Which six airline events are the ones to watch in 2019?

Several airline events are coming up in 2019 which I am following with interest. All of them are pretty major for the airline concerned and should be accompanied with an appropriate amount of promotional hoopla.

Regular readers will know that as I am based in Ireland and originally hail from Australia. This means these airline events are going to be related to carriers I regularly cover.

Qantas Place An Order For Project Sunrise

Boeing and Airbus are vying for the Qantas Project Sunrise order. This project is to have an aircraft capable of flying from the east coast of Australia to London and New York non-stop.

Requests for proposals have been issued and an order decision is expected in 2019. With the huge success of Qantas’ non-stop Perth to London service, the Australian airline feels that there is a business case here. Definitely an exciting one to watch!

Virgin Atlantic and British Airways New Business Class Seats

The two British long haul carriers are both introducing new business class seats in 2019. Each will debut the product on their brand new Airbus A350 aircraft, which enter service during the year.

Who will win this battle? Will it be Upper Class at Virgin Atlantic or Club World at British Airways? Both of these are hotly anticipated by frequent flyers around the world, so watch this space!

British Airways Turns 100

British Airways are celebrating their centenary in 2019, which is remarkable when you consider the airline only came into being in 1974. Number fudging aside, it promises to be some celebration.

While the debate rages over which airline is actually the oldest in the world, British Airways do have a claim. The predecessor companies can be traced back to 1919. What will they do to mark the anniversary? Time will tell.

Aer Lingus Introduce A New Livery and New Uniforms

Ireland’s long established Aer Lingus (an anglicisation of the Irish aerloingeas meaning “air fleet”) is making two big changes in 2019. A brand new livery for their aircraft is due in the early new year, which is hotly anticipated by the Irish aviation fraternity. 17 January has been floated as the date for the big reveal.

Later in the year, new uniforms are expected to debut, replacing the 20 year old one currently in use. Using the same designer as before is an interesting decision and hopefully it will be chic and represent the country appropriately.

British Airways Introduce New Uniforms

Not to be outdone, British Airways is also introducing new uniforms. Fashion designer Ozwald Boateng is responsible for the new uniforms, which will replace the 15 year old Julien Macdonald outfits.

Since the current uniform has aged very well, I am curious to see what the modern look will entail. Either way, it will certainly be one to watch.

Overall Thoughts

As an Australian, the most exciting is the possibility that the last frontier of air travel will finally be conquered. Direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to Europe and the east coast of the United States will be a game changer for Aussies.

What do you think are going to be the most exciting events in the airline industry in 2019? One of my choices or perhaps something else? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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Featured image by Josue Isai Ramos Figueroa on Unsplash.
Qantas Boeing 787 via FishyCookies on Pinterest.
Air Transport and Travel image via Their Flying Machines.
Aer Lingus Boeing 757 via Aer Lingus.
British Airways 1980s uniform via Pinterest.