Author Bio
Aircraft Cabin Expert
Jennifer Coutts Clay is the author of
JETLINER CABINS: Evolution & Innovation
Jennifer Coutts Clay, Principal, J. Clay Consulting, is an aircraft cabin expert providing technical advice and marketing support to the aviation industry, with a particular focus on aircraft interior design and airline corporate-identity programmes. She has worked with a broad range of organizations, including short-haul and long-haul airlines, aviation suppliers, legal firms and design specialists.
At British Airways, during the 1970s, Jennifer earned broad experience in marketing and operational management assignments across the airline network. In 1979, she was appointed Head of Operations and Sales for Western USA, the first woman to be appointed to such a position in the airline. In 1982, she took on the role of Head of Operations and Sales for Scotland at the time when the airline was a launch customer for the Boeing B737 and B757 aircraft used on the UK shuttle routes.
In 1984, Jennifer moved to the position of Controller of Corporate Identity, responsible for the implementation of the US$75-million ‘privatization programme’ associated with the British Airways transition from government- to investor- ownership. The work covered all aspects of the visual identity of the airline and its sub-brands, encompassing airport check-in and lounge facilities, executive premises, ground vehicles, signage, stationary, passenger documentation, bag tags, and employee uniforms and name badges. It also included design programmes for the exterior and interiors of the subsonic fleets and Concorde. (Click here for more information on Concorde.)
Jennifer joined Pan American World Airways in 1986 as General Manager, Product Design & Development. In this capacity, she completed a 3-year fleet upgrade programme, redesigning all major aspects of the Pan Am passenger service product. At that time, the airline was a launch customer for the Airbus A310-300 and the ATR42, and Jennifer played a key role in the development of the design implementation strategy for the interiors of these aircraft types.
Featured Article
Read the article about Jennifer Coutts Clay in RunwayGirl Network
(Click here to visit the Media Archive and the Photo Library.)
At United Express, Jennifer was a member of the team handling the introduction of the Canadair Regional Jet into commercial service. At South African Airways, she developed a three-class upgrade programme for the Boeing B747 fleet. She was a certified consultant to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PA-23925).
From 2000 to 2002, for the magazine Aircraft Interiors, Jennifer wrote a regular column based on her work experiences, and she served on the magazine’s Advisory Panel. In recent years, she has contributed to other industry publications including Aircraft Interiors International magazine, Runway Girl Network and Inflight magazine She has been a featured aircraft cabin expert at industry conferences and on webinar, podcast and radio programmes.
Born in Scotland and educated in Britain, France and the US (she was a Fulbright Scholar at Cornell University), Jennifer is now an American citizen and resides in New York City. She is a member of The Cornell Club, the Institute of Directors, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and The Wings Club (Golden Eagle Status). She is also a member of the Vaughn College of Aeronautics Management Department’s Industry Advisory Council and a frequent presenter in the department’s Industry Insights: Speaker Series by ATL. Jennifer is a founding sponsor of the Crystal Cabin Awards, a founding member of the Pan Am Museum Foundation, and a member of the Pan Am Historical Foundation. And she serves on the Concorde Advisory Committee at the INTREPID Sea, Air & Space Museum, New York City. She also answers frequently asked questions (FAQs) for www.SeatMaps.com.
Jennifer is a proud member of:
JETLINER CABINS:
Evolution & Innovation
Click to buy the
interactive E-BOOK.
ISBN 0-979-8-218-33203-7
Author Statement - 2025
Flying has become such a natural part of our modern lives, and many of us hop on and off airplanes without giving a second thought. But let me assure you that hours and hours of thinking have gone into making the experience a pleasant one for those who fly. I know because I was often leading programmes involving teams of hundreds of people coming up with ways to keep passengers comfortable and safe on their journeys. This book is the first to reveal the hidden secrets of aircraft cabin interior design: it charts key innovations and challenges — including post-Covid, all-important health and hygiene developments — and looks back at legendary airline brands since the advent of the Jet Age.
I find it incredible that, since the book’s launch in 2003, the words of Airliner World’s review hold true today, that JETLINER CABINS is still “the only comprehensive survey of commercial aircraft cabin environment from the 1970s to the present day.” Being the first in its field, I am delighted that my book has become the go-to reference for aviation professionals and enthusiasts alike. I hope you will enjoy reading the descriptions and viewing the pictures of the hundreds of aircraft-cabin scenarios that are featured in my E-BOOK JETLINER CABINS: Evolution & Innovation. (Click here to read the REVIEWS.)
