Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), taking place from 14–16 April 2026 at Hamburg Messe, Germany, this year marks a quarter-century at the forefront of cabin innovation.
Archana Dharni, Event Director, Aircraft Interiors Expo, said: “Twenty-five editions in, and innovation in the aviation interiors sector is accelerating at speed. What AIX uniquely delivers is the entire interiors ecosystem in one place, moving at the pace the industry now demands. This anniversary edition is both a moment to reflect on how far the sector has come since our very first edition, and a critical launchpad for the transformational technologies that will come next. It will be simply unmissable.”
Nearly 500 companies are set to exhibit at this year’s expo. These include 74 first-time exhibitors, 14 in the new BizJet Zone, and 77 in the IFEC Zone. Of course, long-standing exhibitors are also present at the show – B/E Aerospace, Belgraver B.V, Botany Weaving Mill, Lantal Textiles AG, Percival Aviation Ltd, Rohi Stoffe GmbH, Tex Tech Industries, CELSO, Enflite, Panasonic, SCHOTT and Isovolta to name a few.
Innovation on the show floor
The innovations showcased this year include Airchair’s expanded wheelchair range, headlined by the Airchair II following a global distribution deal with Satair and WestJet’s order of 22 units for its Boeing 737 fleet.
Connectivity exhibitors include ThinKom which will unveil a new small form factor antenna supporting ultra-fast GEO, MEO and LEO operation, engineered with reduced weight, lower cost and a smaller footprint, and SES, which will be showcasing how it’s aiming to make inflight connectivity easier by standardising how Android devices connect to inflight Wi-Fi through a new partnership with Google.
When it comes to galley equipment, DKA Aerospace makes its debut with WasteLite, a lighter waste cart designed for easier handling, and ThermalCool, an insulated cart capable of keeping food below 7°C for 24 hours. A third product, addressing what the company describes as “an issue airlines have been asking to solve for years,” will be revealed exclusively at the show.
Enflite will have the company’s Modular Refrigerator displayed at the show which separates the compressor-based cooling module, storage module, and door panel, allowing each component to be routed to the appropriate teams for fit and finish. The result is improved material flow and a more streamlined aircraft completion process, the company says.
SCHOTT and F/LIST together will introduce SCHOTT® Opal Terra, a new premium reading light line incorporating natural materials such as wood and stone. SCHOTT will also debut SCHOTT® SeatSpot, a projector-based solution integrated into business-class seat shells that projects seat numbers, logos or messages to streamline boarding and enhance the passenger experience. Further, SCHOTT and jetlite are advancing their partnership to deliver a new generation of chronobiology-based cabin lighting for next-generation aircraft interiors.
Through-provoking insight on 14 April at CabinSpace Live hosted by Inflight
The show’s dedicated conference programme, CabinSpace Live, is free to attend for AIX delegates and will run over 15 sessions across three days of the exhibition. Expert panels, in-depth Q&As and practical case studies will shine a light on the trends and technologies. Inflight will once again be running the sessions exclusively on the opening day, 14 April, which will see key industry speakers from companies and airlines such as Hughes, Gogo, Airbus, Boeing, Iberia, Saudia, RoyalJet, Vueling, Thales, RAVE Aerospace, F/LIST, Stellar Entertainment, FlightPath3D, JetlinerCabins, Eutelsat, Diehl and many more.
The session topics on 14 April by Inflight include cabin connectivity; improving cabin comfort through seating, materials, lighting and air quality; advancing inclusive design; and evolving passenger expectations and sustainability goals shaping the cabin of 2030 and beyond.
Viasat will once again be hosting the Women in Aviation Leaders Luncheon which will take place on Wednesday 15 April and brings together professionals from across the aviation interiors ecosystem for an inclusive and engaging networking opportunity.
