The shortlist of the 2025 The Crystal Cabin Awards features over 50 entries in total in seven categories, the organisers have announced. The awards, which take place on 8 April 2025 in Hamburg as part of the Aircraft Interiors Expo, provide a platform for innovative solutions that enhance passenger comfort and safety and promote efficiency and sustainability within the aviation industry.
Entries include Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite, which is a business class seat for the Boeing 777-300ER developed in collaboration with JPA Design and Reaktor. It allows passengers to control lighting, seat position, and crew communication via a synchronised system. Pre-programmed Activity Modes and integrated control units enable intuitive personalisation, including a display of lavatory availability. Lufthansa Technik’s Haptic Dial redefines inflight entertainment controls through tactile feedback, allowing passengers to make precise adjustments without looking at the screen.
Another entry is UNIO, a standalone electronic component designed like a desk lamp that consolidates various Line Replaceable Units into one, simplifying seat manufacturing and maintenance and offering airlines a customisable product that reflects their brand identity across the fleet.
Healthy Motion Seating offers physiological and psychological benefits for passengers, designed for electrically adjustable seats in First and Business Class and requiring no additional hardware, resulting in reduced seat weight.
Cathay Pacific’s Gallery in the Skies transforms the Business Class cabins of the Boeing 777-300ER into art galleries, showcasing works by artists with a strong connection to Hong Kong.
The “Sustainable Cabin” category aims to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of aircraft cabins. Air France’s Embraer 190 fleet with new, comfortable seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration, developed with Expliseat, are lightweight and help reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.
Krüger Aviation’s product KRC PC 100, in cooperation with Green Mobility Interior and Airbus, is an innovative recycled polycarbonate made entirely from production waste. The material meets stringent industry safety and quality standards, supports zero-waste production, and is versatile in applications such as sheets, granulates, and filaments.
EcoFlex InFlight by Mohawk Group offers a sustainable, efficient alternative to traditional carpeting and has a modular design which simplifies installation, and its polyolefin backing contains at least 40% recycled content, making it PVC-free and environmentally friendly.
An entry by Boeing, Adient Aerospace, Botany Weaving and LanzaTech features innovative seat fabric materials made from CO₂ waste. Surface solutions such as Peter/Lacke’s 2PL² coating and Boxmark Leather’s Sustainable Leather Innovation expand the portfolio with eco-friendly coatings and leather products that reduce the environmental footprint of aircraft interiors.
In the “Accessibility” category, entries include FlightPath3D’s Accessibility Map which offers a user-friendly, high-contrast map that helps passengers with visual, motor, cognitive, or auditory impairments navigate the aircraft more easily, and Collins Aerospace’s Prime+ Cabin Platform System which enables wheelchair users to remain in their wheelchairs throughout the flight, providing a safe, dignified, and comfortable travel experience. Delta Flight Products’ Inclusive Lavatory and Diehl Aviation’s Space also offer intelligent design solutions that combine accessibility with comfort.
Entries in the “University” category include UDIT’s R.A.I.S.S (Restroom Autonomous In-flight Sanitising System), a groundbreaking solution for in-flight restroom hygiene, featuring an autonomous robot that cleans the floor after each use. The cabin also integrates interactive screens, an island-style sink, and a self-cleaning toilet system to improve functionality and passenger comfort.
HAW Hamburg presents the Single Aisle Lavatory Door 1 in collaboration with Diehl Aviation, which enhances accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility in narrow cabins.
Tongji University’s Ultra-lightweight Display System uses small projectors and gesture control to reduce weight and space while offering passengers an interactive alternative to traditional screens.
The University of Cincinnati’s Air Nova, a modular AI-powered system, enhances the flight experience with personalised lighting, automated service requests, and a holographic interface.
The Inclusive Economy Aircraft concept, developed by the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Arts University Bournemouth, focuses on accessibility and comfort in Economy Class. It features wider aisles with foldable seats, expandable lavatories, and dedicated zones for passengers with mobility challenges or sensory sensitivities, complemented by quiet and family-friendly zones.
