Airline amenity bags: Glorified showbags for sophisticated travellers

I always feel a bit like a kid when I'm seated in Business Class and the flight attendants bring around the complementary amenity kits. They're like glorified show bags for sophisticated travellers.

The comfort of the seat or bed, the quality of the inflight food and entertainment, and the luxury of the airport lounge are obviously going to rate higher when passengers choose a carrier than what is essentially a bag that contains toothpaste. I've never heard anyone say, "I fly such-and-such an airline because of its great kits."

But a well-designed and thoughtfully stocked amenity kit is integral to the airline's branding, in the way that uniforms are. Finnair, for instance, the national carrier of a country known for great contemporary design, collaborates with iconic brand Marimekko​ on amenity kits in signature bold prints for its Business Class passengers. There's actually an Airline Amenity Bag Award (Travelplus) and Finnair won the gold medal last year.

Front-of-the-plane passengers might feel a little cheated these days if all they're handed is a boring draw-string bag with a pair of cotton socks, a toothbrush and earplugs in it. That's what passengers get down in Economy - if they're lucky.

Up front, though, they're likely to be given a bag designed by a leading fashion brand such as Ermenegildo​ Zegna (Cathay Pacific), Givenchy (Air France), Ferragamo​ (Singapore), LOEWE​ (Garuda) or Liberty London (on British Airways later this year.) Or it might be a mini version of a case by a luxury luggage brand, such as Rimowa​ (Lufthansa), Tumi​ (Delta) or Mandarina Duck (Virgin Australia.)

The bag will be packed with skin care products from leading cosmetic companies - Dermalogica​ (American Airlines), La Prairie (Lufthansa), Dior (Qatar) REN (Virgin Australia), Cowshed Spa (United), Clarins (Air France) or Australia's own ASPAR​ (Qantas), Jurlique​ (Cathay Pacific) and Aesop (Cathay First Class.)

'If you're not seated in the front of the plane, don't be embarrassed to pick up one of the discarded amenity bags on your way through to the exit.'

Lee Tulloch

There may be other items of tempting swag, such as Lalique crystal gift items for Singapore's First and Suites passengers (later in 2017), Dior mascara (Qatar) and the world's first moisturising sleepwear, which uses cutting-edge technology to slowly release naturally-moisturising sea kelp (Emirates First Class.)

The pyjama game is pretty competitive with Qantas releasing sleek new navy blue sleeping suits by Paris-based Australian designer Martin Grant for First Class, Missoni sleep suits and slippers in Qatar First and 100% organic cotton pyjamas by luxury shirting specialist PYE in Cathay Pacific's First Class. Not all airlines do pyjamas in Business class, but the grey Qantas flying kangaroo jammies are justifiably popular for their comfort and I like the black pyjamas American Airlines gives its passengers on the Pacific route.