Piano lounges are gone. With the departure of the A380 and 747, which have unique shaped areas that lend their selves to third places, it is now more difficult to create meaningful experiences beyond the confines of the cabin seating footprint.The ability to create space in an airline cabin away from the seat has been a holy grail and a treasure glistening in the rose-tinted aspics of passenger aviation.However, third spaces are more than just a place to put a bar or add self-service points.It is difficult to define a third space and it balances competing priorities. Door 2 bars on Virgin Australias 777, for example, can have a tendency turn into a service staging area, especially before or after meals. This could be when passengers would most appreciate them.Some, such as British Airways Club Kitchen are subpar and often left by crew while on flight. This creates a pick-over feeling where one mini-chocolate and one packet of crisps sit next to a single, sad, wrinkly apple.However, discussions around, during and after the RedCabin passenger experiences summit highlighted the amount of investment available for airline executives, suppliers, and design partners. Many airlines are now and will continue to be constrained by the COVID-19 crisis.Many airlines are finding it difficult to sell finance departments new, innovative passenger experience amenities to their cabins.What about mobile, flexible third-place initiatives that can fund themselves via cobranding, ancillary sales or a combination of both? You can take inspiration from the most elegant and anticipated examples of the past, such as the wooden beer keg service Lufthansa offered during Oktoberfest.For today's demanding customers, the standard airline catering cart or even the unfolding trolley used by some airlines in premium cabins might not be as appealing.You can cover it with a large cloth and then work with a smart caterer to make it look professional. But what about a custom cabin service trolley that can be stored out of sight, removed from the door and locked near the door? Or maybe folded like table leaves to make a semi-fixed space.It's similar to the bar carts, which are often parked next to a door in a galley during services. There are beverages and snacks available as an informal self service option.This could go beyond the airline-provided bar that offers bitter lemon, ginger ale and blood mary. However, it is possible to offer a variety of thoughtful mocktails and cocktails with a dedicated cabin crew member.Think of strong brand partnerships like British Airways and Johnnie Walker partnering for a high-end sampling trolley. You can buy onboard or arrange for home delivery.Air Austral could be paired with local runionais Isautier Rum. Penfolds and Qantas are both great for Australian wine. Lufthansa's long-standing partnership with Warsteiner beerA mini makeup station or skin care station is available on all airlines, including Air France, Air Canada, and American. A chocolate tasting could be organized, with United chocolate or Swiss Lderach chocolate. Alaska Airlines with Tillamook CheesePerhaps, a partnership with a children's book publisher to provide storytime, especially for a family-friendly airline like a holiday or charter carrier?Is it time for us to look beyond the box, or inside it?Similar ArticlesAll images credit to John Walton
