Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) – the world’s premier event for those responsible for cabin interiors, inflight entertainment and passenger comfort – will welcome the world’s leading aircraft seat manufacturers, including Aviointeriors S.p.a, JAMCO Corporation, Safran, Recaro, Acro Aircraft Seating and Geven SpA, when it returns to Hamburg from 31 March – 2 April 2020. 

Amid a flourishing market – the aircraft seating sector is projected to grow from $7 billion in 2019 to $12 billion by 2027 – Aircraft Interiors Expo will offer airline buyers the opportunity to see the latest seating concepts that maximise space and enhance the passenger experience onboard. 

And, with an increased focus on comfort and rising demand for premium economy class seats, exhibitors are gearing up to demonstrate how their exciting solutions cater to today’s discerning passenger. 

On the show floor

While attendees may have to wait for the opening day to hear brand new product announcements, a host of exhibitors have already confirmed the innovative seating concepts that will be available on the show floor.

Returning to AIX 2020, Aviointeriors S.p.a. will display its Mona Lisa first-class suite. It provides passengers with privacy, a full flat horizontal bed for superior sleeping comfort, a 21” IFE screen and super-wide table to fulfil all entertainment and dining needs onboard. The company will also promote its Columbus range of seating options, including economy class seats, the narrowbody Columbus 2 range and EASA Class 3 compliant crew rest – ideal for single-aisle, high-density layouts that retain full passenger capacity during non-crew-rest operations.  

Also joining the line-up in Hamburg, Acro Aircraft Seating, a UK based manufacturer of passenger seats for commercial aircraft, will showcase its Series 7 Premium Economy seat. Developed to optimise the ‘space within a space’, the extra spatial design is aesthetically pleasing and functional. It incorporates personal storage consoles and an elegant single leaf table.  In addition to the Series 7, Acro will demonstrate its next-generation Series 6 Economy seat, which is built around a fully composite seatback, offering 2” more room at knee level, allowing taller passengers to easily stretch out, even at 28” pitch.

Molon Labe Designs will return with its popular long-haul economy class ‘stagger-seat’ and new S3 “Side-Slip Seat” – based on the S1 “Space Seat”. In addition to all the original benefits, the S3 design doubles the aisle width during boarding by sliding the aisle seat over the middle seat. This can reduce boarding time by up to 30%, saving ground cost, emissions and time. 

Driving class and comfort

AIX will also showcase the latest material innovations for additional comfort and sophistication onboard. Exhibitors such as ACM – Aircraft Cabin Modification – GmbH will offer advice on specialist seat covers, laminated leather, fabrics and synthetics, while AERISTO will unveil its high-quality aviation leathers and sheepskins. SkyPaxxx and Sky-Tiles will also return to Hamburg to demonstrate how airlines can achieve the perfect seat cover and cushion combination to match passenger expectations and branding goals. 

The place to discover innovation

Renowned as a platform for the industry to unveil their latest product launches, AIX has seen a raft of exciting product announcements over the years. From the unveiling of Recaro’s CL6710 business class seat and Starling Aerospace’s lightweight track and swivel seat; to Tapis Corporation’s impressive display of no less than four new models. This included Butterfly’s Single Aisle Lie Flat (SALF) seat; Rebel Aero’s S3 seat featuring a flip-up seat-bottom cushion; Molon Labe’s side-slip seat; and Safran’s Slim Plus range. With so many innovative product launches in one place, AIX has proven it is the place for industry bellwethers to announce the latest in seating innovations. 

Speaking about this year’s exhibition, Polly Magraw, Event Director, said: “Seat comfort and interior design are important factors that impact the passenger experience, especially on long-haul flights. And, as flight times continue to extend, comfort has become an increasingly important consideration for airlines. Exhibitors at this year’s AIX will demonstrate the value that great design adds to interiors with the passenger experience at its heart. We’re excited to see what new concepts will be announced at this year’s show.”