Finalists of Crystal Cabin Awards 2022 announced

The finalists in the cabin concepts category include the "Air Lounge" business class seat by Collins Aerospace, which offers passengers more room and freedom to relax in different seating or sleeping positions. The "Elevate" concept by Teague and Nordam has sparked keen interest in the premium segment. Floating furniture is attached to wall braces and combines with inviting materials and contouring to build an organic, homelike space concept that allows for the same number of seats as conventional designs.

The Crystal Cabin Awards will also feature several ideas on sustainability as it is among the key issues in the future of aviation. Ken Kirtland, a student at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States, has designed an innovative electric aircraft for travelling at lower speeds over short distances. Meanwhile, the Swedish manufacturer Diab has pioneered a thermoplastics manufacturing process to produce totally recyclable panels for cabin interiors. The process is faster than methods using adhesive films, with the thermoplastic sheets welded directly onto the foam core which offers improved improved acoustic insulation for the finished material. Aero Flax, a subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik AG, hopes to save carbon dioxide emissions by using natural fibres and resins instead of glass fibres.

New concepts for controlling light and air in the cabin should offer passgengers more comfort and safety in the wake of the pandemic. The AirShield by Pexco Aerospace and Teague uses existing cabin infrastructure to lower the risk of contracting an illness from a person in the next seat by directing a specially designed airflow between passenger spaces. The Hypergamut Light by Collins Aerospace is a new cabin lighting system, which is attuned to human biology. Passengers feel more comfortable during and after their flight. The system is compatible with human circadian rhythms and attenuates blue light in a unique way so that passengers relax even with the lights on and fall asleep faster on long haul flights.

Digital connectivity is a top priority for passengers used to swift internet access. To cater to the increased demand, Anuvu and Southwest Airlines have come up with the Dedicated Space system which promises a five-fold increase in available personal bandwidth and a dramatic reduction in latency. The "Personalised Sound Zone" by Jamco Corporation and NTT Sonority aims to eliminate the need for headphones and audio cables by creating a spherical sound stage around passengers' heads. Other passengers do not hear the playback making for even more comfort.

The finalists will pitch their concepts to the jury at the world’s leading trade show for aircraft cabins, the Aircraft Interiors Expo underway from June 14-16, 2022. The winners of the 2022 Crystal Cabin Award will be announced at a gala dinner on the evening of June 14 which is being held in Hamburg's Altonaer Kaispeicher for the first time this year. 

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