Reaching New Heights in Luxury Aviation

ClientQatar Airways
Services
Live
IndustryLuxury, Aviation
ProjectFarnborough International Airshow 2024
LocationFarnborough, UK

We showcased the world’s best business-class service for Qatar Airways at Farnborough International Airshow.

Redefining Luxury at FIA

Every two years, the leading figures in international aviation gather at Farnborough International Airshow to explore the latest innovations and thinking in air travel. Qatar Airways asked us to unveil their new luxury business-class offering, the NextGen Qsuite, making it the biggest talking point of the week.

01 The Brief

Creating the Idea

Airline reputations can rise and fall on the perception of the business-class offering. We needed to position the QSuite Next Gen as the pinnacle of luxury and innovation in business-class aviation – not by telling our guests how good it is, but by letting them experience it for themselves.

That meant crafting an immersive, engaging experience to highlight the product’s innovation and align it with the already prestigious reputation of Qatar Airways. How? By building hype and excitement at the FIA ahead of the unveiling. By mirroring the airline’s commitment to luxury and innovation in every element of the experience. And by engaging VIPs and press with a flawless experience that would generate coverage and influence.

02 The Challenge

Building the Qatar Airways World

The star of the event was the Qsuite Next Gen, the business-class experience that aims to promote a mindful work-life balance on board. Highlights include the movable 4K OLED screens – a first for any airline; increased space for dining together; greater privacy with taller, digitally controlled dividers; and larger lie-flat, double beds.

To reflect the tranquil luxury of the Qsuite, we crafted a branded environment that was cinematic, grand, luxurious and dramatic, across two spaces for two audiences: a public Discovery Lounge, and a VIP Chalet Experience fit for Qatari royalty and senior Qatar Airways executive.

At the heart of the Discovery Lounge, we created a rotating central pavilion, walled with LED screens and dramatically lit to target the QSuite as it turned towards the assembled visitors. Qatar Airways’ groundbreaking AI Digital Human cabin crew member, Sama, helped build excitement for the reveal, through an interactive conversation with CEO Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer.

The Discovery Lounge also showcased a SENSIKS chamber to viscerally recreate the sights, sounds and smells of Hammad Airport and the Qsuite in flight.

03The Process

Planning

With just six weeks to deliver a sensational experience at Farnborough Airport, we used a consolidated process across stakeholders to create two luxury branded environments that reflected Qatar Airway’s commitment to peerless excellence.

World-Building

From the mint and lemon welcome drinks and attentive Qatar Air Hostesses to the top-class food at the chalet, the guest journey was designed to showcase the experience of flying with Qatar Airways. Immersive vignettes included the F1 Cup and UEFA Euro Football Championship Cup Presentation Area; Qatar Airways ‘Air de parfum’ Diptyque counter; a display of the airline’s Skytrax Awards; an Orchard Grove inspired by Hammad Airport; and an introduction to the amenities kits and new PJ sets. From music to artwork, we included reflections of Doha and Qatari life across the site.

Design

Meanwhile, the VIP Chalet Experience offered an ultra-luxurious environment for VIP guests, with considered luxury finishes, including water fountains, floral walls and sumptuous seating. From fine food to networking spaces, the exquisite chalet offered a space to experience Qatar Airways hospitality and world-class service, and to make connections at this important event.

Technology

Lining the rotating pavilion, the 24m wraparound LED walls played a sequence of atmospheric content designed by 2Heads to showcase the Qatar Airways story. It was also the canvas for Qatar’s AI cabin crew, Sama, who interacted with the GCEO during the reveal of Qsuite.

Sama also assisted customers in the Qverse through a two-way dialogue based on answering frequently asked questions.

Immersions

Most exciting was the Qverse, a multi-sensory VR experience that fully immersed guests into the sounds, smells and atmosphere of the airline, from check-in, lounge and shopping to in-flight relaxation in the Qsuite. Guests could choose from the menu and smell the food, open a window blind, and feel the heat on their faces, and engage the AI cabin crew Sama in a two-way dialogue.

Delivery

With the most senior members of Qatari royalty and government attending, the execution had to be flawless. And it was, said the client, the best delivery they have ever had at FIA, redefining luxury and innovation, and elevating the industry’s benchmark in business-class experiences.

04 Solution

Redefining Luxury

The experience solidified Qatar Airways’ position as a leader in luxury aviation. To create two branded environments at the apex of luxury within an airport, and under the restricted timescales of 6 weeks is one of the greatest achievements of this event. To successfully host the GCEO and provide him with the perfect stage for the unveiling of their Next Gen Suite was the other.

The data says:

100+ press articles
5.7 million impressions and 1.8 million engagements on Qatar Airways’ Instagram
Aviation super-influencer Sam Chui generated 249,00 YouTube views

The guests said:

“Qatar Airways in partnership with 2Heads had once again redefined luxury and innovation, elevating the industry’s benchmark in business class experiences.”

The client said:

“The event set a new benchmark for luxury business-class experiences, successfully redefining the industry standard.”