Other aspects of airline design are also examined covering notable projects such as the unique modular approach in the design of the iconic Airbus A380, the inventive spaciousness and luxury of the now defunct Concorde aircraft and the controversial double redesign of British Airways’ brand identity in the 1970’s and 1990’s. Nowadays, as the author points out, airlines are increasingly trying ''to be appealing to everyone without offending anyone,'' an approach which has led to a kind of homogenised and neutral airline design which, deplorably, lacks character and wit.

As Keith Lovegrove connects the design and other aspects of air travel with their wider social, economical and cultural context, it becomes apparent that ''life at 30,000 feet'' is not such a different world than the one we inhabit here on terra firma. On the contrary, the habits, biases and pleasures that we seek in our everyday lives are also ever present within the aircraft cabin environment, as are social issues such as class hierarchy and sexism – issues which the author does not miss the opportunity to point out and comment upon. And it is this connection between design and its socio-cultural context that sets this book apart from other run of the mill coffee-table design books, as it makes us realise that the air travel ''universe'' is in fact a miniature of the way we live the rest of our lives, albeit encapsulated in a pressurised fuselage cruising above the clouds. Because at the end of the day, there will always be style at 30,000 feet, as long as there is style and inspiration down below.