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11/1 Jurists want to stay in Oudemanhuispoort

8/2 Mayor’s portrait

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7/2 Spreading tourism proceeds with difficulty

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6/2 Zuideramstel opens new office on Sabbath

5/2 The truth about integration

4/2 Wilders has little support on Amsterdam

3/2 Elite involved in neighbourhood

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31/1 Wooden rowing boats to disappear from Amstel

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27/1 Privacy activists to mess up loyalty card system

27/1 A few were still coughing, but that was an act

27/1 Chrisis in de Baarsjes

26/1 Youth have positive view of districts

24/1 Action groups call for Carmel and Jaffa boycott

24/1 PvdA members dismiss plan for districts

23/1 KLM takes on crisis with new uniform

23/1 District office not squatted

21/1 Merge districts

20/1 Closing squat bar Vrankrijk not necessary

20/1 Cleaners welcome new Schiphol director

18/1 Palestine at the Jewish Historical Museum

18/1 What is the right size for a district?

17/1 PvdA Oost against fewer districts

16/1 Committee: 7 districts by 2010

15/1 Soldiers may attend Afghanistan debate after all

15/1 Bait bike leads to arrest

14/1 Youth for Christ to republish vacancies

13/1 Paintings of the Zuidas

13/1 New Youth for Christ contoversy

11/1 Social cohesion initiative raises eyebrows

10/1 Fewer districts in 2010

10/1 Zuidas: People feel that we are losers

9/1 Fun on the ice - but not for all

9/1 Supermarket coupon fraud thwarted

9/1 I Amsterdam must remain exclusive

8/1 Use term Apartheid in every discussion

8/1 No city kiosk in Amsterdam yet

7/1 Snow

7/1 Fatima Elatik to run Zeeburg

7/1 Municipal managers to return to shop floor

4/1 Police: take photo of strange people

3/1 Gaza protest criticises politicians

1/1 Thousands to protest against attacks on Gaza

1/1 Mustapha Laboui leaves district council

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Air hostesses at the Stedelijk

22 July 2006 – Airlines use dynamic logos, comfortable chairs and fashionable uniforms to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Last week, the Stedelijk opened an exhibition on design and architecture for air travel.

The exhibition opens with a quote from Andy Warhol: “Airplanes and airports have my favorite kind of food service, my favorite kinds of entertainment, my favorite graphics and colors, the best security checks, the best views, the best employees and the best optimism”.

Designers have the task to evoke this optimism and dynamism, but they also have to solve all kinds of practical problems. Everything on board of an airplane must be light and must take up little space. Airports must be conveniently arranged and process passengers efficiently.

Schiphol Airport is internationally known as a passenger-friendly airport, because of the transparent arrangement and the clear signposts. Incidentally, the arrangement is becoming more chaotic due to the commercialisation of the aiport.

ASH TRAYS
Since 1929, passengers are served hot meals on board. In 1948, the Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) had melanin cups and plates designed. Shortly before, the ready tray system had been introduced, with meals being prepared and put on trays at the airport.

In the 1950s, the drop-leaf tables were introduced, and in the 1960s the trolleys that were used to distribute the food in the ever larger airplanes. Strikingly, the sets of cups and plates long included little ashtrays.

The most fun items at the exhibition are the air hostess uniforms and the airline logos, as they featured on posters, bags, packets of cigarettes and manuals on corporate identity.

Practical information

Werner Machnik, Lufthansa flight attendant uniform, 1970–79.
Photo: Deutsche Lufthansa AG

Walter Dorwin Teague, Interior design of the Tiger Lounge for a mock-up of the Boeing 747, 1970.
Photo: Teague

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