Magazine Archive : Aircraft Interiors International

Join our
LinkedIn Group

Latest Videos and Images

Optimares Sabre seat Video

KLM New Business-class Cabin Design Images

Visit Our YouTube Channel

In this Issue - November 2012

The Aircraft Interiors International November 2012 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cabin overhaul: How to overhaul your seating, IFE and lighting with minimal downtime

GUI design: A well-designed IFE interface should provide depth of content while being simple to navigate. Here’s how

Lighting: Advances in cabin lighting set the mood

Stowage: How clever cabin stowage design can help accommodate the growing levels of carry-on baggage

Textiles, leather and flooring: Aircraft cabin materials companies share their views on future trends

JAL New Sky: An in-depth look at Japan Airlines’ cabin revamp and upgrades

Thai Smile: Thai Airways’ colourful low-cost subsidiary went from idea to reality in less than 12 months

News features: An IFE research roundup; clever ways to interact with IFE systems; better solutions for PRMs; a regional upgrade for Cathay Pacific; and a look at the Jamco Journey business-class seat for the A350

Design briefs: A space-efficient seat with no compromise on comfort; a family-friendly travel concept from door to door; and a striking idea for a casino in the air

Get personal: Nathan Sparshott, senior designer at Virgin Atlantic, explains how being an everyday pioneer is good for the passenger and the airline

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Note to Android tablet and Android phone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or Android phone to at least the Version 4.0 Operating System.

Airline Catering International 2012 - In this Issue

Airline Catering International 2012 is now available online! A special supplement for our inflight catering and galley equipment readership, providing detailed coverage of the following hot topics:

Trends report: the top trends influencing inflight menu development and cabin service

Amenity kits: Airlines reveal the goodies packed into their latest amenity kits

Case study: Flag carrier British Airways has teamed up with luxury tea brand Twinings to re-engineer a British favourite for the aircraft cabin

Tray table focus: Seat designers reveal the challenges of tray table design and what can be done about them

Premium service: Airlines are winning loyalty in premium cabins through celebrity chef-endorsed menus, ever-more personalised service and onboard chefs

Onboard sales: What can be done to maximise ancillary revenues on board?

Oven technology: The two latest wide-body aircraft programmes have inspired some eye-catching ovens built to new, more stringent standards

Bear essentials: The best inflight teddies!

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - September 2012

The Aircraft Interiors International September 2012 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Airline Branding: What is it that makes a brand cool? What would make a really cool airline brand experience on board? Some of the industry's top experts share their 'cool' ideas

Malaysia A380: Designing an A380 interior is full of temptations. What to do with the space? A bar? Shops? Showers? Malaysia has eschewed such headline grabbers in favour of creating what it believes to be the ultimate customer experience

Economy Seating: Clever reworking of the hard product in economy cabins could yield increased customer satisfaction, and increased profits

Air France Premium Classes: Air France has celebrated the arrival of its latest A380s by giving them fresher, more elegant business- and first-class cabins

Family travel: Air travel may be stressful, but it shouldn’t split up families. A little thought can keep family groups together on board, and improve the experience for everyone else, too

Catalogue seating: There is already a wide choice of seating for wide-body A350s. Read the story behind the catalogue

Galleys: A recipe for success in designing and building galleys – with a sprinkle of branding

Hollywood: Hooray for Hollywood, where aircraft can become movie stars too

Retrofitting IFE: As airlines feel pressure to upgrade ageing IFE systems, they might find the process is far from straightforward

News features: How to maximise economy revenues; American’s ambitious A321cabin plans; Mitsubishi’s MRJ; LAN’s 787 cabin revealed; better ways to board; and the latest ideas in hygienic travel

Design briefs: Molon Labe Design’s slider seat to speed passenger boarding; a futuristic city aircraft with a difference; and a double-deck premium class seat concept from Factorydesign

Get personal: Spend some time with Nigel Goode, who as director of Priestmangoode has been involved in everything from the original A380 interior concept to Malaysia’s new flagship

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - June 2012

The June 2012 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Lufthansa Business Class: This is not just any new business class, it's an all-new, clean-sheet reinterpretation of Lufthansa's business cabin

Passenger Safety: Passengers are getting heavier, but seat safety tests are not moving with the times. Are larger passengers at greater risk in the skies?

Virgin Upper Class: Following 10 years of service, Virgin Atlantic has launched its latest generation Upper Class. The ethos was evolution not revolution, but there are a few surprises

Streaming IFE: IFE is currently straddling airline-supplied systems and PEDs. A clever approach to IFE, including streaming technology, can keep everyone entertained

Short-haul long game: Twin-aisle designs dominate the design headlines, but there are exciting opportunities on the horizon for short-haul aircraft, too

Joint procurement: Airline alliances moving towards joint procurement is great for the bottom line, but it may not be so good for passengers and branding

Triple celebration: The number of the best? The recent delivery of the 1,000th Boeing 777 makes it the bestselling twin-aisle, long-range aircraft. The cabin plays a large part in its success

JAL’s Dreamliner: Step on board Japan Airlines’ Dreamliner, which can offer four seasons in one flight with its kaleidoscope of colours

Seating review: 2012 is shaping up to be a great year in seating, with many recent product launches. They may all be different, but they are all driven by weight reduction

Crystal Cabin Awards: 58 applicants, 12 runners-up and six winners. The Crystal Cabin Awards winners for 2012 have been announced

Design briefs: A range of galley inserts to bring a more homely feel to an aircraft; and a long-haul economy seat that maximises comfort and minimises weight

Personal profile: Luke Pearson of PearsonLloyd has designed everything from cosmetics containers to Virgin’s first Upper Class suite, and now Lufthansa’s Business Class. This romantic visionary is looking to bring glamour back to air travel

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - March 2012

The March 2012 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story: Hong Kong Airlines is introducing a Club Class service this spring – but how will it fare given previous all-business failures?

Supplier approval: Airframers are extending their control over the process of sourcing cabin furnishings, but some suppliers say the catalogue approach to interiors inhibits innovation

Brussels Airlines: Brussels Airlines is upgrading the cabins of its wide-body fleet as it aims to become ‘best-in-class’ on routes to Africa and New York

Engineering crisis: A shortage of engineering resources is threatening to restrict airlines’ attempts to innovate in the cabin

Boeing 747-8: The 747 is a true icon of aviation – the 747-8 Intercontinental, which will shortly begin service with Lufthansa, is now charged with writing the next chapter of this aircraft’s venerable history

High Definition IFE: The APEX Technology Committee’s High Definition
Working Group closes in on a standard, while at least one HD initiative has deployed with limited Hollywood support – but a few obstacles remain

Bombardier CSeries: Bombardier’s decision to turn cabin development for the CSeries over to one key supplier has paved the way for a number of key innovations

IFE hardware: First perceived as a threat to embedded IFE, and then deemed too complicated to repurpose, consumer tablet devices are slowly working their way back into the cabin conversation

United/Continental merger: United Airlines’ chief makes a plan for the future by leaving past troubles behind

Disruptive passengers: 2011 may well be remembered as the year of the celebrity cabin eviction – what is it that makes some passengers lose the plot?

Design briefs: A slim-line economy-class seat aimed at full-service carriers; an A320 layout with two aisles; a business-class cabin featuring separate seats and beds; and catering trolleys sold as statement furniture for the home

Personal profile: Fernanda Toro, travel experience director at LAN Airlines, discusses the carrier’s cabin selections and future plans

Fact File: Hong Kong Airlines’ newly updated fleet in numbers

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - SHOWCASE 2012

The Aircraft Interiors International Showcase 2012 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Numbers game - Continuing growth in passenger numbers means more than 30,000 new airliners will be needed in the next 20 years, according to airframer predictions – can the interiors supply base keep up?

True brit - Peter Cooke, design lead at British Airways, explains why design should matter to leading airlines – and advises on how to get the best from agencies and suppliers

Close call - Certification is a crucial stage in any aircraft interior project – as Air New Zealand recently discovered when developing its new Skycouch and Spaceseat products

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - November 2011

The November 2011 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story – live television: The long-sought ability to offer passengers live television on a global basis is becoming available from multiple sources

China Southern A380: China’s first A380 may not be the most luxurious or imaginative, but it nevertheless marks the beginning of an important chapter in aviation

Cabin repair: Passengers judge airlines by their cabins, so it makes sense to keep seats and other elements clean, comfortable and working well

Thai 747-400 retrofit: New seats and IFE are being retrofitted to THAI’s 747s as the airline prepares to take delivery of its first A380

Green plane: Southwest continues to trial a lighter, high-tech interior that could set new sustainability standards for the cabin

IFE architecture: Wireless head-end system streaming to both airline-provided screens in a seat-centric architecture and passenger-provided devices is a mash-up that works

Colour and trim: The latest leathers, carpets, textiles and treatments made for the aircraft cabin

Lighting: LED-based ambient lighting has transformed many cabins but certain pitfalls could see it leapfrogged by even more advanced technology in the future

Design briefs: A barrier-free lavatory that can be expanded in flight to enable assisted use; and A VIP interior with a difference for a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Personal profile: Daniel Kerrison of flydubai talks about the airline’s IFE plans and life in the emirate

Fact file: THAI’s long-haul fleet cabin product offering at a glance

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Airline Entertainment International 2011 - In this Issue

Airline Entertainment International Showcase 2011 is now available online! A special supplement for our IFE readership, providing detailed coverage of the following hot topics:

GUI design: Today’s connected travellers expect feature-rich content, touchscreen control and seamless connectivity – how are airlines developing GUIs to keep apace?

Android: The Android operating system looks set to transform the inflight experience for passengers as major IFE vendors start to explore the new possibilities it offers

Digital wallets: Digital wallets and mobile money are set to revolutionize inflight purchasing – but just how far off is the cashless traveller?

Content delivery: Seamless digital ordering, delivering and loading of IFE content onto the aircraft remains a distant dream – but regional centres and embedded data loaders are helping to improve things while work continues on a wireless solution

IFEC trends: Three leading IFEC experts share their three top predictions for the coming year

Airline case study: Emirates’ VP of product, publishing, digital and events explains the trends influencing the airline’s IFEC policy

Social media: Rico, Air New Zealand’s furry ambassador, spills all on hanging with the stars and finding fame on YouTube

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - September 2011

The September 2011 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story – Airbus Concept Cabin: Dismissed by some as mere brand alchemy, Airbus’s Concept Cabin nevertheless asks all the right questions – and hints at some fascinating answers

ANA 787: ANA finally looks set to begin 787 commercial service this September – so what can we expect to see on board?

Reduced mobility: An aging population and growing numbers of travellers with disabilities mean new considerations for aircraft cabin designers

Korean Air A380: Korean Air has unveiled the roomiest A380 yet – with its spacious layout complemented by headline-grabbing lounges and even a duty-free shop

Cabin recycling: Most cabin furnishings currently cannot be recycled, but airframers and airlines alike are working to make it possible

Weight reduction: Lighter seats and other cabin elements are helping airlines achieve substantial reductions in fuel consumption, costs and emissions

airberlin upgrades: Germany’s second largest airline is investing in both its short- and long-haul fleet as it prepares to join the oneworld alliance in 2012

Seat supply: Airlines continue to complain of a lack of innovation and choice among seating firms, but can a new generation of suppliers provide a solution?

Airbus IFE: Airbus reveals its next-generation IFE requirements for the A350XWB

IFE future: Reports of the death of airline-provided IFE have been greatly exaggerated – neither PEDs, nor live TV, nor inflight connectivity have got the better of it yet – but will they in the future?

Luke Miles: Virgin Atlantic’s new head of design takes time out to talk about his ambitions for the airline

Design briefs: A rail car concept to improve airport-city connections; and a futuristic bizjet cabin concept that has already been translated into a mock-up

Show preview: The top innovations to look out for at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas, APEX and IFSA shows in Seattle, USA, this September

Personal profile: Chase Craig of Alaska Airlines on the airline’s IFEC choices, and what expo visitors can do in his home town, Seattle

Fact file: airberlin’s fleet in numbers

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - June 2011

The June 2011 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Lufthansa 747-400: Lufthansa’s new Boeing 747-400 upper deck cabin offers first-class passengers their own full-length bed alongside each seat – with just eight seats in total

Passenger profiles: Airlines that take the time to really understand passenger needs through the use of customer profiling are realising increased revenues through game-chasing products.

Virgin Australia: Virgin Blue has been rebranded as Virgin Australia, and its latest aircraft feature new business- and economy-class seats designed to provide a contemporary twist to the cabin

IFE interfaces: The latest control units offer new ways of interfacing with IFE systems, enabling passengers to replicate the multi-device environment they typically enjoy at home

Lavatory design: Lighting, décor, accessibility, functionality and hygiene are among the considerations in lavatory design, and new approaches promise both operational and aesthetic benefits

Hamburg cluster: What are the secrets behind Hamburg’s rise as the undoubted global centre for excellence and innovation in cabin design and technology?

Seating review: Seven super seats from Aircraft Interiors Expo 2011 – including the latest thinking in the fast-moving high-density business-class and ultralight economy-class sectors

WiFi on board: Despite fears of rogue radio frequencies running loose in the cabin, onboard mobile phone use continues apace without incident with inflight WiFi rapidly following in its wake

Design briefs: A single-aisle design for wide-body aircraft from C&D Zodiac; and an overlapping high-density business-class concept from Formation Design

Expo review: The most exciting products launched at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2011 in April – and who triumphed in this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards

Personal profile: Mr Burns on a motorcycle – meet Kerry Reeves, Air New Zealand’s manager of aircraft programmes

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - March 2011

The March 2011 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story – future cabin: Many have wild visions of the future cabin, but could the differences be much more subtle than we expect?

Cathay Pacific: The airline is flipping the traditional herringbone business-class format on its head to redress passenger concerns regarding seat width and privacy

Boarding times: The time taken to board and disembark passengers has a major impact on aircraft turnaround times – is there a better way?

Livery Design: Four design and brand experts explain how to get logo and livery design right, and speculate on how technology will enable different ways of branding in the future

NFW concept: A new concept from Contour and Factorydesign looks beyond a flat bed and a nice meal to create an onboard flight experience with a difference

Ka-band: The struggle for passenger broadband dominance started in earnest last year when two Ku-band satellite providers flung down the gauntlet to the L-band incumbent – but now a third technology – Ka-band – is about to enter the fray

Flydubai: Emirates of Dubai has been a global leader in IFE and connectivity for years but now its low-fare sibling is displaying the same pioneering spirit

Narrow-bodies: New lightweight seats are helping airlines transform their short- and medium-haul services, while passenger expectations are driving the addition of connectivity and IFE to narrow-body cabins

Enabling platform: A new cabin architecture offers enhanced options for customisation and enables Airbus to include provision for future reconfiguration in its A350 catalogue offerings

Teague Flight 2.0: A radical future vision of flight divides air travel between sedate airships for leisure travel and ultra-efficient jets for only the most essential business trips

Design brief: A glossy, futuristic economy-class short-haul cabin from the University of Applied Sciences Munich

Guest room: Peter Vink of Delft University takes a closer look at the psychological factors behind passenger comfort

Show preview: Our pick of the innovations to be displayed at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg

Personal profile: Reza Soltanian, president of Regent Aerospace, on recycling and restoration

Fact file: The vital statistics on Cathay Pacific’s fleet

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - SHOWCASE 2011

The Aircraft Interiors International Showcase 2011 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Inside out - Joe Ferry, until very recently head of design at Virgin Atlantic, provides some honest insights into the design management process

Look back - 2010 in review: the stories that helped shape the year

Take five - How important is design to the leading airlines and where are the future opportunities to differentiate the onboard experience? Five in-house experts share their views

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Airline Catering International 2011 - In this Issue

Airline Catering International 2011 is now available online! A special supplement for our inflight catering and galley equipment readership, providing detailed coverage of the following hot topics:

Maximising taste: Research has shed more light on how passengers’ taste buds are affected in flight – but what can airlines actually do about it?

Buy-on-board: The cashless cabin is driving onboard sales of food and beverages

Future galleys: Airbus’s potentially game-changing SPICE galley may be on the horizon, but that’s not stopping manufacturers from developing their own innovations

Presentation ideas: All the best food packaging and presentation ideas

Airline interview: Kim Chong, manager of catering services for Dragonair, gives a behind-the-scenes account of some of the airline’s most popular schemes – from restaurant tie-ins to special seasonal fare

Airline interview: Martin Daley, group executive of product and guest services at Virgin Australia, on the airline’s collaboration with top chef Luke Mangan for its new domestic business-class menu and buy-on-board options

IFSA interview: Vicky Stennes, president of the International Flight Services Association (IFSA), and vice president of inflight experience at JetBlue Airways, on the association’s latest initiatives

Airline interview: Peter Schneider of Swiss’s intercontinental inflight product development team explains how the airline chooses its wines

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - November 2010

The November 2010 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story – Boeing 787: From psychological research to timed physical installation checks, Boeing has gone to unprecedented lengths to make sure the interior of its 787 looks good, feels better and fits together perfectly

Stand-up seating: The attention surrounding the SkyRider seat that AvioInteriors showed at September’s Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas prompts a closer look at an idea that refuses to go away

Turkish Airlines: Priestmangoode had just 12 months to develop a new brand identity and interiors for one of Europe’s fastest growing airlines

Koito update: The fallout from Koito’s admission that it has falsified seat testing data continues, with airlines asked to inspect and possibly remove seats currently in service

ATR 600 Armonia: Slimline seating and sculpted ceiling, side panels and overhead bins help lighten the mood on the new ATR 600 Armonia interior, with design input from Giugiaro

Handheld players: The use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology for handheld IFE is so over – or is it?

Fabric, leather and flooring: New products and technologies from aviation’s leather, fabric and flooring suppliers

Lighting: A look at the latest lighting products designed to make the aircraft cabin safe, attractive and flexible

Design brief: A flexible seat layout system from Seymourpowell

Personal profile: Priestmangoode’s Luke Hawes

Fact file: Turkish Airlines’ long-haul fleet in numbers

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Airline Catering International 2010 - In this Issue

NEW: Airline Catering International 2010 is now available online! A special supplement for our inflight catering and galley equipment readership, providing detailed coverage of the following hot topics:

Cover story: Can airlines make money from meals without alienating passengers already ‘nickel and dimed’ at every turn?

Sustainability: Inflight catering produces a colossal amount of waste – but what can airlines and equipment manufacturers do about it?

New galley: Airbus says airline concerns about the potential operational problems of its new SPICE galley standard are exaggerated and vastly outweighed by the likely benefits – the first SPICE units are set to enter service in 2013

Interview: Michelin Star chef Marc Fosh reveals the rigours of working with Lufthansa and LSG Sky Chefs as part of the airline’s renowned Star Chefs dining programme

Trolley round-up: Manufacturers are finding ways to make their new trolleys lighter, brighter and easier to use

Interview: Vicky Stennes, president of the International Flight Services Association, and vice president of inflight experience at JetBlue Airways, on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - September 2010

The September 2010 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story: Airliners used to carry passengers – now they transport guests, customers or travellers – how can the IFE system help their operators redress the erosion of fare income by turning them into buyers?

Airline case study: Inspired by its First Class Terminal at Frankfurt, Lufthansa’s new first class on its A380s responds to customer requests for peace and privacy

Supply chain: Diehl’s acquisition of Dasell Cabin Interiors underlines the German industrial group’s ambition to become a supplier of complete, integrated cabin systems

Seating concept: B/E Aerospace and Priestman Goode have developed the Open Concept Suite – a stylish first-class product that wouldn’t look out of place in your living room

Premium seating: Every trick in the book is being employed by vendors desperate to help airlines squeeze more seats into business class without any loss in comfort

Airline case study: JetBlue celebrates its 10th anniversary this year – and continues to hold true to its original values of service and product

Economy seating: Established giants are competing with an influx of new companies in the economy and premium-economy seat market, resulting in more space- and weight-efficient products

New aircraft: Irkut exhibited a mock-up of its MS-21 single-aisle airliner at Farnborough in July, with a singularly well-appointed cabin from C&D Zodiac

Show preview: Our pick of the innovations to be displayed at Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas

Design briefs: Priestman Goode’s Mercury Train; Design FL’s suspended seating concept, ‘Air’; and ‘Neoseat’ – a slimline economy model from Mormedi

Opinion: Daniel Baron of Lift Strategic Design says talk of twin aisles on narrowbodies misses the point

Personal profile: Christina Foerster, general manager, intercontinental product management at Lufthansa

Fact file: The vital statistics of Lufthansa’s long-haul fleet

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Airline Entertainment International 2010 - In this Issue

NEW: Airline Entertainment International 2010 is now available online! A special supplement for our IFE readership, providing detailed coverage of the following hot topics:

Blurred visions: HD video is hot, with IFE providers queuing up to trumpet new products – but there’s a lot more to delivering a true HD experience than meets the eye

Joined-up seating: The current process of procuring IFE hardware and the seats it goes into is a bit like buying a new car and then fitting the dashboard as an afterthought – however a new era of integration is now bearing fruit

Ka the killer app?: Just as the airlines decide it’s safe to dip a toe into the connectivity waters, along comes a new technology to make them think again

Regional campaign: Turboprops, regional jets and a new generation of narrowbodies are the next frontier for the IFE industry – two companies have developed overhead video installations designed specifically for the smaller cabin

What’s in a name? Patrick Brannelly, WAEA president, on the association’s recent change of name

Interview: Patrick Candelier, Airbus cabin services marketing, explains the aircraft manufacturer’s take on the fast-moving connectivity sector – and why it believes L-band is the best option – at least for now…

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - May 2010

The May 2010 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story: Some airlines are stripping away their front cabins, while others continue to invest – ultimately the future of first class relies on a better understanding of customer needs on specific routes

Airline case study: British Airways' new First combines intelligent design with a proven heritage to create a truly authentic and liberating luxury experience

Seat safety: For passengers, aircraft seats are just a more or less comfortable place to spend the journey – but in regulatory terms, the main consideration is the protection they provide in the event of a crash

Airline case study: Operating the world’s longest sectors has inspired Air New Zealand to develop an innovative 777-300ER cabin that breaks new ground in accommodation, entertainment and service

A350 catalogue: Airbus has just published its catalogue of approved cabin equipment for the A350 – so who’s in and who’s out, and what are the options available?

Airline case study: Oman Air is spending heavy on luxury interiors and the latest cabin technology – CEO Peter Hill explains the airline's strategy

IFE engineering: A new wave of IFE entrants are taking a fresh look at how entertainment is delivered on board by shifting storage and processing power from the head-end to the seat

Airline case study: Condor is the first airline to retrofit its A320 fleet with the new Enhanced Cabin from Airbus

Wireless IFE: Wireless was to be the next big thing for the IFE industry, but now the top two suppliers have tuned out, leaving an ambitious newcomer to try its luck

Airline case study: Philippine Airlines has introduced new interiors inspired by the carrier’s home coastline on its latest 777-300ERs

Show preview: Our pick of the innovations to be displayed at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg

Personal profile: Peter Tennent of Factorydesign is a firm believer in the value of building physical mock-ups

Design briefs: Molon Labe Designs’ sliding seat allows extra aisle room; and the Lady-Lav – a dedicated lavatory for female use on board aircraft

Personal profile: Richard Stevens, managing creative director at forpeople – a London-based design firm that advises on all aspects of luxury

Fact file: ANZ’s fleet at a glance

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - February 2010

The February 2010 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story: Korean Air has embarked on a major fleet overhaul, with new Kosmo Suites from Contour spearheading a package of seating and IFE improvements to mark its 40th anniversary

IFE and seat integration: Once upon a time, IFE was IFE and seats were seats and never the twain should meet – but Panasonic’s ‘fusion’ project heralds a new era of closer integration and cooperation between the two sectors

Airline case study: ANA’s new ‘Inspiration of Japan’ brand sees the launch of a new inflight product and service concept on its 777-300ERs

Increasing seat density in business class: Flat beds are de rigueur in today’s most sought-after business-class cabins, but the problem for airlines is how to square recumbence with revenue and extend sleeping space without eroding seat density

Gulf focus: Gulf-based carriers have redefined premium-class air travel in recent years, as their buying power has even enabled them to persuade the manufacturers to modify their airframes to accommodate new amenities

Onboard catering: Beyond investing in new ‘hard’ onboard products, airlines also need to ensure their inflight catering and service remain compelling for frequent fliers

Personal profile: PAIG’s Ben Bettell, who is set to retire this summer, on everything from the influence of the automotive sector, to how to throw a good party!

AIME preview: Our pick of the innovations to be displayed at Aircraft Interiors Middle East

Design brief: Priestmangoode’s compact design for a multitasking budget hotel bedroom

Fact file: Korean Air’s fleet at a glance

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - SHOWCASE 2010

The Aircraft Interiors International Showcase 2010 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Birthday wishes - Virgin Atlantic celebrated its 25th birthday earlier this year, but Joe Ferry, head of design, is more concerned with the airline’s future, writes Anthony James

Money talks - Jay Sorensen of IdeaWorks argues baggage fees and food-for-purchase schemes will eventually become commonplace on all airlines, regardless of route or brand position, as carriers look to boost income

Shake and break - In a world of long hauls and short attention spans, few things are more likely than an IFE failure to raise a passenger’s blood pressure, writes Brendan Gallagher

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - November 2009

The November 2009 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story: The latest display technology to better integrate electronic components and make screen-equipped seats slimmer, more comfortable and more affordable

Bon voyage: Air France is the first European airline to offer a fixed-shell seat in premium economy

Acute angle: How one key design decision makes all the difference to passenger comfort in US Airways’ new Envoy Suite

Slim liners: Good things, they say, come in small packages: three new regional jets from northeast Asia are seeking to prove the proverb true with their promise of mainline comfort and space

Light touch: From easing the pangs of jetlag to reinforcing brand loyalty, today’s intelligent cabin lighting systems are beginning to make a big difference to the passenger experience

Spice time: Airbus is approaching decision time on whether to take its SPICE galley to market as a replacement for the decades-old standards that govern current equipment design

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Airline Entertainment International 2009 - In this Issue

NEW: Airline Entertainment International September 2009 is now available online! A special supplement for our IFE readership, providing detailed coverage of the following hot topics:

Ancillary revenue: Earning significant extra cash from IFE and passenger communications has long been a Holy Grail for the airlines, but now the disastrous state of their business has added new urgency to their efforts

Connectivity: The argument about passenger demand for onboard connectivity is over, but it’s still anybody’s guess as to which technology will dominate in the long run

Content delivery: For years the antiquated ‘Sneakernet’ that delivers content to the aircraft on the ground has made IFE an anomaly in an increasingly wired world – How close to realisation is the vision of end-to-end network delivery?

Handhelds: The apparently low costs of entry have attracted a crowd of hopefuls to the handheld IFE market over recent years, but now there are just two main contenders, with a pack of B-listers fighting for the scraps

PLUS: Exclusive interviews with IFE managers and decision-makers at the major airlines:

Dee Brady: Q&A with British Airways' IFE programming manager

Christian Köerfgen: Q&A with Lufthansa's VP of product management and innovation

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - September 2009

The September 2009 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Virtual certification: Using software rather than hardware to assess the safety of new seat designs promises to make innovation easier – or so the theory goes!

Airline case study: Etihad’s award-winning Diamond (first) class now boasts individual suites and a luxurious changing room – but that’s only half the story

Ancillary revenue: Airlines are quickly catching on to the ancillary revenue streams to be made from à la carte fees for everything from checked baggage, food and IFE, but where should carriers seek to draw the line?

Airline case study: British Airways’ new all-business-class service between London City and New York JFK hopes to succeed where others have failed

Vertical space: Pie in the sky or inevitable long-haul product development conclusion? A new generation of tiered seating and sleeping schemes aim to turn headroom into bedroom

Future cabin (IFE): In-seat sensors, a powerful local area network, and a huge increase in connectivity bandwidth are at the heart of Thales’s future cabin vision

Soft furnishings: Four aviation colour and trim experts share their thoughts on the latest soft furnishing trends, materials and technologies shaping cabin design

Personal profile: Alan Pellegrini, vice-president and general manager of Thales’s IFE business, on the wonders and headaches of technology

Expo preview: What to look out for at Aircraft Interiors Expo Asia

Design brief: Blue Sky’s SleepSeat

Design brief: Architecture and Vision’s interior design for a ‘rocket plane’ destined for space tourism

Fact file: Etihad's fleet at a glance

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - June 2009

The June 2009 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Cover story: As companies continue to cut back on business-class travel, premium economy has a vital role to play in boosting airline revenues, but what is its optimum cabin configuration?

Design report: Nautilus, a premium-class cabin concept for the A380 mock-up, boasts curves in all the right places

Product focus: Aircraft Interiors Expo 2009 saw a multitude of new economy seating products and concepts, all focused on reduced weight, low cost of ownership and improved living space and comfort

Product focus: A look at the rise in popularity of in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems in single-aisle airliners and regional jets (including some leading systems’ vital statistics)

Design report: LED mood lighting, sculpted ceilings, and bigger bins and windows lie at the heart of the new Sky interior for the Boeing 737

Hot topic: Aircraft seat manufacturing needs a shake-up in ambition, technique and innovation according to experts both inside and outside of the industry – but where will the change come from and what form will it take?

Airline case study: A new logo, new interiors and fresh food are designed to ensure Latin American airline TACA presents a contemporary image to international customers

Personal profile: Klaus Brauer, Boeing’s recently retired director of passenger satisfaction and revenue, looks back over an illustrious career

Expo review: The key trends from Aircraft Interiors Expo 2009 in Hamburg

Crystal Cabin Awards: The winners and runners up from this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards

Design brief: James Lee’s ‘Paperclip’ armrest

Design brief: aeras seat project’s economy-class seat

Fact file: TACA International Airlines’ fleet at a glance

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - March 2009

The March 2009 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Expo Preview: The products to look out for at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, as well as interviews with leading exhibitors

Cover story: With designer wallpaper, a funky bar and cheeky crockery items, V Australia hopes to add a little Aussie humour and style to the Virgin family of airline brands

Hot topic: Cabin engineers are facing conflicting demands, with pressure to save weight seemingly at odds with the need to keep passengers happy and revenues up

New product launch: SWISS is introducing first-class suites on board its new A330 fleet, however the airline currently has no plans to introduce the same product on its A340s

Hot topic: Safety videos needn’t be boring – airlines are adopting a range of new strategies to ensure passengers pay attention, while reinforcing their own brand values

Airline Case Study: Other low-cost, long-haul start-ups may have failed, but Air Asia X’s strict grasp of the no-frills model suggests a much brighter future

Hot topic: More harmonisation and standardisation in economy seating could help both airlines and their suppliers to cut their costs and increase their efficiency

Airline Case Study: Aeroflot’s reinvention continues with the arrival of its first A330-200, which boasts a new interior that should give both crew and passengers plenty to smile about

Hot topic: The FAA denies its new Organisation Designation Approval (ODA), which allows companies to ‘self-certify’ major interiors modifications, is a threat to safety standards

Case Study: More than 50 years have passed since British Airways flew its first transatlantic passenger jet flight – how times have changed!

Airline Case Study: Transaero’s new Imperial class features a lavish meal service inspired by Russia’s Imperial past

Personal Profile: Ian Scoley, head of industrial design, cabin innovation, Airbus shares some personal insights and inspirations

Design Brief: JPA and Sicma Aero Seat’s reverse-herringbone business-class suite

Design Brief: AIDA’s private office module

Fact File: SWISS’s fleet at a glance

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

In this Issue - SHOWCASE 2009

The Aircraft Interiors International Showcase 2009 issue is now available online! Packed full of news, interviews and features, including:

Ones to watch: Aircraft Interiors International picks four movers and shakers primed to make an impact on the industry going forward

Tough times? Robert Smith of IMDC provides some common sense IFE advice for airlines looking to weather the current economic storm

Fear itself: Paul Wylde, Teague’s new creative director, considers how the industry can survive the credit crunch by designing for fear

Note to iPad and iPhone readers: to view this digital edition with the latest interactive features, please ensure you have upgraded your tablet or iPhone to at least the iOS 5 Operating System.

Web Exclusives

The CEO of Mormedi, a Spanish design firm that has been involved in everything from domestic ovens, to the initial A380 super first-class concept, to the new Iberia cabins, shares his views on design
Click here to read more

As ever, weight was the predominant theme among the many seat manufacturers exhibiting at the Expo, while business class looks to be continuing its trend toward greater luxury. We bring you the latest news from the world of aircraft seating
Click here to read more

From films and leathers, to galleys and lavs, 2013 is a big year for innovations and announcements in the aircraft interiors industry
Click here to read more

As passenger demand for inflight connectivity surges and even the smallest airlines seek suitable IFE systems, this year's Expo was a hotbed of new IFEC technologies, deals and announcements
Click here to read more

Following evaluation by a panel of 25 experts, a total of 47 submissions from 11 countries submitted to the Crystal Cabin Awards 2013 were whittled down to three finalists in each of the seven categories. Here is your guide to the winners and the runners-up.
Click here to read more

Supplier Spotlight

Click here for listings and information on leading suppliers covering all aspects of the aircraft interiors industry. Want to see your company included? Contact simon.hughes@ukipme.com for more details.

Submit your industry opinion

Do you have an opinion you'd like to share with the aircraft interiors community? Good or bad, we'd like to hear your views and opinions on the leading issues shaping the industry. Share your comments by sending up to 500 words to adam.gavine@ukipme.com

Submit Your Recruitment Ad

To send us your recruitment advertising or to receive information on placing a banner please email simon.hughes@ukipme.com