QANTAS
Designing excellence into long-haul

Launched in 2007, the Airbus A380 is the world’s largest commercial airliner. Australian airline Qantas, among the first to order the aircraft, used the interior design of its A380 fleet to communicate its commitment to passenger comfort. Combining innovative design and technology, the Qantas A380 offers a unique flying experience.

BRIEF
Teaming up with Australian designer Marc Newson, Grain worked on the design of all aspects of the cabin environment – Economy Class, Business Class and First Class. The objective was to create a coherent environment representing the values of Qantas and to make brand excellence visible and tangible throughout the aircraft.

APPROACH
Our design approach combined revolutionary concepts with minute attention to detail, creating a seamless brand experience which rarely exists in the skies. We developed new seats for all four classes, completely redesigned galleys and lavatories and carefully coordinated the trim and finish scheme, down to the colour of the seals between the wall panels. To take the flight experience beyond the seat, we included self-service bars and established social areas with large comfortable sofas. The overall vision was to create a ‘hotel in the air’ where the long-haul passengers can find everything important to them, exactly where they need it.

RESULT
Qantas’s investment in design has helped build competitive advantage on its long-haul routes. Since its maiden flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles in 2008, the Qantas A380 product has proved extraordinarily successful, flying worldwide and offering an enhanced flight experience across all classes, in a customised environment unique to Qantas.