The Tech Trail feature is returning to World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) next week, as a showcase of 10 new technologies that can help airlines tackle challenges such as waste reduction, operational efficiencies, and enhanced inflight connectivity.
The expo, which takes place at Hamburg Messe, Germany from 14 – 16 April, will showcase technologies from exhibitors in areas such as AI-driven planning, smart galley management, sustainable audio, and seamless digital retail.
The 10 stops on the 2026 Tech Trail
The 10 innovations throughout the Tech Trail, curated with guidance from WTCE’s retail technology ambassador, Kai Kosicki, kicks off with integrated operational solutions.
- LimeFlight (stand 1A20) will be showing how its technologies can streamline load planning, meal services, inventory, and invoicing into a single airline-centric platform.
- Further along the trail, Paxia (stand 4D70) will present Paxia Cloud, an integrated catering management platform that connects the supply chain across the full catering cycle – from specifications and galley planning, through to ordering, invoicing, and analytics.
- Driessen Catering Equipment (stand 1A35) will introduce CLEO360, a smart galley system that leverages BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) tracking and predictive analytics to optimise maintenance, reduce waste, and increase sustainability.
- Another stop on the trail is fist-time exhibitor, Devion (stand 1C81), which will build on the theme of efficiency with RivoLoad robotics, an automatic trolley loading system for hygienic, labour-efficient catering flows that ensure reliability in high-pressure kitchen environments.
- The trail then turns to inventory visibility and security. Countifi (stand 1B104) applies computer vision to automate asset tracking across kitchens, warehouses, and aircraft. Computer vision removes the need for barcodes, RFID, or manual counts to deliver real-time inventory data.
- Meanwhile, Todd Research (stand 4F11) has addressed the security side of ground operations with a purpose-built X-ray screening machine designed specifically for airline catering carts, trolleys, and containers.
- Shifting to passenger-facing digital and audio innovations, Immfly (stand 1C89) unites retail, connectivity and data into one ecosystem, with technology designed to boost onboard orders while enabling services such as satcom-powered WhatsApp messaging.
- Foodcase International (stand 4C10) adds a new layer to inflight catering through its Yogi Namak AI, which delivers personalised nutrition guidance to ease travel stress and information overload.
- C8Rtech (stand 1G86) powers core catering operations with its Catering and Inflight Suites for transparency in waste reduction across global operations.
- And finally, Omnevo (stand 1E40) merges pre-order, onboard sales, and real-time insights into a revenue-boosting retail engine.
Shona Thomson, event director of WTCE, said of this year’s Tech Trail: “The pace of change in aviation catering is being driven by a combination of pressures, including tighter margins, stricter sustainability targets, and passengers who expect a retail experience in the air that matches what they get on the ground.
“What this year’s Tech Trail shows is that the industry has built solutions around these pressures. These ten exhibitors each tackle a different part of the operation chain, but are all working towards smarter and more efficient processes for caterers, airlines, and passengers alike.”
To register for World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo 2026, visit: https://www.worldtravelcateringexpo.com/en-gb/tickets.html
