Hamburg, September 10th 2024: The world's leading award for innovations in aircraft cabins and passenger comfort is opening a new chapter.

Companies, institutions and students have until Nov. 6th 2024 to submit their applications for the Crystal Cabin Award in eight different categories.

A top-class international jury, consisting of 30 industry experts, will first determine the finalists in a multi-stage selection process and finally announce the winners on April 8th 2025 during the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. Applications can now be submitted at https://application.crystal-cabin-award.com/.

New standards for aviation: Eight categories in competition

The Crystal Cabin Award is one of the most coveted international awards in the aviation industry. The 2024 winners included Accenture, Diehl Aviation, Qantas Airways, Collins Aerospace, Thales Avionics, Factorydesign, BermudAir, Safran Cabin and Tongji University. For 2025, a new category focusing on “Accessibility” will be launched for the first time, recognizing innovations that improve accessibility within the aircraft cabin to provide a more inclusive and comfortable experience for all passengers, including those with disabilities or reduced mobility. Also new is the merger of the “Cabin Systems” and “Material & Components” categories into “Cabin Technologies”.

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Early bird rate ‍

This year, entrants will again have the opportunity to take advantage of an Early Bird rate. Entrants who submit their application by October 4^th2024 are eligible for a reduced entry fee of €280 (plus 19% VAT for EU entries). After that, the submission fee €380 (plus 19% VAT for EU entries), as in the previous year. Students applying in the University category are, of course, exempt from all submission fees.

The eight Crystal Cabin Award categories at a glance:

Accessibility

This category recognizes innovations that enhance accessibility within the aircraft cabin, ensuring a more inclusive and comfortable experience for all passengers, including those with disabilities or limited mobility. Entries may include improvements in seating, lavatories, cabin layout, assistive technologies,and other design elements that remove barrier and provide greater ease of access and use. The focus will be on solutions that integrate seamlessly into the cabin environment while significantly improving the accessibility and overall passenger experience.‍

Cabin Concepts – presented by AERQ

This category rewards holistic cabin concepts. This category features designs already in use or nearing market launch, but also incorporates visionary ideas for the future. “Cabin Concepts” is aimed at manufacturers as well as design companies and airlines.

Cabin Technologies

This category focuses on the development of new materials, new material applications, or new combinations of materials specifically for aircraft cabin systems to reduce production costs, enhance usability and recycling ability. It encompasses a wide range of different aircraft components, including but not limited to new seat structures, galleys, lavatories, trolleys, air conditioning, electrical systems, waste and potable water systems,acoustics,and more. Entries can include an innovative single technical component, material, or product that offers significant benefits to airlines. However, this category does not include fully developed products like seats, digital systems such as the "smart cabin" (see IFEC & Digital Services), or solutions specifically focused on passenger comfort (see Passenger Comfort).

Health & Safety

This category is a repository for innovation in concepts and products with an impact on safety, security, health and hygiene on board, or on the physical well-being of aircraft travelers. Entries may focus on passengers, crew or cargo. 

IFEC & Digital Services

One of the fastest developing arenas in the aviation industry, IFEC is changing at breath-taking speed. Entries here must demonstrate technological superiority over competing products and cover in-flight entertainment solutions, connectivity equipment such as antennas and Wi-Fi, passenger apps or complete software solutions for a smart, connected cabin.

Passenger Comfort

Entries in this category must demonstrate how they improve passenger comfort in the cabin. Innovations that benefit a large group of people may berated higher due to greater impact on airline success. This category includes seats, toilets, storage, partitions, lighting solutions, trims, premium and business products, First Class and VIP products, to name but a few.

Sustainable Cabin - presented by Panasonic Avionics Corporation

The aviation industry is committed to becoming emissions-free within the next 30 years. This requires a high level of innovation covering every aspect of aviation, including the cabin and passenger experience. Customers are also becoming increasingly sensitive to travel sustainability issues, requiring operators to take action and provide solutions that are closely aligned to this growing trend. This is reflected in the Sustainable Cabin category of the Crystal Cabin Awards, which rewards contributions with a demonstrable effect on the environmental impact of aviation.

University

The University category gives students the chance to present forward-looking products and ideas for the aircraft cabin and to establish important contacts within the industry. The concepts submitted should make flying more comfortable, intelligent or lessen its ecological footprint.

The application form and conditions of entry, an overview of the 2024 winners and a more detailed explanation of all Crystal Cabin Award categories can be found online at https://www.crystal-cabin-award.com/.

The application period runs until , 2024.

The Crystal Cabin Award is supported by:

Platinum Sponsors: AERQ (Category Sponsor: Cabin Concepts), Panasonic Avionics Corporation(Category Sponsor: Sustainable Cabin)

Gold Sponsors: Airbus, The Boeing Company, Collins Aerospace, Diehl Aviation, Lufthansa Technik, Safran,Thales, Thompson Aero Seating

Trophy Sponsor: Krüger Aviation

Online Sponsors: Jetliner Cabins, Sekisui Kydex

Crystal Cabin Award Show Partner: Aircraft Interiors Expo, Jetway Communications

Media Partners: Aircraft Interiors International, APEX, Flight Chic, Flightglobal, Future Travel Experience, Inflight Magazine, PaxEx Aero, Runway Girl Network

Join the sponsors and supporters of the Crystal Cabin Award! Information about sponsoring opportunities and packages is available from Jette Koch: jette.koch@hamburg-aviation.com.

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