When Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) came to a close on Thursday, 30 May, some 12,817 attendees from across the globe had walked through the doors of its Hamburg Messe venue: a 22% increase on the 2023 figure. Across the three days of the event, representatives from 166 airlines explored the halls to find new products and services that can enhance their cabin interiors.
The 2024 event was met with acclaim as attendees echoed sentiments of inspiration and that “AIX is back” and exceeding its pre-pandemic levels.
Felipe Amorim, cabin avionics engineer at Delta Airlines, said of AIX 2024: “[It’s] great to see what’s out there right now in the industry, specifically scoping out the latest innovations in IFE, lighting, and electrical components in general. We’ve had some really beneficial conversations and [it’s] been good to put some faces to names. I would recommend the show to my peers – it’s overwhelming in the best way.”
Lauren Kenealy, marketing director at Tapis Corporation, added: “Every year tops the last somehow. This is my third show, and it’s been super to maintain and grow these relationships and see familiar faces each time we come. We’re already looking forward to next year.”
Product launches across the event
AIX 2024 began with major announcements from exhibitors, including Panasonic Avionics and Collins Aerospace, who jointly unveiled Maya, a next-generation business-class suite concept. Maya combines the two companies’ respective expertise in design, technology and integration, into a single integrated solution, providing comfort, passenger immersion, accessibility and sustainability for the future air travel experience.
Panasonic Avionics noted that the Astrova Curve 45in ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition OLED curved display featured in the concept is three-times larger than typical business class screens, and is in the same 21:9 screen format as used in cinemas. The Maya concept also featured a headphone-free IFE audio system.
Across the halls, Safran showcased RAVE Cloud Services, a set of new Cloud-based services that will drive its next generation of IFEC, branded under the banner of RAVE Cloud Services. The system is designed to move large volumes of data to and from aircraft, as well as to process and store large data onboard the aircraft.
Meanwhile, Recaro Aircraft Seating introduced its simplified seat naming system, ranging from R1 to R7 (with R7 being the most luxurious), which makes it easier for customers to understand and aligns with the wider Recaro seating brand, which makes automotive and gaming seats. Recaro’s ‘R Sphere’ seating concept was also showcased, which uses sustainable materials such as cork, wood, recycled fishing nets, and cactus. The concept secured a runner-up position in the Sustainable Cabin category of the Crystal Cabin Awards (CCAs).
Later, Airbus unveiled its new Airspace interior for the A330neo, in a first full-size mock-up on the AIX show floor. The cabin interior design features a new Hero Light and Welcome Panel, along with a range of new linings, door frame panels and windows. Airbus also showcased the A321XLR ‘game changer’ design, bringing the feel of a wide-body aircraft into a narrow-body fuselage.
Aviation leather supplier, Muirhead announced its FreeTAN tanning solution with FR technology, which is free from heavy metals, chrome, and glutaraldehyde. The Scotland-based manufacturer has fully replaced its existing tanning chemistry with compostable technology, marking a big step in its commitment to eliminating the use of fossil fuels, oil-based elements, and heavy metals from all its operations and products. The sustainable leather is now being rolled out in selected British Airways cabins.
Thales revealed its FlytEDGE digital IFE solution, which leverages its Onboard Data Center and a partnership with Netskrt Systems to enable cloud-based content management and onboard edge caching, with a view to facilitating streaming content partnerships and improving the passenger experience.
Paris-based aircraft seat manufacturer, Expliseat, known for producing the world’s lightest range of commercial aircraft seats, attracted crowds as it revealed ‘TiSeat 2 X’, its all-carbon-and-titanium structure. The seat will debut on Air France flights this autumn as part of the airline’s cabin renewal programme for its regional subsidiary’s Embraer E190 fleet.
Across the three days of AIX, a total of 458 companies showcased their solutions to international airlines looking to create their cabins of the future. This number included 63 businesses that joined the event for the first time, such as SleeperTech, an Australian company which launched the SleeperSeat, which aims to redefine passenger comfort in economy-class cabins by combining a reclining backrest with an articulated headrest and thigh support pad.
The PEC trifecta
The Passenger Experience Conference (PEC) commenced on Monday, 27th May, the day before AIX opened, welcoming visitors for one full day of speaker sessions and panels, where future passenger experience innovations and solutions were discussed.
The day began with a plenary session led by Professor Peter Vink from Delft University of Technology; Jochen Werner from Airbus; Melanie Berry from Iberia; Glenn Johnson from Collins Aerospace; and Seth Miller from PaxEx.Aero. ‘Innovating Tomorrow’s Travel Experiences’ set the tone for the conference, emphasising the importance of envisioning solutions to current travel frustrations and meeting the evolving needs of future travellers across the aviation sector.
The conference then divided into three streams: ‘Future Connected’, ‘Future Now’, and ‘Future Efficient’, each delving into the most pressing topics concerning the industry today. Topics included innovative approaches to accessibility, the potential of technologies and AI in enhancing passenger experiences, and strategies to minimise the environmental impact of cabin operations, among others.
In Future Now, the session, ‘Removing the Roadblocks to Accessible Travel,’ explored how current initiatives can drive significant changes in travel, promoting new experiences and business methods. Moderated by Glenn Johnson, senior technical fellow at Collins Aerospace, the discussion included insights from industry leaders on enhancing accessibility in aviation.
Eric Ezell, head of cabin & cargo innovation at Airbus, emphasised the importance of learning from other industries such as trains, buses, and public buildings, to inspire effective accessibility measures on board, while Brenna Wynhof, regional director of cabin marketing at Boeing, highlighted the need for collaboration across the aviation sector to achieve accessibility goals.
Over in Future Connected, the panel session, ‘The Challenges and Opportunities of Data Sharing in Aviation’, addressed the need for improved information sharing between travel partners to create frictionless and connected passenger experiences.
The panel explored strategies to ensure data is used to its fullest potential and build trust between companies within the aviation ecosystem and ways to dismantle barriers to data utilisation. Participants included Tim Sommer, vice president and head of connected aircraft programme at Airbus; Michael Wolters, CEO of Banbutsu; Simon Nowroz, general manager at Beyond; and Kei Sugimoto, senior director of product and service development at Japan Airlines.
In the final stream, Future Efficient, Matt Crane, founder of the Aviation Sustainability Forum (ASF), spoke on the significant issue of cabin waste and its far-reaching environmental and economic impacts in his session, ‘An Opportunity Too Big to Waste’.
Crane introduced the ASF and shared his figures that food waste alone costs the aviation industry over US$5.9 billion annually, with an additional US$0.5 billion in disposal costs. The aviation industry “generates millions of tonnes of waste annually”, which is a figure “expected to double by 2050 with the increase in air travel and aircraft numbers,” he said.
Opportunities for knowledge sharing
With the fitting backdrop of Hamburg, an epicentre of technology and innovation, AIX was a vibrant hub for knowledge sharing and information exchange. CabinSpace Live, a dedicated theatre for discussing the cabin of tomorrow and beyond, showcased visionary ideas.
Taking place on Tuesday, 28th May and Wednesday, 29th May, leaders and experts from Valour Consultancy, Iberia, Hughes, Axinom, Burrana, Flydubai, plus many more, took to the stage for informational sessions and panels covering IFE, cabin interiors, business jets, sustainability, accessibility and connectivity.
The future of aircraft cabins, including new and improved onboard concepts and products, was discussed in the session, ‘New Era: The Fascinating Future of the Aircraft Cabin’. Panelists included Ralph Wagner, co-founder and CEO of Axinom; David Pook, vice president of Burrana; Duncan Jackson, president of FlightPath3D; and Mats-Omri Schumacher, head of product management at AerQ.
Jackson shared his thoughts on the future of aircraft cabins, predicting that 30% of the audience will experience vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft at some point in their lifetime, and noted that we are likely to be “the last generation needing explanations for basic internet functions”.
Schumacher focused on the potential of applications learning from each other to enhance passenger experiences. He also envisioned personalised offers tailored to passenger preferences, such as exclusive concert tickets offered to a Taylor Swift fan flying to New York City.
Other sessions included ‘Cabin Refurbishment: Investing to Impress’. Here, moderator Jennifer Coutts-Clay, author of Jetliner Cabins, was joined by David Rice, managing director at Optimum Aero; Melanie Berry, director of customer experience at Iberia; Jacobo Mesta, CEO of Soisa Aircraft Interiors; and Daniel Kerrison, SVP of inflight operations at Flydubai.
The session began with panellists discussing memorable cabin refurbishment programmes before they delved into the question of measuring ROI and achieving customer validation. Closing the discussion, Coutts-Clay shifted towards the future, with panellists exploring how to incorporate a more personalised experience into the cabin during future cabin refurbishments.
On Wednesday, 29th May, a Women in Aviation Panel and luncheon, held by global communications company, Viasat, and led by female executives, focused on the evolving landscape of the travel industry, with a particular emphasis on personalisation, seamless travel experiences, the role of AI, leadership, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Leaders from Delta Airlines, Icelandair and Viasat discussed the importance of customer loyalty and a frictionless travel journey. While AI is being evaluated as a tool for reputation management and customer service optimisation, concerns were raised regarding privacy and its potential negative impact on the human element of hospitality onboard.
The discussion also highlighted the need for airlines to develop AI solutions tailored to specific parts of the passenger experience, and for suppliers to create solutions that support airlines’ operational needs.
On the topic of female leadership, the importance of building strong teams, authenticity, resilience, and adaptability was emphasised by the three leaders.
Polly Magraw, event director of AIX, said of the event: “This year saw the numbers of attendees increase not only on the previous year, but on pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating that airlines around the world are looking for innovative ways to improve the cabin experience.
“Familiar faces and newcomers alike contributed to one of the most dynamic environments we have ever seen, with so many unveilings and product launches that remind us once again that AIX is the leading event for the aircraft interiors industry. We look forward to next year to see the next generation of cabin interiors solutions.”
Aircraft Interiors Expo 2025 will return to Hamburg Messe, Hamburg, Germany, from 8-10 April 2025. Visit the AIX site for more information or to register interest to attend.
