The world of Commercial Airlines have evolved a lot over the last few years, and I am sure we all have more than noticed this, from passenger safety to comfort airlines have been innovating in the need for profits and passenger retention. Loyalty programs are plenty and airlines have to innovate and advertise their upgrades and promotions.

If you are in Dubai for a while, it is highly likely that you have used Emirates airlines, and in Dubai I believe that theirs is one of the best loyalty programs. Keeping me from trying another airline to my trips to Bangalore, even the introduction of Kingfisher airlines has not really got me trying them yet cos of the amazing loyalty program. Their service has got a bit better since Kingfisher started flying to Bangalore as well.

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Already having placed orders for the biggest airline order in history, what does Emirates do ? Well they take on their own record and place another order making the new one the biggest airline order in history. The latest order, with a list price of $11.5 billion, means Emirates has now signed up for a total of 90 A380s. It said the planes would be delivered by 2017. Emirates received its first A380 in July 2008 and now has 10 of the planes. It already had 58 on order. No wonder they are pushing us to complete work on the 20 purpose built A380 gate Concourse 3 project in Dubai, yes thats my work place for the time being. So much for the effect of recession. Although I say Emirates goes for quantity, their First and Business class suites on the A380 are marvels by themselves.

Emirates has already now with a relatively small home market more seats on intercontinental operations than Air France and British Airways together.  And they are entering the traditional markets of the famous Lufthansa and British Airways in Europe. So in a bid to fight back, British airways have taken to innovate and introduce more services to the First and Business classes in the Airplanes. British Airways tapped actress Rachel Weisz to show off its new first class cabin, which debuted in February on a Boeing 777 headed for Chicago.

The timing of the launch is, well, interesting, since many industry executives are foretelling the demise of first class. BA, itself, is mulling dropping business class on a number of short-haul flights.

In any case, Weisz, a frequent BA traveller, is enjoying the following features:

• A 15″ in-flight entertainment screen (Thales TopSeries IFE)
• USB port, RCA jack and noise-canceling headsets
• Personal electronic blinds
• Fully integrated ambient and mood lighting
• A 60% “wider bed” at the shoulders
• Leather bound writing table

Here is more press stuff from BA, which has invested £100 million “to create an exclusive experience based on classic design and understated luxury”. (ABTN reports that the new first class product will be rolled out onto 73 more aircraft in BA’s fleet.)

So sheer display of power combined with how Emirates is redefining the flying experience is something that has an edge definitely over the British Airways counterpart. Although I believe that Emirates exploiting people for paying more to ride the A380 is not right, especially since the A380 is designed to make the flying cheaper for the airline.