’s customers adjust faster and lose fewer days. Oneworld’s vice president of loyalty and commercial, Roger Blackburn, said the service would support “better sleep and faster adjustment to new time zones” and help customers “arrive ready to enjoy each new destination.“

Boeing’s 787-9 Dreamliner has become the reliable workhorse of Qantas’ long-range fleet, dominating routes to the US, Canada, South America, Europe and the UK. Now the airline is laying out its plans for a larger version of the jet, capable of carrying more passengers across premium cabins as well as in economy. This is the Boeing 787-10 model, which measures almost six metres longer than the popular 787-9. It’s a modification which boosts not only the number of seats but also the plane’s cargo capacity, at the expense of a slightly reduced range.

Frontier Airlines today announced that it is working with Hopper Technology Solutions (HTS) to introduce the Cancel for Any Reason product. Passengers can cancel up to 24 hours before departure and receive a refund for their ticket. Passengers can opt into this AI-powered product at checkout, either through the airline's booking website or app. The partnership also includes HTS' 'Disruption Assistance for Any Reason.' Frontier's latest booking product taps into customers' growing desire for flexibility, an attribute often sacrificed in low-cost aviation. Although available to all air passengers, the product will not come for free. Instead, you can pay extra for it during the booking process.