Companies, institutions and students can apply now for one of aviation's most prestigious awards

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Update: Deadline Extended until February 8th, 2023!

Hamburg, 26 October 2022: A new chapter opens for the world's most prestigious award for innovation in aircraft cabins and passenger comfort. Until January 25^th, 2023, aviation companies, design studios, airlines and students were able to enter the Crystal Cabin Awards 2023, which is awarded in eight categories.

The award comprises a multi-stage process beginning with a selection of three finalists per category by the international jury of almost 30 aviation experts. During Aircraft Interiors Expo, the world’s biggest PaxEx trade fair, the jury chooses the winners to be announced on 6 June 2023 in Hamburg. This year’s opening of submissions coincides with the APEX EXPO in Long Beach, California, which hosts numerous players in this segment. Submissions are open now via www.crystal-cabin-award.com.

The Future of Flight in Eight Categories

The Crystal Cabin Award is considered one of the aviation industry's most internationally coveted and hotly contested awards. Winners in 2022 included major industry names such as Collins Aerospace, Safran and Southwest Airlines, as well as emerging companies such as Caeli Nova and Diab. The 2023 edition uses the same category structure as last year’s award.

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

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 - presented by AERQ

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.

Student entries remain free!

This year, entrants will again have the opportunity to take advantage of an Early Bird rate. Entrants who submit their application by 25 December 2022 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.

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