When I started developing the new amenity kit for Austrian Airlines’ Premium Economy passengers, I knew I didn’t just want to design something that looked good. I wanted to design something that meant something.

At Plane Talking Products (PTP), research and development are at the heart of every project we take on. It’s where we question, test, and challenge ourselves to find new ways to improve the passenger experience. For me, this project became a way to explore how design could do more than serve a function; how it could represent inclusion, warmth, and respect.

Austrian Airlines has a beautiful brand ethos built around diversity, equality, and authentic hospitality. From the very beginning, I wanted the kit to embody those values in a tangible way. Through our R&D process, I began researching how accessibility could be woven naturally into the design, not as an afterthought but as part of the product’s DNA.

That’s where the idea of integrating Braille came from. I spent time learning how passengers with visual impairments navigate their onboard experience, how they identify objects by touch, and how surface textures communicate information. The more I learned, the more I realised how powerful a small detail could be.

So we embossed Austrian’s iconic greeting, “Servus” in braille, directly into the pouch material. It’s a word that means “welcome” in the warmest, most genuine way, and I loved the thought that this message could now be both seen and felt. It’s a subtle detail but one that carries a much bigger meaning: that everyone deserves to feel acknowledged and included.

Inside the pouch, every item was chosen with the same level of care. The soft eye mask and knitted socks provide comfort on long flights, while the dental kit and earplugs ensure practicality without excess. The materials reflect that same sense of thoughtfulness, made from recycled plastic bottles and packaged in recyclable kraft paper to minimise environmental impact.

Every part of the process was rooted in research and development, from the tactile testing to the sourcing of sustainable materials. But more than that, it was about empathy: understanding that design can be a bridge between functionality and feeling.

For me, this kit represents what meaningful product design should be - research-driven, inclusive, and created with genuine intent.

Because good design isn’t just about what you see.

It’s about what you feel, and how it makes you feel seen.

We were incredibly proud that this project was recognised with the 2025 Onboard Hospitality Award for “Best for Premium Economy”, celebrating the thoughtful design and meaningful innovation behind it.