Over 12,000 airline industry insiders will come together in Germany next week for the Aircraft Interiors Expo. The conference in Hamburg will show off the latest innovations, technologies, and products for aircraft cabin interiors, in-flight entertainment systems, and passenger experience improvement.
The event will showcase over 1,000 products, from new seating designs to revamped in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems, from over 400 suppliers worldwide. Companies will also use the event to network and learn, with over 20 learning events and seminars between June 6th and 8th.
Who will be there?
The world's leading aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing, Airbus, and ATR, will all be present. Airlines and aircraft suppliers from over 30 countries will also be attending. Seating specialists such as Safran, RECARO Aircraft Seating, JAMCO Corporation, and HAECO Cabin Solutions are confirmed as attending the event.
In-flight entertainment and connectivity providers like Panasonic, which launched a new in-flight entertainment screen at last year's event, will also attend alongside exhibitors such as Thales Group, Astronics Corporation, Latitude Aero, and Bluebox Aviation Systems.
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A networking area will also be set up at the Hamburg Messe this year. The event has an AIXConnect app containing a full schedule, exhibition map, and meeting feature to help facilitate networking and business. Last year the event facilitated over 5,000 confirmed meetings between suppliers, manufacturers, airlines, and industry insiders.
The headline topics for this year's event include connectivity, accessibility, and sustainability.
What is on display
Over 1,000 products are being promoted this year. Confirmed displays include new soft furnishings, cabin partitions, flooring solutions, galley equipment, interior textiles, lighting, lavatory equipment, and seating solutions.
Dedicated zones will bring together the industry's leading suppliers and specialists in key product areas, and attendees focus on their respective areas of interest. For instance, the event's In-flight Entertainment and Connectivity Zone will provide a dedicated space for conference attendees to test out the latest products from more than 50 companies.
The event's famous CabinSpace Live Seminar theatre allows audience members to connect with cabin interior industry leaders and learn about upcoming challenges and solutions. Seating is also a significant theme at the event, as providers worldwide present innovative solutions. Topics of interest this year include ways to maintain a uniform business class product across widebody and narrowbody aircraft and making airline travel more accessible to wheelchair users.
Lighting updates and systems also feature heavily in this year's agenda. The aircraft cabin interior lighting solutions market is expected to reach $2 billion by 2025, and providers are rushing to fill the gap. Key challenges include the advent of super long-haul flights like Project Sunrise and the need to accommodate passengers who wish to adjust their body clocks to the destination time zone and those on brief trips who prefer to remain in their hometown rhythms.
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Sustainability is also set to be a key topic of discussion. Airbus unveiled its new cabin concept (Airspace Cabin Vision 2035+) last month in advance of the event. Other suppliers are also highlighting solutions to reduce the weight of the cabin, consequently increasing efficiency, through a range of technologies, including bio-based fabrics and recycled polymers.
The event is preceded by the Passenger Experience Conference on June 5th, which brings together experts representing airlines, manufacturers, suppliers, and design agencies to collaborate and discuss the future of passenger experiences and onboard services.