AIX shows that aircraft interiors are a strategic priority for global airlines

Airline CEOs, procurement leaders, engineers and passenger experience specialists from across the globe converged at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), making it clear that innovative, novel cabin solutions are now central to how commercial airlines compete and connect with passengers.

Aircraft interiors are a strategic priority

The presence of so many high-level individuals at the event from 8-10 April sent a clear message – innovation in aircraft interiors is not just a design choice, it's a strategic priority. Over three days, AIX welcomed representatives from 170 airlines, with more than 13,000 attendees exploring cutting-edge products and services that will revolutionise cabin interiors over the coming years.

Explaining the value of the show, Shoaib Ahmed, Technical Procurement Manager at Riyadh Air, commented: “We recently ordered 72 787's and 60 A21's, so we came to AIX to find the best products for our new aircraft. The show has been very insightful, especially in meeting IFE providers, and I was very impressed with the R&D on display this year.”

Chris Hulbert, Cabin Performance Technical Team Leader at British Airways, added: “What’s great is that you get to meet smaller companies we haven’t heard much about, and there are real gems in there. You’d never find them just from emails. The beauty of it all being under one roof is you can block out three days and tick off a lot.”

Nutsupang Pitakapan, Aircraft Project Development at Thai Airways International Public Company, said: “Thanks to visiting AIX we are now considering new suppliers that we didn’t even know about before coming to the show. We have come away with new ideas and knowledge of technologies that we had not heard about. I would give it 6 out of 5 stars!”

The place for major announcements

The show began with major announcements from some of the aircraft interiors industry’s leading players, including Airbus, Collins Aerospace (Collins), Insperial, Panasonic Avionics (Panasonic), Recaro Aircraft Seating (Recaro) and Thales. 

In-flight entertainment and connectivity at AIX continued to be a sector driven by innovation. On the opening day, Airbus and Panasonic Avionics announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which signified a pivotal moment for the future of connected aircraft. Subject to a definitive agreement later this year, the partnership will explore leveraging Panasonic’s next-generation in-flight entertainment (IFE) hardware and software server platform, Converix, to co-develop Airbus’ future Connected Aircraft platform.

Tim Sommer, Airbus' VP of the Connected Aircraft programme, stated: "Panasonic Avionics' experience as a world-leading IFE provider, combined with Airbus' experience as a world-leading aircraft OEM and integrator of digitally-enabled end-to-end operations, brings together the best of both worlds. This will benefit both airlines and their passengers.”

Viasat, a global leader in satellite communications and In-flight Connectivity (IFC), also announced its next-generation solution for commercial aviation, Viasat Amara. Powering the new IFC solution are innovations in core satellite network design, hardware advancements, and a suite of digital products, all of which provide scalability that will enable airlines to differentiate and future-proof their onboard passenger experience.

Accessibility remains a key focus

Collins Aerospace strengthened its commitment to accessible air travel by revealing significant updates to its Prime wheelchair seating solution. Focussed on improved accessibility, functionality and flexibility, the updated Prime system now features a "custom transformable monument" that seamlessly transitions between a fully equipped passenger amenity station for electric wheelchair users and a crew service area.

Addressing enhanced accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility and visual impairments, Diehl Aviation unveiled significant advancements in lavatory design at AIX. For visually impaired travellers, the aircraft interiors manufacturer presented new lighting scenarios within the lavatory, employing contrast and highlighted signage to aid in locating essential components such as the faucet and soap dispenser. Complementing this, the lavatory incorporates braille characters and a synthetic voice system that audibly identifies features like the flush push-button. Additionally, it also displayed an innovative "twinning lavatory" concept that allows cabin crew to fold away the partition between two lavatories, creating space for a passenger and their wheelchair. 

Preparing for eVTOL flights

In addition to revealing its latest range of products and innovative technologies, aimed at redefining passenger comfort and premium quality, Recaro also revealed an eVTOL seating solution for the first time, alongside Embraer spin-off Eve Air Mobility. Utilising lightweight materials, such as high-grade aluminium, titanium, and composite materials, the seat maintains minimal weight, enabling energy-efficient flight operations.

In other aircraft interiors news...

Insperial also used AIX as a platform to announce its acquisition of fellow exhibitor MGR Foamtex, a leading UK-based manufacturer specialising in interior soft goods and advanced passenger upholstery systems, which now sits alongside its other sister companies, Perrone Leather and Adhetec.

Ned Lunnon-Wood, Account Executive at IBA Group, a world-leading, full-service aviation intelligence and advisory company, said: “AIX is a great opportunity to meet the people you’re talking to daily, without the limits of scheduled meetings. There’s such an eclectic mix of suppliers in aviation, walking through these vast halls puts things in perspective - it really helps connect the dots, giving direction. The show is full of opportunity, informative and exciting.”

Exploring the key trends at CabinSpace Live

AIX once again provided an opportunity to understand the trends that will shape the cabin of tomorrow. The two-day CabinSpace Live programme featured leaders from Boeing, Cirium, Hughes, Flightpath 3D, and many more, with insightful conversations and panel discussions covering passenger experience, IFE, sustainability, connectivity and cabin interiors.

On the first day, "Connectivity: Choosing the right fit" opened the learning programme. Moderated by Corinne Streichert of IFECtiv LLC, the panel featured experts from satellite companies (SES), antenna systems providers (ThinKom), and network systems (Hughes), alongside Katsunori Maki from All Nippon Airways (ANA), as it sought to address the increasing complexity airlines face when selecting in-flight connectivity solutions, ranging from air-to-ground to satellite solutions. The lively discussion guided airlines through the various options available, helping them determine the most suitable connectivity solutions for their specific needs and operations.

Later in the day, "Connected cabin: Making the most of artificial intelligence", moderated by Satu Dahl, Editor of Inflight, brought together an expert panel exploring the vast potential of connected cabin technologies for airlines. The panel featured Reza Rasoulian of Hughes Network Systems, Mike Moeller of Quvia, and Antonio Penim of APEX, who highlighted how AI-powered solutions can drive increased profitability and streamline operations across various aspects of the airline business. From areas including IFE, MRO, and enhanced passenger personalisation, the numerous opportunities for airlines to leverage AI within the connected cabin environment to improve efficiency and the overall passenger experience were made clear to the audience. 

On day two, Gary Weissel, Managing Officer at Tronos Aviation Consulting, and Andrew Doyle, Senior Director, Market Development at Cirium, revealed an exclusive look at how the fleet and interiors market will evolve over the next decade, including global fleet forecast, interior market trends, challenges and production forecasts, as well as touching on how new global tariffs could impact airlines and demand for concepts.

With this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards winners revealed during AIX, visitors to the show were able to get a deeper understanding of the innovative aircraft interior concepts during a series of presentations from the people behind the solutions. 

Among the most popular presentations, were Diehl’s fully recyclable overhead storage Eco Bin that is set to advance sustainable travel; an in-flight entertainment system developed by Tongji University that utilises compact projectors and gesture recognition in place of traditional seatback screens to project content on tray tables, windows or wherever passengers want to watch; and Cathay Pacific, JPA Design and Reaktor’s groundbreaking IFEC “Aria Suite” which features an in-seat interface that allows you to check lavatory availability without getting up - a longstanding aim of cabin system designers.