More than 80 companies and products are set to compete for top honors at the 2023 Crystal Cabin Awards, highlighting new an innovative solutions that will change the passenger experience in the years ahead. The awards shortlist announced today will be further narrowed, to three finalists announced in May.
The eight category winners are selected by an international jury of industry experts. The awards will be presented on 6 June 2023 in Hamburg, in conjunction with the annual Aircraft Interiors Expo conference.
Cabin Comfort
Cabin design, as always, leads the conversation. Multiple new premium airline cabins are on the list, including the new American Airlines Flagship design, bunk beds for economy class on Air New Zealand, and the Allegris cabins just announced by Lufthansa Group.
More far-fetched conceptual designs are also part of the competition. One concept eliminates middle seats by adding an upper deck to a 777 layout. No word on how they’ll handle emergency evac issues there.
And there are plenty of opportunities for additional comfort in air taxi cabins, expected to start flying in the next few years.
Entertainment and Connectivity
Getting better internet connectivity on to planes remains a challenge for suppliers. Whether it is a full-service broadband offering from Thales FlytLIVE or a narrowband pipe from AirFi to power transactional traffic, Both Hughes and Intelsat are keen to see their LEO/GEO hybrid solutions using capacity from OneWeb‘s LEO constellation take the prize.
On the entertainment front, in-cabin displays from AERQ are on the list. So are updates to the hardware passengers never see, but which is critical to delivering a functional system in the cabin.
Accessibility
Several innovations this year address the in-flight experience for travelers who use wheelchairs. These include updated designs for aisle chairs, as well as options for the traveler to remain in their chair during the trip, rather than transfer to a seat.
An option related to remote control of the passenger service unit is also in the running.
Sustainability
Delivering a more sustainable experience comes in many forms. Reducing waste from meals can help. So, too, can newer designs that reduce the weight of components on board or take advantage of bits previously considered trash to help complete a cabin interior. Unum’s nominated solution looks longer-term, adding recycling notations to the parts so they are ready for proper handling at the end of their useful life.
Dozens of other options will also be considered, including creative ideas from University students, inflight catering operations, and more.
The full list of Short List nominees is below:
- ABOVE: ABOVE – Smart media, ready to go
- Acro Aircraft Seating Ltd.: Series 9
- Adient Aerospace, coop. Boeing EnCore Interiors: Front-Row Business Class Retreat
- AERQ GmbH, coop. Boeing EnCore Interiors: The Smart View – bringing digital & spatial transformation to the cabin
- Air Liquide: F90 Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE) Smoke Hood Technology, for Cabin Crew Members
- Air New Zealand: Business Premier LUXE
- Air New Zealand: Skynest
- Air Premia & Zoslee Studio: Stacked Meal
- Airbus Operations GmbH: A350 Airspace Cabin
- Airbus Operations GmbH, coop. Mitsubishi Chemical Group MCG, CTC GmbH: BioMat Sidewall Panel
- Airbus Operations GmbH: HBCplus
- Aircraft Cabin Modification GmbH: activeRest
- Aircraft Innovations GmbH: AvioSleeper
- AirFi, coop. Iridium: LEO Connectivity Solution
- Ameco: Seat-Lite Aircraft Seat
- American Airlines, coop. Teague: Next Generation Premium Passenger Experience
- ANKER Gebr. Schoeller GmbH & Co. KG: AIRlight® Eco
- Apios: Reflect
- Bombardier: Challenger 3500
- Carleton University: Cirrus
- Collins Aerospace: InteliSence™
- Collins Aerospace: Pothos™
- Collins Aerospace: Q-Tech™
- CTT Systems AB: Humidification Onboard Pure Air
- Delta Flight Products: SkyPulse, a software-based system showing live IFE data tracking
- Deutsche Telekom AG, coop. Deutsche Lufthansa AG: Lufthansa FlyNet App – The mobile extension of Lufthansa’s FlyNet on-board internet service
- Diehl Aviation: Crew Rest Compartment for Single Aisle Aircraft
- Diehl Aviation: MLS Mechanical Lift Support
- Diehl Aviation: Cabin Lining with Integrated Vacuum Insulation
- EVE Air Mobility, coop. Almadesign, Lda: EVE
- F/LIST: F/LIST LINFINIUM
- F/LIST: F/LIST WHISPER Leather
- FLOWCO & Almadesign, Lda: Eco Friendly Tiles
- Formation Design Group: Dovetail
- Hochschule Reutlingen: Caféviation Design Concept
- Hughes, an EchoStar Company : Hughes LEO In-Flight
- Hyunday Transys, coop. PriestmanGoode: HT-01 Urban Air Mobility Cabin Concept
- IdeaNova Technologies: IFE That Flows
- Inflight Canada: The IFC Passenger Accessibility & Services System (PASS)
- Intelsat US LLC, coop. Stellar Blu: ESA Multi-orbit Antenna
- J&C AERO: Jump Seat Duo
- Jamco Corporation, coop. Elmo Leather, C. H. Mueller: Evo Heat Cover
- KID-Systeme GmbH, coop. AviaDeCo GmbH, interiorsDIRECT GmbH: QuickMount off-seat retrofit solution
- Lantal Textiles AG: Deep Dyed Carpet
- LIFT Aero Design: PARADYM 2.0: Flexible Premium Economy Concept for Ultra Long Haul
- Lilium GmbH: Pioneer Edition Lilium Jet
- Lufthansa Group, coop. Caynova: Caynova’s Seat Heating & Cooling System (HCS) and Shoulder SinkIn (SSI) for Lufthansa Group (LHG)
- Lufthansa Group: The future Lufthansa Group cabin
- Lufthansa Industry Solutions AS GmbH: Food Waste AI
- Lufthansa Industry Solutions AS GmbH: EPACTO
- Lufthansa Technik AG, coop. Jul. Niederdrenk GmbH & Co. KG: Magnetic Latch
- Metzo GmbH, coop. The Vita Group: Reaching new heights with Orbis™
- Rollon S.p.A.: Privacy Divider Actuator
- Safran: Euphony
- Savannah College of Art and Design: Tilde Aviation Concept
- Seamless Air Alliance: Seamless Certification Program for Inflight Connectivity
- Skyted, coop. PriestmanGoode, Airbus
- Development, the European Space Agency
- Accelerator Program and ONERA: Skyted
- SmartTray International, LLC: SmartTray X7T
- STELIA Aerospace: Crew Service Application
- STELIA Aerospace, coop. Design Investment: RENDEZ-VOUS®
- STG Aerospace: saf-Tglo® SSUL-X11
- STG Aerospace: The Curve – LED Flexible Light
- Supernal, coop. Formation Design Group: Supernal Uplift Universal Travel Strategy
- T36 TALLER DE ARQUITECTOS: Multicabin® Concep
- TCI KABİN İÇİ SİSTEMLERİ SANAYİ VE TİCARET ANONİM ŞİRKETİ: MILLIGRAM
- Teledyne Controls LLC: Teledyne ACES (Aircraft Cabin Environment System)
- Thales Avionics: FlytLIVE powered by SES-17
- Thales Avionics: Onboard Data Center
- Tongji University: GAAS – Galleys As A Service
- TU Delft: Alba Seating Concept – The first human contour-based ultra-light aircraft seat.
- TU Delft, coop. Embraer S.A.: Horus
- TU Delft, coop. Embraer S.A.: Interior light perception and enhanced emotions
- TU Delft, coop. Embraer S.A.: Lightweight aircraft seating
- Turkish Airlines Inc.: “Green Class” Concept
- University of Cincinnati, coop. The Boeing Company, The Livewell Collaborative: Activity Pod
- University of Michigan, coop. Collins Aerospace, The Boeing Company, All Wheels Up, Wichita
- State University NIAR, MGA Research Co: M-SAAVE Wheelchair Accessibility Mission (WAM)
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, coop. Boeing, All Wheels Up: WSSS (Wheelchair Space and Securement System)
- Unum Aircraft Seating, coop. Green Cabin Alliance: Seat Component Part Marking including Recycling Reference Code
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