This year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo proved to be a busy show for the more than 500 exhibiting companies that showcased a wide variety of innovations and new products to entice airline buyers. More than 7,900 (*pre-ABC Audit figure) visitors attended the event.

Once again new seating concepts, across all parts of the cabin interior, and the latest in inflight entertainment and connectivity drew a significant amount of visitor attention but other areas such as new galley concepts, fabrics and flooring also got a look in.

Some of the highlights and announcements – from the luxurious to the practical or downright quirky – included:

• AIM Aviation displayed the world’s first flying duty free shop which Korean Air will be using on its first 10 A380s when they enter service in June. Up to 64 individual items can be displayed and, in the event of turbulence, each of the display bottles has a strong magnet on the bottom which can withstand a 2g loading

• Airbus unveiled its Space-Flex lavatory and galley concept which can enable A320-family operators to fit an extra three seats on their aircraft

• The IMS Company said that its RAVE seat-centric inflight entertainment system is going to be installed on five Brussels Airlines Airbus A330s in the fourth quarter of 2011

• Intelligent Avionics showed a full in-seat demonstrator of its new lightweight AURA seat-centric IFE system – the total weight of each seat-centric system comes to just 1.5kg per passenger

• B/E Aerospace was demonstrating its new lightweight seat for premium cabins. Unlike electric business-class seats, the Millennium seat is all mechanical helping to ensure that the seat is lightweight and lower cost. It is suited to business or first class narrowbody cabins but would also work well as a premium economy seat for widebody aircraft

• Better hygiene in aircraft lavatories beckons with wash basin manufacturer Schüschke demonstrating its automatic, non-touch waste bin lid

• Lufthansa Technik is now able to offer an exercise bike for installation on aircraft. Engineers at the company took an off-the-shelf product, made by Technogym, and modified it to satisfy aviation regulations. It is now ready for certification

Katie Murphy, Event Director at Aircraft Interiors Expo, said: “The exhibition had a great buzz to it this year and we felt that, after the economic challenges faced by the industry in the last couple of years, companies have more freedom once again to invest in research and development.”

The next Aircraft Interiors Expo takes place from 27-29 March 2012 at the Hamburg Messe. For more information please visit www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

In co-operation with: Hamburg Messe und Congress

Ends

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 39,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the tenth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

To register for a media badge visit www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com/mediareg

Airline seat specialist Recaro will be presenting one of its lightest economy class seat products yet during Aircraft Interiors Expo, which takes place next month in Hamburg. The company’s engineering team says it has significantly reduced the weight of each Basic Line 3520 seat unit to less than 11kg, making it about 30 per cent lighter than the previous model; this weight reduction has been achieved through a combination of the use of high-tech materials and intelligent design. The seat also creates more living space for passengers as the literature rack is positioned above the tray table instead of in the knee area. This gives passengers more comfort even when the seat pitch is reduced.

Responding to requests for ‘softer’ surfaces around passengers during flights – particularly next to flat beds in first and business class, MGR Foamtex will be displaying a new, patented, soft trim panel. Cathay Pacific’s new business class product, which starts being installed across the airline’s long-haul A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER fleets this month, uses MGR SoftWall to line the headboard and also to cover the bed extension. Developed in partnership with Zotefoams, MGR SoftWall meets the cabin interior’s stringent flammability requirements and uses high performance foam that is three times lighter than silicone-based alternatives. It is also hypo-allergenic and its sound-deadening properties make it ideal for crew rest areas too.

There is a whole science behind airline seating. What affects passengers’ comfort levels? Is it the height of the seat cushion, its firmness or the sense of space around a seat that influences passenger perceptions of comfort? A great deal of research goes into finding out just what makes an airline seat comfortable. Leading aviation seat cushion supplier Franklin Products conducted some research into the ergonomics of airline seats during last year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo. The company will be sharing the full findings of this report with customers and VIP visitors during this year’s show. Three different seat cushions – of increasing levels of firmness – were tested at a variety of seat heights. The softest cushion was placed at the top height and the firmest at the lowest. While the overall response was positive to all the different settings, the softest cushion gained the most approval and the top seat height, although not dramatically different from the other two, was felt to provide the best thigh support and comfort.

Another seat cushion specialist Aerofoam Industries is making its debut at Aircraft Interiors Expo this year where it will be introducing a line of innovative, lightweight, high performance foams for aircraft seat cushions. Development of the foams was driven by current market needs for seat cushions that would offer increased passenger comfort but also come with considerable weight reduction, thus helping to save fuel costs. The company believes its new 24kg/m³ (1.5pcf) flotation foam is the lightest flotation foam currently available that is also able to be recycled. 

Aircraft Interiors Expo takes place from 5-7 April at the Hamburg Messe in Germany. The event covers the entire spectrum of the cabin interiors market and attracts airline buyers from around the world. For more information please visit www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

Ends

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region

Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 39,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the tenth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

Aircraft Interiors Expo 2010 attracted 7316* visitors (*pre-ABC audit figure) over the three-day run of the exhibition last week.  The number of airline visitors increased on the previous year with 852 representatives from 200 airlines visiting the show. 

The show’s opening press conference set the stage for what visitors were able to see on the exhibition floor.  Panellist Tim Clark, Emirates’ President said, “This show is growing in stature and content every year.”

Exhibitors backed up Clark’s praise for Aircraft Interiors Expo by continuing to show their innovative streak with a raft of announcements and new product launches.  Some of the highlights included:

• Qatar Airways’ deal with Thales to equip up to 60 Boeing 787s with its broadband connectivity services 

• First time exhibitors Optimares, whose stand included a giant airline seat and passenger, introduced a business class seat that has a curved privacy barrier built into the headrest

• Dasell Cabin Interiors, a Crystal Cabin Award winner this year, was exhibiting its new aircraft lavatory concept. This can be extended or retracted as required from its standard size, enabling its use as a changing room or a toilet for disable passengers

• Airbus demonstrated a functional prototype of its SPICE (space innovative catering equipment) galley cart, which has now been tested by a number of airlines. The SPICE galley replaces the traditional catering trolley with lightweight boxes and foldable carts for service

Other events during the show included a special presentation of all the Crystal Cabin Award winners. This took place in the Crystal Cabin Award gallery and gave winners the chance to explain in person more about their winning entries. The exhibition also played host to the second World Airline Awards ceremony which saw Asiana win the highly coveted Airline of the Year award.

Reed Exhibitions Group Exhibition Director, Ian Crawford, said: “A trip to Hamburg during Aircraft Interiors Expo offers cabin interiors buyers the opportunity to maximise their time and see a wide range of suppliers and new products all under the same roof. It really is worth their while and we’ve been very encouraged with the continuing support from airline visitors this year.” 

* Aircraft Interiors Expo is an ABC audited show.

The next Aircraft Interiors Expo takes place from 5 to 7 April 2011 at the Hamburg Messe. www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

In co-operation with Hamburg Messe

Ends

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 36,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the ninth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

“This show is growing in stature and content every year,” was the verdict of Tim Clark, Emirates’ President, speaking at the opening press conference of Aircraft Interiors Expo this morning. “We visit the show to learn, counsel and impart what we, as airline operators, know we’re going to need,” he added.

The press conference aired a number of issues that are posing challenges for the world’s airlines both now and in the future.

Addressing the initial theme of the conference, whether the industry was preparing for an upturn, Ben Bettell, Business Development Director at Premium Aircraft Interiors Group, said that there had been only a marginal downturn in OEM work but that the retrofit market was an area of concern once the upturn started. “That is what we need to be prepared for,” he said. “How do we get product to market sooner when everything ramps up.”

Two of the panel commented that Premium Economy was becoming a confusing sector for passengers. “The battle is moving into the world of defining what premium economy is,” said Bettell.  Airbus’s Head of Aircraft Interiors Marketing, Bob Lange, said: “The reason to offer premium economy needs to be as a plus for economy passengers…not something where people are encouraged to trade down from business class.”

In terms of inflight entertainment, Airbus’s Lange said the company was seeing an increasing demand for connectivity rather than entertainment. Emirates’s Clark backed this up saying: “Emirates has pushed ahead with mobile telephony – the more we push ahead the more it’s taken up but connectivity is key. The longer you travel the more passengers want to hook up to the internet.”

Looking to the future, Carter Stewart, Aviation Services Director, at Prospect Consulting & Design, said airlines would increasingly need to address issues such as the changing demographics of travellers. Designing interiors that cater for everyone from an aging population to “digital natives”, up and coming young executives who have never experienced an internet or mobile phone-free world, to what he called the “supersized” person – passengers who require more space to accommodate both height and obesity needs. Stewart said that products such as seats that could slide into a number of different positions were just starting to appear in prototype form on the exhibition floor and could start to provide some ideas in this area.

In co-operation with Hamburg Messe 

Ends

Aircraft Interiors Expo is the largest dedicated aircraft interiors event in the world and will see companies exhibiting the full spectrum of technologies and products for airline constructors and operators.  www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

For further information or high resolution images please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath in the Aircraft Interiors Media Centre on Tel: +44 (0)7733 264401 or +49 (0)40 3557 8405 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 36,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the ninth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

Recognised as the aviation industry’s launch pad for cabin interiors innovations, this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo is expecting to see a range of new products and services being unveiled – their ultimate aim is to make flying more comfortable and more energy efficient while also taking care of airlines’ bottom lines.

Taking place at the Hamburg Messe, from 18-20 May, visitors will be able to see the very latest in pioneering aircraft interiors design – from ultramodern cabin concepts down to the latest lightweight composite materials.

Solving the age old problem of accessing a window seat, without disturbing aisle side passengers, B/E Aerospace is introducing its Staggered Premium Suite concept. This is an innovative 2-2-2 layout which allows both privacy and accessibility, but also gives an airline an overall higher density configuration. With a modern architectural design, this first class suite includes an electro-chromatic glass dividing screen which provides the passenger with discretion at the touch of a button.

Meanwhile EADS Sogerma will be presenting a selection of its first and business class seating systems, including the new Ultimate Sleeper concept. Created in conjunction with Lufthansa Technik, this is an innovative Premium First Class bed and seating combination.

To enhance a cabin interior’s visual appeal, Chameleon Products will be exhibiting its latest product Visionairy. Chameleon says it can take any image and turn it into a 3D image, enclosed in a frame, which is aviation approved. The idea is for airlines to create their own 3D art galleries in sizes up to 2m by 1m. Visionairy images can be attached to bulkheads, cabin dividers or other areas onboard an aircraft.

In tune with the continuing trend towards energy efficient alternatives, Franklin Products will be discussing its Global Recycling Programme for airline cushions; this converts old fabrics into alternative cushioning products and electricity. Also on display will be Franklin’s Soft-Touch Comfort Foam, which improves weight distribution on a seat while reducing pressure points.

More energy efficient galley equipment will also be on display. Iacobucci HF Electronics will be showcasing its HF Americana beverage maker which offers a significant reduction in weight and power consumption in comparison with previous models as it is made from a new techno-plastic material.

The ability to store catering goods safely and efficiently is important to all airlines. B&W Engineering will be introducing a range of insulated containers and drawer units that employ the company’s temperature accumulator material technology. These highly insulated containers are able to hold hot goods for up to 24 hours and cold items for 100 hours during both transportation and storage, without the need to use any external cooling system such as dry ice on board.

Companies introducing new lightweight fabrics this year include Tisca Tiara, which will exhibit the latest in its collection of carpets, seat covers and curtain fabrics. Incorporating the most current trends in design, texture and colour combinations Tisca Tiara has developed a range for customers who require high durability, easy handling and life-cycle costs.

In terms of innovative lighting systems, Wessex Advanced Switching Products (WASP) will be demonstrating its new range of cabin lighting systems which use the latest in LED light technology to produce products for a variety of requirements. Mood lights, washroom lights, reading lights and customised lighting products are all covered. Meeting the need for more energy efficient solutions, WASP’s technology satisfies various requirements including variable lighting intensity and low voltage/power options.

In co-operation with Hamburg Messe.
 
Ends

Aircraft Interiors Expo is the largest dedicated aircraft interiors event in the world and will see companies exhibiting the full spectrum of technologies and products for airline constructors and operators.  www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 36,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the ninth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

Aircraft Interiors Expo has chosen local Hamburg children’s charity, The Hemshorn Foundation, as its nominated charity for 2010.

The Hemshorn Foundation works with talented children and adolescents from poor socio – economic backgrounds, of all ethnic origins. The charity’s core ethos is to support bright young people who, because of their social background, are in danger of missing out on vital educational support and mentoring to enable them to realise their potential in life.

The Foundation’s WoW programme offers youngsters educational courses which give practical insights into working in various industry sectors; each course is facilitated by professionals from the respective fields and aims to broaden the horizons of participants, introduce them to a variety of career options and motivate them to study hard to reach their chosen career goal.

The WoW program has witnessed that by introducing career perspectives, widening horizons and helping to improve the social skills of participants they can make an inspiring and decisive difference in the life of these young people.

Ian Crawford, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions, said: “My team spends quite a lot of time in Hamburg both preparing for and during Aircraft Interiors Expo so we wanted to give something back to the city and choose a local charity as part of our application to be accredited with a British Standard award for sustainability – BS8901.”

The Hemshorn Foundation was recommended to the Aircraft Interiors Expo team by the Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region. “The educational message is obviously critical to all sectors of the Hamburg economy, but we know that the aerospace sector often struggles to find enough skilled employees. Whilst there isn’t a direct link with the work that the Hemshorn Foundation carries out we feel it’s important to help to reinforce the connection between improving education for all children, and the local economy and society,” said Crawford.

Senator Axel Gedaschko, from the Hamburg Ministry for Economic and Labour Affairs, said: “The increasing shortage of management personnel and highly trained executives represents a serious challenge for the future of our economy, especially for a booming sector like aviation. Hamburg has been tackling this challenge over the last 10 years very successfully with the Qualification Initiative Aviation Industry. Particular attention is paid to long-term recruitment measures and job orientation for children and young people. The lecture series “The Fascination of Flying Technology for Children” for example is a runaway success. However for children and adolescents from underprivileged socio economic backgrounds, this potential is often lost because of a lack of adequate support. I’m therefore delighted that Aircraft Interiors Expo has decided to support the valuable work of the Hemshorn Foundation.”

Any individual or company wishing to donate to the Hemshorn Foundation (www.hemshorn-stiftung.de) can find them in Hall 6 on Stand No 6D102.

In co-operation with Hamburg Messe.
 
Ends

Aircraft Interiors Expo is the largest dedicated aircraft interiors event in the world and will see companies exhibiting the full spectrum of technologies and products for airline constructors and operators.  www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: Aviation Cluster Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 36,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the ninth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

Aircraft Interiors Expo is synonymous with design and engineering innovation and this year’s exhibition is expected to push these boundaries even further.  For the first time, Aircraft Interiors Expo is introducing an Innovation Zone on the exhibition floor at the Hamburg Messe, where the show takes place from 18 to 20 May.

A major part of the Innovation Zone is the Innovation Lounge. Sponsored by Autodesk, Inc., which provides software to help designers and engineers create visually appealing interiors, the Lounge is expected to be a major attraction on the exhibition floor. Autodesk is a leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. The company’s Digital Prototyping software not only helps with an airline’s visualisation of the interior concept, but also helps predict how the design will perform in the real world.  The company will demonstrate its software tools and illustrate Digital Prototyping in action  with the help of one of its clients - The Envisage Group - who will have a 40 per cent scale model of a futuristic aircraft seat on display.

To complete the picture, attendees can view the ultramodern first class cabin interior design that accompanies the seat in high definition, 3D glory thanks to HoloVis, a specialist in 3D visualisation, which is displaying this concept on its large scale 3D immersive ApolloWall screens. To gain the full impact, visitors will be able to pick up 3D spectacles at one of the show’s entrances and can then head to the Innovation Lounge, which is located in Hall B6 at the Hamburg Messe.

“Aircrafts Industry Expo has established itself as the largest and most important event of its type in the world,” said Richard Blatcher, manager industry marketing at Autodesk.”We are delighted  to sponsor the event’s first ever Innovation Lounge and to demonstrate how our innovative design technology enables designers to work closely with engineers on a single digital model to balance aesthetic and functional requirements while accelerating development.”

Ian Crawford, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions, said: “Aircraft Interiors Expo is all about where the cabin interiors industry is heading towards in terms of design and engineering innovation. Space restrictions mean that it’s not possible to replicate a whole cabin interior on the exhibition floor but thanks to the wonders of modern technology we’re excited to be able to show visitors a truly futuristic concept thanks to our friends at Autodesk.”

The Innovation Zone also houses the Crystal Cabin Award gallery, which celebrates excellence within aircraft interior innovation.

In co-operation with Hamburg Messe.

Ends

Aircraft Interiors Expo is the largest dedicated aircraft interiors event in the world and will see companies exhibiting the full spectrum of technologies and products for airline constructors and operators.  www.aircraftinterorsexpo.com

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: “Hamburg – The place for aviation”
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 36,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the ninth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

There will be a new crop of exhibitors among the familiar names at Aircraft Interiors Expo this year. The exhibition is delighted to welcome around 60 companies which are either totally new to the event or are returning to the show after a number of years.

Newcomer Flight Display Systems will be introducing its Next Generation Blu-ray Player for aviation. According to the company this allows customers to watch Blu-ray and DVD movies just as though they are in their own home - from any region in the world. The company will also be displaying its iPod Adapter Cable which it believes will be of particular interest to European airline customers as it incorporates some fire safety designs that EASA requested.  The product allows customers to easily plug in their iPod to share video and music throughout the aircraft cabin.

Well known for its IFE products, first time exhibitor AVID Airline Products is now branching out into inflight catering items. The company will be showing a wide array of dish styles which can be produced in an airline’s corporate colours. The company will also be bringing along its two latest ear-line IFE headsets – models AE-6 and AE-7. These lightweight headsets are suitable for both short and long haul flights. Featuring comfortable ear hooks and a soft ear cushion, the company claims the sound quality is excellent and their elegant design means they are particularly suited for premium and business class users.

Cabinair Services, which is exhibiting for the first time, has recently introduced a new service to solve the problem of worn-out and tatty rubber arm caps on airline seats. The company has created a system to repair and refurbish tired-looking rubber arm caps, giving them a makeover by filling any holes with a flexible material and replicating the original surface texture, before adding a new paint finish. The system is water-based and conforms to CS25.853.

Also new to Hamburg this year is Baran Advanced Technologies, which will be showcasing its non-mechanical, fully electronic patented switch technology. The EVERSWITCH family of switches and panels provides a safe, comfortable and simple means for controlling any aircraft cabin feature – especially in areas that can get wet or are subject to high traffic usage. The fully washable EVERSWITCH switches and panels are made of aviation grade aluminum and are fully customisable to match any interior.

Ian Crawford, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions. “This year we have first time exhibitors hailing from all around the world – including Europe, Israel and the United States. It’s obviously important for us to see new companies trying out the show – and it means there is a continual flow of fresh products and services for our visitors to see.”

In co-operation with Hamburg Messe 

Ends

Aircraft Interiors Expo is the largest dedicated aircraft interiors event in the world and will see companies exhibiting the full spectrum of technologies and products for airline constructors and operators.  www.aircraftinterorsexpo.com

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: “Hamburg – The place for aviation”
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 36,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the ninth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.

Emerging more confidently from the global recession than other regions, the Asian aviation market is forging ahead and appears to have coped better than expected with the recent economic down turn. Could this herald a trend for airlines operating in the Asian arena to be at the forefront of the latest look in interiors as operators gear up to meet the growing demand? Seen for many years by some experts, as the great hope for the civil aircraft and aerospace industry it does seem that the Asian aviation market is starting to fulfil these predictions. Statistics at the start of 2010 show Asian aviation’s freight and passenger growth to be looking quite healthy.

A proposed explanation offered by Murdo Morrison, Editor of Flight International, suggests that the reason why Asian airlines are flying so high, while the rest of the world tentatively waits for the clouds to part, is because they did not feel the impact of the recession as strongly as others in the first place. Indeed, it seems that starting with a significantly smaller base has allowed Asia, “more room to expand than the mature industries that we find in Europe and the United States,” said Morrison*.

This all makes good reading for the aircraft interiors sector, however any future success is crucially contingent upon the immediate efforts put in place to battle the economic downturn. Facing the current climate, many airlines have focused on introducing cost-reducing measures, such as sacrificing first class seating to accommodate for an expansion in the economy cabin area. Air Austral for example has been the first airline to order A380s in its all-economy seating version; the flag carrier of the island, Reunion, in the southern Indian Ocean has ordered two such aircraft for flights between Paris and the island. The industry is waiting expectantly to see what such an interior will look like in reality.

It remains to be seen however, whether low cost but longer haul usage will continue to fuel the market for years to come, or whether the business class sector will enjoy a resurgence. Of course it is possible that reconfiguring the seating and reducing the amount of more expensive tickets could prove counter-productive in the long term. Will passengers who have downgraded to more affordable premium economy options now be permanently reluctant to upgrade back to business class or, with confidence starting to return to the market, will business travellers start to return in greater numbers? Some airlines have certainly indicated a slight increase in demand again for business class.

For the Asian aviation market nevertheless, the future seems more certain and figures provided by the International Air Transport association (IATA), certainly seem to support this. Commenting on the statistics, Director General of the IATA, Giovanni Bisignani, found that in 2009 with 647 million recorded passengers “intra-Asia-Pacific travel…eclipsed the number of travellers in North America” making it the world’s largest aviation market.  And, as home to two of the world’s top five most profitable airlines, with an extra 217 million passengers expected by 2013, for Asian aviation the sky really is the limit.

“All the major Asian airlines ensure that Aircraft Interiors Expo is on their exhibition calendar each year,” said Ian Crawford, Group Exhibition Director at Reed Exhibitions. “As with all our airline visitors they attend because they recognise our Hamburg event as the prime opportunity to get the low down on the latest and most innovative products and technologies that can really make a difference to their fleet’s interiors and passenger experience.”

Ends

*To hear more from Murdo Morrison about what lies ahead for the global aviation and interiors market in 2010 and beyond, please click on http://www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com/murdo

Aircraft Interiors Expo is the largest dedicated aircraft interiors event in the world and will see companies exhibiting the full spectrum of technologies and products for airline constructors and operators.  www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com

For further information please contact Victoria Bailey or Carol Seath at CMS Strategic on Tel: +44 (0)20 8748 9797 or email info@cmsstrategic.com

About the organiser:
Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organiser, with over 440 events in 36 countries. In 2009 Reed brought together over six million active event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organised by 35 fully staffed offices.

Reed organises a wide range of events, including trade and consumer exhibitions, conferences and meetings. Its portfolio of over 440 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: aerospace & aviation, automobiles, beauty & cosmetics, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering & manufacturing, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewellery, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, marketing, business services & training, medical education, printing & graphics, security & safety, sports & recreation, and travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2008, Reed Elsevier made an adjusted profit before taxation of £1,205 million on turnover of £5,334 million.

About the location: “Hamburg – The place for aviation”
Hamburg is one of the world’s most important locations for the civil aviation industry. Three key players, Airbus Deutschland, Lufthansa Technik and Hamburg Airport, along with more than 300 small and medium-sized enterprises, employing over 36,000 people between them, as well as a variety of scientific and technological institutions, all contribute their know-how and expertise. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is widely considered to be an international centre of expertise in aircraft cabins and cabin systems. The city is also home to the annual Crystal Cabin Award, the first and, to date, only prize for innovation in the field of aircraft cabins. Aircraft Interiors Expo, which is organised in co-operation with the Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), is being held for the ninth consecutive year at Hamburg’s premier events venue.