The 15 next big things set to transform the way we fly

Clear air turbulence (CAT) has hit the headlines in a big way this year. When it encounters CAT, an aircraft can plunge rapidly, causing some passengers to shoot into the overhead bins, fracturing skulls, necks and spines in extreme cases. CAT is becoming more frequent and severe due to disruptions to the jet streams caused by climate change. Although forecasting of CAT has advanced over recent decades, the phenomenon is virtually impossible to detect with onboard instruments. More than 95 per cent of those who suffered injuries were not wearing seatbelts. Airlines have taken note, advising passengers to keep their seatbelts fastened even when the “fasten seatbelt” signs have been switched off.

Separate seats for women flyers

Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo has become the first airline to allow women travellers to choose a seat next to another woman. Starting in August 2024, and initially on a trial basis, female travellers checking in online for their flights will be able to see which adjacent seats have been booked by other female passengers. Males will be able to see which seats are vacant, but not the gender of the occupant. There’s no sign of any other airlines following IndiGo’s example, but it may catch on. India is hardly the only country where women often feel threatened, eyeballed and the objects of unwelcome attention. No wonder some would prefer to sit among other women. See goindigo.in

Pets on board

Virgin Australia plans to allow pets to travel with their owners in the airline’s cabins. Subject to regulatory approval, the proposal could see pets travelling in cabins by early in 2025. The service will be limited to small cats and dogs on specific domestic routes with pets travelling in pet-specific rows. Sitting on laps or roaming around the cabin is strictly forbidden. Pets must be carried in an approved airline carrier that fits under the seat in front and stays there. There will be a fee for this service, but no fee applies to approved assistance animals, which are allowed to travel in Virgin Australia aircraft. See virginaustralia.com

Flight costs to Europe

Airfares to Europe are finally easing. Return flights to European hubs including Paris, London, Rome and Frankfurt, departing in mid-May 2025 and returning a month later, are sitting at about $1500 in economy, and from $2500 in premium economy. In business class, return fares to Europe for those same months are starting from about $6000 with premier-league carriers on Skyscanner. The reason for the price drop is the supply of seats has finally caught up with demand. Airlines have returned most of their fleets to service and there are now more international carriers with more aircraft back in Australia’s skies. See skyscanner.com.au

Overhead bins

Packing everything needed for a two-week holiday into carry-ons has become a matter of pride for some travellers. That means bending the carry-on weight limit rules, but many airlines are reluctant to enforce those rules. Apart from budget carriers, carry-ons are seldom weighed at the check-in desk, and some resort to underhand strategies, packing clothes into pillow cases or coats with jumbo size pockets. Others with multiple bags rush on board to be sure of securing space in the overhead bins near their seat, or stash them in the first available space at the front of the cabin. Until airlines enforce their own rules, expect the madness to continue.

Blended wing aircraft

Rising fuel costs and the need to reduce the aviation industry’s carbon emission are a growing headache for the world’s airlines but the Blended Wing Body (BWB) aircraft could be the solution. Shaped like a manta ray, the BWB aircraft’s wings merge seamlessly with the fuselage, engines are mounted on top of the fuselage and there’s no tail or rudder. Instead of just the wings providing lift, the entire aircraft generates lift, and that means a significant reduction in fuel consumption. Airbus, Bombardier and Boeing have all flight tested experimental unmanned scale-model versions of BWB aircraft and California-based aerospace company JetZero hopes to get a BWB aircraft with passengers into the air in the next decade, good news for our planet as well as our pockets. See airbus.com; bombardier.com; boeing.com; jetzero.aero

The Maya business class seat

This seat from the US-based Collins Aerospace stole the limelight at the 2024 Aircraft Interiors Expo held in Hamburg. Developed in collaboration with Panasonic Avionics, Maya adds a 114-centimetre wrap-around OLED video screen with stereo speakers embedded in the headrest to a business class seat to create an immersive experience. Packed with tech, the seat responds in sync with the feed from the cinema screen, so a POV motorbike ride gives a different impression from a skier racing an avalanche to a Taylor Swift. The lie-flat, temperature regulated seat is a stunner in its own right. Expect to see it soon in a leading airline. See collinsaerospace.com

Qantas Wellbeing Zone

At the same 2024 aircraft interiors event, Qantas took the award for Passenger Comfort with its Wellbeing Zone. Created by Diehl Aviation, the zone will feature on the Airbus A350 aircraft Qantas will use for its 20-hour Project Sunrise flights between east coast Australia and New York and London, now rescheduled to 2026. Located at the front of the economy cabin, the central corridor of the zone is a glass-fronted cabinet with self-serve refreshments. According to Qantas, the Wellbeing Zone is “a space where you can follow specially curated guided movements on large monitors and enjoy a selection of healthy refreshments”. Unlike the bars that some airlines provide for their premium-class passengers, the Wellness Zone is designed for a quick break rather than lingering. See qantas.com

In-flight Wi-Fi

Chances are your next flight will have in-flight Wi-Fi. Some carriers such as Air New Zealand and Malaysia Airlines offer it free of charge on most flights, many carriers typically charge a fee except for their business class travellers and frequent flyers. Free Wi-Fi is available on all Qantas domestic flights and selected international flights aboard some aircraft to Asian destinations. Wi-Fi usually becomes available when the aircraft crosses the 10,000-foot threshold. The Wi-Fi quality depends on the number of passengers using the system, where the aircraft is in relation to the satellite or ground station providing the feed, atmospheric conditions and the system used. See airnewzealand.com.au; malaysiaairlines.com

Pay-for-use airport lounges

Many of the pay-for-use airport lounges that were shuttered during the pandemic slowdown are returning to life, and they’re a gift from the travel gods for anyone on a long layover. The best have showers, food and beverages as good as a decent business class lounge, comfy chairs and in some cases, quiet zones where you can snooze in comfort. You can simply show up and pay at the door, join a pre-paid scheme such as LoungeBuddy or Priority Pass or use the membership benefit that comes with some credit cards. Check reviews before you book. See loungebuddy.com; prioritypass.com

Business light

An increasing number of international airlines are offering business light fares, shaving several hundred dollars off the cost of flying at the pointy end. In exchange for making do without lounge access, a lower checked baggage allowance and higher fees for flight changes or cancellations, the frugal flyer gets a cheaper business class seat, and for many travellers, that lie-flat seat is the prime reason for travelling in business class. Singapore Airlines is one carrier that offers Business Lite fares out of Australia while a Qatar Airways Lite return ticket to Europe can save more than $1000 over the cost of a Classic business fare. See singaporeair.com; qatarairways.com

Terminal boost

Newcastle’s new international terminal is expected to be completed in 2025. Designed by Cox Architecture, the new facility will provide a major boost for regional tourism and generate thousands of jobs across the Hunter, the sixth-largest regional economy in the country. In tandem with border processing facilities, the upgrade will include work to allow the runway to handle wide-body aircraft such as Boeing’s 787. It is expected that airlines will take advantage of the expanded airport operations to offer daily flights to New Zealand and major Asian ports including Bali and Singapore. See newcastleairport.com.au

Dramatic weather events

In April, a deluge dumped more than 25 centimetres of rain on Dubai in a single day, closing one of the world’s busiest airline hubs. In July, a single software update that went wrong caused a global IT outage affecting airlines around the world, grounding many flights and leaving passengers stranded. Tornados in the US, winter storms in the UK and strikes in Europe are among the events that have blindsided many travellers in 2024, underlining the need to prepare. If you have a tour booking, a cruise, an event to get to, don’t time your arrival for the day it begins. Flight delays are common, baggage can be misdirected and a day or two in hand gives you the flexibility to adjust.