Travel Perks

Fort Worth's American Airlines fluffs up on-board napping amenities

You are getting very sleepy.

Photo courtesy of American Airlines

Fort Worth-based American Airlines is working to improve its sleep game and has signed on innovative global sleep company Casper to fluff up the pillows.

Beginning in December, customers seated in long-haul international and transcontinental First or Business class and Premium Economy will get access to a suite of advanced sleep offerings designed by Casper's engineering team.

Founded in 2014, Casper is the company best known for its "mattress in a box," wherein the mattress is delivered to your door in a box. You unroll it and give it 24 hours to let it puff up. This is the first time Casper has applied its sleep expertise beyond the home to the world of travel.

The Casper line of sleep products for American will include a mattress pad, duvet, pillow, day blanket, lumbar pillow, pajamas, and slippers, with the exact offering varying based on the route.

Casper studied the travel environment for months to better understand the challenges of in-flight sleep. Their sleep engineers applied their renowned expertise in sleep research and sleep science to design innovative products specifically for air travel and made exclusively for American Airlines. So this wasn't some casual analysis, there was actual science involved.

Casper researched more than a dozen versions of the onboard pillow and tested it with a variety of fibers to find the perfect balance of support and breathability for customers. Inspired by performance outerwear, Casper’s signature duvet and the onboard duvet are created to provide comfort at all altitudes, and its sewn-through seams create small, rectangular chambers for a consistent fill distribution to stay fluffy and in place.

American put these designs to the test with customers on some of its longest flights, including Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand. The airline also tapped the expertise of some of its most frequent travelers, its flight attendants, for advice on fit, durability, and comfort.

"Customers and crew members who tried Casper on our flights said they loved it," says American Airlines senior VP Kurt Stache in a release. "Casper has set a new standard for premium sleep products, and our new line showcases their attention to detail and design and their commitment to providing the best rest possible for American Airlines customers."

In addition to long-haul international and transcontinental flights, Casper products will be available on these select routes:

Boston (BOS) – Los Angeles (LAX)
New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) – Seattle (SEA)
Miami (MIA) – Seattle (SEA)
Miami (MIA) – San Francisco (SFO)
U.S. to Hawaii
U.S. to Northern Rim of South America (MAR, MAO, BOG, CCS, CLO, GYE, LPB, MDE, UIO, VVI)

The only problem here is that Casper is not available on any domestic flights out of DFW International Airport, ostensibly because most of those flights are short. Wah, American Airlines, we need our naps, too.

transportation

Patio News

Mediterranean restaurant lands legendary patio spot in Uptown Dallas

Courtesy rendering

Lyla will open on McKinney Avenue in late summer.

In major-major patio news, there's a new restaurant set to take over the former Primo's space on Dallas' McKinney Avenue. Called Lyla, it's a Mediterranean restaurant from Dallas-based hospitality entrepreneurs Veeral Rathod and Obi Ibeto of GAP Concepts and concept partner Reham Choudhury, in partnership with Refined Hospitality Concepts, who were/are the owners of Primo's. That's quite the team.

According to a release, it'll open at 3309 McKinney Ave. in August.

Lyla is visioned as a casual yet sophisticated hangout, channeling the chic beachy vibe of destinations like Santorini, Mallorca, or St. Barths. The team is already busy reimagining the 3,000-square-foot dining room, lounge, and terrace, which was a pioneer on the patio front.

Rathod is a Dallas native with a background in finance and private equity whose resume includes cofounding custom clothier J.Hilburn, holding the CEO role at Spence Diamonds, and serving on the board of menswear company Knot Standard.

“Growing up in Dallas, I spent countless hours on that patio," he says in a statement. "We’ve long had our eye on the prime site, and we’re so excited to have the opportunity to be part of bringing it back better than ever."

The food and drink will be coastally-inspired Mediterranean cuisine with a creative beverage program.

Leading the kitchen will be Chef Cristhofer Sanchez, a native of Palm Beach, Florida who previously worked at high-profile spots such as Carbone, Uchi, Zaytinya, Top Knot, and Kai at Legacy West.

The food will focus on European coastal classics, paired with an extensive cocktail and wine offering. Food willinclude sharable apps like specialty dips, crudo, pizza, salads, pastas, wood-grilled fish, chicken, and steak.

Decor will include an entry fountain, whitewashed walls, lush plantings, arched windows, a one-of-a-kind pergola patio cover, bleached seating, classic Azulejo blue & white tile accents outdoors, an open bar, an eclectic mix of indoor and alfresco furniture including beachy banquettes, woven pendant lighting, feature art walls, and tropical greenery.

"Our intent is to offer a unique and elevated experience keeping with the area, and we also want Lyla to become a warm and inviting neighborhood bistro with a menu and ambience that we hope will entice guests to become regulars," Ibeto says. "Ultimately, it’s a place to relax with friends – and make new friends - over drinks and light bites, just like you would at a seaside cafe."

uptown openings