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Airline Scents (AF Specifically)

alitalia744 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 4657 posts, RR: 45
Posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 3268 times:

Not sure if this belongs in Civil Aviation or polls but here goes.

Similar to how major hotel chains have a scent system, I was wondering if airlines also leverage this type of product experience.

Specifically, having flown in Air France Affaires multiple times over the past few months, there seems to be a distinct scent on the aircraft - almost as tho it was a sprayed or pumped through.

Some see lines, others see between the lines.

10 replies: All unread, jump to last

Independence76 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 165 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 2394 times:

I would doubt it - it would cost the airline more money to pump certain scents on the aircraft for hours at a time (especially during long-haul). I've flown on multiple airlines and each time the aircraft only had slight differences in smell, but probably due age and proximity to galleys.

Leather vs. cloth and the age of those seats may also make a difference, as well as carpeting or condition of the panels.

"In general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes." - John Ruskin

tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12709 posts, RR: 80
Reply 2, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 2354 times:

Quoting alitalia744 (Thread starter):
Similar to how major hotel chains have a scent system, I was wondering if airlines also leverage this type of product experience.

It's certainly technically possible but I've never heard of such a system fitted on any commercial airliner. I would suspect any scent differences from airline to airline are much more likely to be the result of particular choices of cleaning products.

Tom.

jrlander From United States of America, joined Aug 1999, 1097 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 2239 times:

I've noticed this as well. I think the scent is in the blankets. That's where I most notice it. However, it wouldn't be hard to spray the scent on the seats and carpet before each flight.

UAL747DEN From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 2225 posts, RR: 13
Reply 4, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 8 hours ago) and read 2103 times:

I hope they never start doing that. After spending long periods of time in a high end hotel the smell starts to get really old and I would imagine the same thing would happen for those of us who spend a lot of time flying. Le Meridien hotels have a very distinctive smell and after a week or two it starts to be something at least I dread.

/// UNITED AIRLINES

ditzyboy From Australia, joined Feb 2008, 680 posts, RR: 1
Reply 5, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 1966 times:

Quoting Independence76 (Reply 1):
I would doubt it - it would cost the airline more money to pump certain scents on the aircraft for hours at a time (especially during long-haul).

Are you saying that airlines do not do it at all? Or just don't use a system to pump the smell throughout the aircraft? From this article is the following. http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/10/05/smell.marketing/

Using smell as a branding technique is not new. Since the 1990s, Singapore Airlines has been using its own fragrance, known as Stefan Florida Waters. Flight attendants wear it as perfume, it is blended into the hot towels served before take-off and it wafts through the cabin during the flight.

Quoting UAL747DEN (Reply 4):
I hope they never start doing that.

Singapore Airlines has been doing it since 1993, according to this article.

http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/2008/04/the-sweet-smell.html

I am sure there was previously a dedicated discussion on these forums, but I couldn't find it using the search function.

ditzyboy From Australia, joined Feb 2008, 680 posts, RR: 1
Reply 6, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 1933 times:

I found this thread regarding United, which is the one I may have been thinking about.

Does United Use A Signature Fragrance? (by VC10er Jan 9 2010 in Civil Aviation)?threadid=4670226

smi0006 From Australia, joined Jan 2008, 1381 posts, RR: 0
Reply 7, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 1898 times:

I know on QR they use a sweet smelling rose like water smell for their hot towels in business prior to take off, this smell generally lingers and permeates the entire cabin, perhaps AF uses a similar system?

They are certain sprays often used as air fresheners in the lavatories and cabins as well, the could become a subconscious smell of an airline.

Not to mention on many flights where quarantine restrictions require a cabin to be sprayed these sprays often have a lingering scent....

I'm not sure of which of the above two it is (air freshener or AQIS spray) but EK aircraft generally have a specific scent for me.

Centre From United States of America, joined Mar 2010, 421 posts, RR: 0
Reply 8, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 7 hours ago) and read 1840 times:

Wonder how "Smells cheap" will be like on FR?

I have cut 4 times, and it's still short.

smi0006 From Australia, joined Jan 2008, 1381 posts, RR: 0
Reply 9, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 1781 times:

Quoting ditzyboy (Reply 5):
Flight attendants wear it as perfume, it is blended into the hot towels served before take-off and it wafts through the cabin during the flight.

This is a new type of SQ grooming strictness! bit far perhaps? Do they all actually wear it?

srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16888 posts, RR: 51
Reply 10, posted (1 year 5 months 4 weeks 6 hours ago) and read 1688 times:

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Quoting Centre (Reply 8):
Wonder how "Smells cheap" will be like on FR?

They'd probably have a pine tree air freshener hanging up.......

Quoting smi0006 (Reply 7):
They are certain sprays often used as air fresheners in the lavatories and cabins as well, the could become a subconscious smell of an airline.

There's a scent I associate with Delta because of the air freshener used in their lavs.

Quoting smi0006 (Reply 9):
This is a new type of SQ grooming strictness! bit far perhaps? Do they all actually wear it?

I don't see it as being strict. If SQ uses a scent they want to have associated with their flights, having their F/As wear it just enhances the scent, as body chemistry and body heat react to cologne/perfume in a different manner than is it is merely sprayed in the air of used on hot towels.

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