Cathay Pacific and Diehl Aviation were both recognised in two categories at this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards, while Collins Aerospace, Safran Cabin and Tongji University also picked up awards.
The Oneworld carrier won the Judges Choice: Airline Innovation category for its Gallery in the Skies, an initiative to turn the cabin into an airborne art space, showcasing 30 unique works by artists with deep ties to Hong Kong - one masterpiece per retrofitted aircraft.
Cathay was also a winner alongside JPA Design and Reaktor in the Passenger Comfort category for the in-flight entertainment and control system in its Aria Suite, which allows passengers to manage lighting, seat position, and crew communication. In particular, the judges highlighted the ability to integrate WC availability into the system as being a long-standing aim of cabin system designers..
Diehl Aviation’s ECO bin was recognised in the Sustainable Cabin category as the first fully recyclable overhead stowage compartment, whilst its Space³ concept – a cabin design that ensures dignity and independence for passengers with reduced mobility – won the Accessibility award.
“With the ECO Bin, we are taking a decisive step toward more sustainable aviation,” says Diehl Aviation chief executive Jorg Schuler. ”Space³ redefines what accessibility means in aviation while also enhancing operational efficiency and increasing passenger experience. We are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation.”
Collins Aerospace won the Cabin Technologies category for its Galley.AI system. Judges highlighted the capability to integrate multiple information streams, system modules and components, harnessing AI in a way that lowers crew workload.
“Our Galley.AI system is designed to address many of the challenges crew members, passengers and ground teams face with onboard service and maintenance scheduling,” says Sebastien Ramus, vice-president and general manager of interior products at Collins Aerospace.
Safran Cabin won in the IFEC and Digital Services category for its Safran Connected Interiors solution, which aims to transform aircraft interior maintenance by turning real-time cabin data into smart, actionable insights.
Tongji University was awarded for its work in co-operation with Boeing on the Ultra-lightweight Display System, which reimagines IFE by using compact projectors and gesture recognition in place of traditional seat-back screens.
