Hamburg, 18 October 2023: A new chapter is opening for the world's most prestigious award for innovation in aircraft cabins and passenger comfort. Companies, institutions and students can now enter the Crystal Cabin Award in eight categories until 17 January 2024. The awards ceremony will take place during the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg on 28 May 2024.

‍

The award is a multi-stage process, starting with the selection of three finalists per category by an international jury of nearly 30 aviation experts. During Aircraft Interiors Expo, the world's largest PaxEx trade show, the judges will select the winners, who will be announced in Hamburg on 28 May 2024. Entries are now being accepted via www.crystal-cabin-award.com.

‍

The Future of Flight in Eight Categories

The Crystal Cabin Award is one of the aviation industry's most coveted and hotly contested international awards. Winners in 2023 included New Zealand, Collins Aerospace, Lantal Textiles, Teledyne Controls, Thales Avionics and TU Delft. Together, the winning entries represented a vision of air travel that's more connected, more comfortable and more sustainable than ever before.

‍

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 17 December 2023 are eligible for a reduced entry fee of €250 (plus 19% VAT for EU entries). After that, the submission fee €360, 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:

Cabin Concepts

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 Systems - presented by Etihad Aviation Group

This category collates innovative products that provide operators such as airlines with a significant advantage in operation or efficiency. Examples are galleys, toilet systems, trolleys, air-conditioning systems as well as seats, primarily defined by efficiency aspects such as weight and space utilization. Digital solutions for passengers have their own category, "IFEC & Digital Services".

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.

Material & Components

This category recognizes new materials and applications in the cabin that reduce costs and increase usability. It covers an enormous variety of different aircraft components; individual components or materials may be submitted, but not a fully developed product such as a seat.

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 be rated 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 2023 winners and a more detailed explanation of all Crystal Cabin Award categories can be found online at www.crystal-cabin-award.com.