Dépêches

Qantas Wins Premier Design Award for A380 Economy Seat

Dépèche transmise le 2 juin 2009 par Business Wire

Qantas Wins Premier Design Award for A380 Economy Seat

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Qantas has won the 2009 Australian International Design Award of the Year for the Qantas A380 Economy seat, designed by Qantas Creative Director Marc Newson. Qantas is the only airline offering four-class Airbus A380 service from the U.S. on select non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Sydney and to Melbourne.

Ms. Lesley Grant, Qantas executive manager, Customer and Marketing, said Qantas is proud to have won such a prestigious design award.

“This award is a testament to the hard work invested in the design of the A380 over the past five years. We set out to create stylish and comfortable interiors for the A380 fleet and reinvent our international flying experience,” Ms. Grant said.

“The design and manufacture of an all-new Economy seat, offering passengers enhanced levels of comfort during long haul travel, was a key focus of the Qantas A380 design project and we are honored to be recognized for it with the Australian International Design Award of the Year.”

Stephanie Watson, program director of the Australian International Design Awards, said the Qantas A380 seat won the Australian International Design Award of the Year for its innovative, functional and intelligent design.

“Our judging panel were highly impressed with the revolutionary design of the Qantas A380 seat, the use of lightweight materials, the ergonomics and use of space, particularly in the seat recline and footrest,” said Ms. Watson.

Wally Mariani, Qantas senior executive vice president, The Americas and Pacific said, “The Qantas A380 Economy seat, manufactured by Recaro Aircraft Seating is befitting of a next generation aircraft such as the A380, an aircraft that will remain the flagship of the Qantas Group’s international flying business.

“This award is the highest achievement of design excellence and we look forward to more customers experiencing the award-winning A380 Economy seat in the future,” Mr. Mariani added.

The Qantas A380 has 332 Economy seats, 32 Premium Economy seats, 72 fully-flat Skybed sleeper seats and 14 luxurious and spacious First Suites.

About the Australian International Design Awards

The Australian International Design Awards, a division of Standards Australia and member of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID), is Australia’s peak design assessment and promotion body, setting an international benchmark of design excellence and quality.

The Australian International Design Award of the Year was selected by a panel of Australian and International judges from finalists across categories including consumer products, business and technology, medical and scientific, automotive and transport, sport and leisure, housing and building, heavy machinery, and architectural and interior products.

To win the Australian International Design Award of the Year is to receive the highest achievement of design excellence available through the Australian International Design Awards.

About Qantas

The Qantas A380 features aircraft interiors designed by internationally renowned industrial designer and Qantas Creative Director Marc Newson. Providing more than 40 flights per week from the U.S., Qantas offers more than 30 non-stop flights from Los Angeles (to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland), five from San Francisco, a daily direct service from JFK and three from Honolulu. A leader in in-flight entertainment, all Qantas mainland departures feature on demand video and audio selections for movies, TV programs, radio and games in all classes.

For more information about Qantas, visit the web site at qantas.com.