Before the pandemic, carriers were investing in cabin modifications to make them stand-out from the competition – but since early 2020, many airlines have been in cost-saving mode. However, there are growing signs of confidence. We are not expecting to see the increase in demand just yet. In the aircraft interior sector, it will be delayed and come just after the air traffic increases and stays steady for some time.
However, there is a flip side: carriers are interested in certain types of production activity, such as cabin layout configurations, which has really peaked during the first lockdown as it allowed airlines to continue their operations to some extent by helping out with, for example, medical cargo transportation. Also, products like PPE and safety placards, and minor modifications like additional filters have been sought out. Touchless solutions are common among most incoming requests, which illustrates a main trend in the market.
The aviation industry proved its agility and ability to bounce back from the crisis, and this also applies to the interiors sector – though this time it is not just about high quality and top-notch tech, but also about how cabin work can be done with cost savings in mind.
Finding how to boost an existing interior rather than producing totally new products is the key. Instead of totally new solutions, which come with a hefty price-tag, customers are looking for upgrades – for example, relatively easy upgrades for lavatories to make them more touchless instead of opting for the brand new, albeit good looking, solutions. With this in mind, we are developing the touchless lavatories solution that would allow us to merge best of two worlds – reasonable price and increased safety.
Certainly, in industry with very high standards, bringing innovations on board takes time: the process from idea to implementation is lengthy – but manufacturers and designers can find the niche to help airlines – and their business – by providing products that can improve safety as well as contribute to restoring passenger’s faith in flying. After all, every little helps in the post-pandemic world.
