Personalisation
Personalisation is really interesting, especially because we operate in a world of commodity. We’re producing at scale, but we want each passenger to feel like their experience is special.
That’s where our work in the “humanity kit” side of the business comes in – how can we make each passenger feel like they’re being seen and valued?
Even if we’re producing millions of units, it can still feel personal. Is a hoodie what people want? A specific look or feel? Then, how do we translate that into an onboard airline product?
It lets us play with textures, finishes and sustainable materials. For instance, we can use something like Aqua Thread, which looks and feels like linen but is actually made from recycled plastic and oyster shell waste. That’s how we make something feel premium and tailored, while also being sustainable.
We can now personalise down to the air-vent level. Our headset team, for example, can sit with a client and walk them through different finishes, colour palettes and materials in real-time. It’s all about making the passenger feel like the airline sees them. We give airlines the tools to deliver that kind of tailored experience.
Sustainability
Sustainability has become a buzzword, but for us, it’s a baseline expectation. You won’t see the word plastered all over our booth—because if you’re not sustainable today, you shouldn’t be in the game.
We focus on recyclability, reusability, and getting away from single-use items. Even a small example like disposable earbuds: we’re encouraging airlines to invest a little more so that passengers view them as reusable.
One of our most meaningful initiatives is our partnership with Plastic Bank. It’s a social sustainability program. Imagine walking on a beach littered with plastic—what if that plastic had value, like cash?
Plastic Bank creates that value by setting up collection centers in countries vulnerable to ocean-bound plastic. Collectors earn money and credits toward essentials like education or electricity. We then use this “social plastic” to manufacture real products—like headsets now used by Virgin Atlantic, with other airlines following.
Then there’s Aqua Thread again—70% recycled plastic, 30% oyster shell waste. We use it for pajamas and other textiles, creating beautiful, high-performing, sustainable products.
Storytelling
Serveware and tableware are newer product lines for us. This year at WTCE, for example, we focused on the Atlas of Wonders, celebrating culture through design. Depending on the airline, we help tell a regional or cultural story through the product experience, whether that’s colour schemes, textiles or even local artists.
One project originated from an opportunity in South America, where we were looking for authentic Mexican clay tones.
Funny story – my wife’s entire dinnerware set shattered during that process! But we salvaged one bowl and used it for colour matching with the manufacturer.
That anecdote just reflects how deep we go in trying to embed authenticity. The product design should reflect the airline’s brand story through look, feel, and tone, whether that’s on camera or off.
Wellbeing
Wellbeing cuts across so many of our products. From cosmetics to fabrics to headsets, it’s all about creating a comfortable, restful experience.
Take our amenities. Some feature different scent profiles for evening and morning services. Evening scents calm the mind for sleep; morning ones energise you. Even a warm towel can be scented to align with this experience.
With sleepwear, we use materials like bamboo or Aqua Thread to reduce skin friction against airline seats, which – even in first class – aren’t always that comfortable.
And on the audio side, we’ve adjusted the tonality of our headsets to reduce distortion and bass levels, which can be irritating over long flights. It’s all designed for the long-haul wellbeing of the traveller.
Gifting
This is an area we’re really excited about. Historically, amenity kits were single-use, disposable. Now we’re focusing on items passengers want to take with them, and continue using.
For instance, with our MH team, we can now repack and reuse any components left behind in kits. So, if someone only uses the toothbrush and leaves the rest, that’s not going to waste.
Looking ahead, we’re even developing pre-orderable kits. Just like you might select your meal pre-flight, you’ll soon be able to select the amenities you actually want. Imagine getting a higher-quality bag and customizing the contents: “I need an eye shade and toothpaste, but skip the earbuds.” It’s a better experience, more sustainable, and more cost-effective for airlines.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We’re already using AI behind the scenes – for logistics, forecasting, even visualising products like our pyjamas on digital models.
For consumer-facing applications, I think we’re close, but not quite there. We’ll likely see AI involved in headset personalisation or amenity kit selection soon, before we see widespread adoption of VR-style headset experiences on planes.
Mark Russell is Chief Executive Officer, Linstol.
