Pass the Swiss sick bag
No one knows more about making papers bags for airsick passengers than Bernese company Elag, the global market leader which sells some 75 billion “gag bags” a year. A book shows off some of its most beautiful products.
- Deutsch Ein Schweizer Produkt fliegt um die Welt (original)
- Español Un producto suizo vuela por el mundo
- Português Um produto suíço que voa pelo mundo inteiro
- 中文 一个满天飞的瑞士产品
- Français Le sac à vomi qui fait le tour du monde
- عربي مُنتج سويسري يطير حول العالم
- Pусский Швейцарские гигиенические пакеты облетели весь мир!
- 日本語 飛行機酔いには欠かせない「旅のとも」
- Italiano Un prodotto svizzero fa il giro del mondo
Fredy Thürig collects sick bags. He has in fact collected about 2,000 of them, and his hoard has now been honoured in the book Für ReisekrankeExternal link (for ill travellers). It contains colourful examples from 45 years of graphic design and aviation history: bags from all over the world, from American Airlines to Air Nepal.
Some designs are functional and intended for a specific purpose, others try to help passengers escape boredom with puzzles. In the 1980s “dual use” bags were popular – if you didn’t throw up in them, you could use them to send holiday films. Budget airlines tried to cheer up nauseous passengers with comments like “Everything will be fine” or “Thanks for your criticism”.
The authors accompany each image with a description of what food was on offer, helping readers to picture both the filling and emptying of stomachs.
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Condor, Germany, 2012. Frankfurt (FRA) → Tenerife (TFS) Pasta, potato salad, Lebkuchen (gingerbread biscuits), tomato juice Eliane Häfliger -
Mexicana, 1987. Havana (HAV) → Mexico City (MEX) Crisps, ham and cheese sandwich, biscuits, apple juice ElianeHaefliger -
Air Lyon, France, 1999. Réunion (RUN) → Paris (CDG) Cheese platter, whole grain bread with butter, roast beef à la provençale with olives and three-coloured noodles, carrot salad, raspberry yoghurt, mineral water, white wine Eliane Häfliger -
Maersk Air, Denmark, 1998. Copenhagen (CPH) → Glasgow (GLA) Haggis with peas and chips, pud, Coca-Cola ElianeHaefliger -
Standard bag from Russia. Omsk (OMS) → Moscow (DME) Fish with baked potatoes and peas, cucumber slices with parsley, bread roll with butter, chocolate cake with coconut shavings, apple juice, tea Eliane Häfliger -
Saudi Arabian Airlines, 1997. Manila (MNL) → Riyadh (RUH) Tabbouleh salad, lobster tail, sea bass with tomato sauce, Arabian rice, vegetables, vanilla ice cream, mineral water Eliane Häfliger -
Japan Airlines, 1983. Tokyo (NRT) → San Diego (SAN) Chicken, pasta salad, cold noodles, miso soup, Coca-Cola Zero, green tea Eliane Häfliger -
Air Afrique (several African countries) 1990s. Tripoli (MJI) → Dakar (DSS) Fish with potatoes, lettuce, diet cola ElianeHaefliger -
Alitalia, Italy, 1990. Laurel County (LOZ) → Milan (MXP) Fried mushrooms and smoked bacon with egg in a frying pan, fresh fruit, bread roll with apricot jam, orange juice, coffee Eliane Häfliger -
Air China, 1995. Peking (PEK) → Shanghai (SHA) Celery salad, fried fish with rice, seasonal vegetables, fruit slices, Chinese cakes, white wine, mineral water Eliane Häfliger -
Air Nepal, 2005. Dubai (DXB) → Kathmandu (KTM) Lentils with rice, spicy chutney, mango lassi, tea ElianeHaefliger -
Balair, Switzerland, 1997. Catania (CTA) → Zurich (ZRH) Sausage salad with egg, corn and tomatoes, slice of cream cake, mineral water, coffee ElianeHaefliger -
Air India, 2000. Delhi (DEL) → Kuala Lumpur (KUL) Salted peanuts, chicken curry, yellow rice and black lentils, chickpea salad, bread pudding, apple juice ElianeHaefliger -
British Airways, 1989. Budapest (BUD) → Brussels (BRU) Carrot and ginger soup, smoked salmon, vegetable caviar, couscous with pine nuts, ice cream, Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle, Earl Grey tea Eliane Häfliger
More than 100 airlines use Elag’s individually designed sick bags. The company was founded in 1956 by Robert Elsässer, who invested in new folding and sealing techniques which made it possible to produce “vomit-tight” bags.
The flexible bag was a welcome alternative to the traditional tin cans and cardboard boxes. It takes up less space, is much lighter, requires less energy to produce and results in less waste.
In 1974, Elag launched an airsickness bag measuring 125x80x237mm, which became the worldwide standard.
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