Registration Is Now Open for AIX 2023

Registration Is Now Open for AIX 2023

Visitor registration is now open for this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) and co-located World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE), which will take place from 6-8 June 2023, at Hamburg Messe, Germany. Register today and join the global cabin interiors and onboard services community.

Creating the cabins of the future, together

Aviation and rail professionals from across the globe will be able to view the latest products and services from the cabin interiors and onboard services supply chain. Across the three-day show, attendees can touch and test the latest products and services from across:

  • Seating
  • In-flight Entertainment and Connectivity
  • Aircraft Manufacturer
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cabin Management Systems
  • Fasteners
  • Lavatory & Waste Equipment
  • Galleys & Galley Equipment
  • Lighting / LEDs
  • BizJet Refurbishment and Interior Design

and much more.

600+ Suppliers, 1,000+ Products

Representatives from key airlines will be joined by leading suppliers including Acro Aircraft Seating, Thales, AJW Technique Interiors, Telesat, ViaSat, Thompson Aero Seating, STELIA Aerospace, Panasonic and KID-Systeme GmbH.

They will be joined by a number of first-time exhibitors including 9T Labs, Lamberts London, SkyFive, Pariani Srl, Hughes and many more.

AIX Connect

With the return of AIX Connect, attendees can pre-schedule meetings with new or existing business connections, receive personalised matchmaking recommendations, discover new contacts, and arrive at the show with an organised schedule.

IFEC Zone

AIX’s IFEC Zone will return to halls B2-B4 to bring all the hardware, software, digital tools, connectivity solutions and content services together that will help airlines to deliver highly desirable consumer opportunities to their passengers.

Passenger Experience Conference

The Passenger Experience Conference (PEC), taking place the day before AIX will return, hosted at CCH – Congress Center Hamburg to offer a programme of conference sessions covering sustainability, passenger experience, revitalised transport modalities and repurposing onboard materials and their effects on the industry.

woman speaking at cabin space live with projector

CabinSpace Live

CabinSpace Live Seminar provides a dedicated theatre at Aircraft Interiors Expo to discuss the cabin of tomorrow and beyond. Gain insights from industry thought leaders and fellow peers as they share experiences and case studies to help you source solutions and elevate your business strategies.

Informational sessions will cover IFEC, cabin interiors, business jets, sustainability, accessibility, and more across the three days of the event and are free to attend.

VIP Programme

If you are an employee of an airline, leasing company or BizJet operator, now you can unlock the benefits of being an AIX VIP, including:

  • VIP AIX Connect Access for upgraded access to so you can network and arrange meetings with exhibitors and other VIP industry peers before the event.
  • VIP Lounge Access with a place to relax, work or network away from the show floor. Lunch, snacks and refreshments are available throughout the event.
  • Dedicated VIP Entrance to skip the queue and access the Airline Club Lounge from 8 am on show opening days.
  • VIP Digital Gift Bag with exclusive deals, giveaways and promo items.
  • Discounted Rate for PEC to gain valuable insights into the industry and help shape the future of passenger experience.

Register today for AIX

To register for your pass to attend AIX, click the button below.



Aircraft Interiors Expo returns as aviation industry recovery gains momentum

Aircraft Interiors Expo returns as aviation industry recovery gains momentum

After a long-anticipated wait, Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), the destination for the cabin interiors industry, will return to Hamburg, Germany from 14-16 June 2022 for its first physical event in three years. With growing momentum in the recovery of air travel, the event returns at a critical time to reunite the industry, creating a sought-after opportunity to connect face-to-face and source the latest cabin innovations in person.


Take your place at AIX with a ticket to this year’s must-attend event.


Aviation industry showing signs of recovery

Data published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) paints an optimistic outlook for the airline industry, with hopes that it has now left the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic behind it. The data, revealed an 11% increase in international tickets in recent weeks – the fastest increase for any two-week period since the crisis began. This follows an Oliver Wyman report which revealed that the global fleet is anticipated to grow to 38,100 by 2032 – a compound growth rate of 4.1% over the decade.

Several people look at an aircraft seating arrangement.
AIX offers unparalleled access to aircraft interior products.

Resuming its pivotal role in helping the world’s airlines source the latest cabin innovations, technologies, inflight entertainment and connectivity solutions, AIX will welcome more than 400 aviation suppliers this June. Filling 11 halls of the Hamburg Messe, the event returns at a comparable size to the last physical event in 2019, demonstrating a commitment from an industry excited for the opportunity to network and demonstrate their latest products. Among those confirmed to exhibit, major OEMs, Boeing and Airbus, as well as industry stalwarts such as Safran, Stelia Aerospace, Diehl Aviation, Jamco Corporation, Collins Aerospace, Lufthansa Technik, STG Aerospace, Sabeti Wain Aerospace, Tapis Corporation and Recaro will come together to highlight the emerging innovation and collaboration that is fuelling the aviation industry’s recovery.

In addition, the event’s popular In-flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) Zone returns to offer attendees a chance to gain insights into the most up-to-date technology solutions covering everything from servers to OTT systems, and 5G to VR from the likes of Astronics, Thales and Panasonic Avionics Corporation.

A person talks to two other people at Aircraft Interiors Expo
Exhibitors showcase their interior products to a global audience at AIX.

Building connections in person

Helping attendees make up for lost time and build a schedule of invaluable meetings ahead of the show, the organisers have announced it will introduce its efficient show planning tool, AIX Connect to Hamburg for the first time. With more than 400 exhibitors showcasing over 1,000 products, the programme will facilitate targeted business connections based on specific product requirements. It is designed to help key airline buyers meet exhibitors during the show to build connections and discuss new projects.

A presenter speaks at CabinSpace LIVE Seminar Theatre
The CabinSpace LIVE Seminar Theatre has a variety of experts speaking.

Also returning to AIX, the popular, free-to-attend CabinSpace LIVE Seminar Theatre will welcome cabin interior leaders to inspire and debate current market trends and challenges. The carefully curated programme will include an industry market outlook from Cirium, Business Aviation panels and insights from innovative start-ups. Attendees can also join the team from Airbus Scale – an innovative unit that brings together corporate innovation, start-up engagement and company building activities to pioneer sustainable aerospace and develop Airbus’ future programs and businesses.  A full programme of topics and speakers will be announced in the coming months.

Providing another reason to celebrate the return of AIX, the CabinSpace LIVE Seminar Theatre will also play host to the winners of the Crystal Cabin Awards – the only international awards for excellence in aircraft interior innovation. Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the awards recognise and honour the very best innovations for the aircraft cabin, spanning eight categories. This includes Cabin Concepts, Cabin Systems, Health & Safety, IFEC & Digital Services, Material & Components, Passenger Comfort, University and for the first time, its new Sustainable Cabin category.

Several people celebrate winning an award.
Crystal Cabin Awards winners in 2019.

Gain a 360° view of the aviation industry

With the world undergoing significant social change, and the aviation sector embracing new business models and revenue streams, attendees can immerse themselves in new ideas and concepts at the Passenger Experience Conference, which returns on Monday, 13 June 2022. Welcoming renowned and acclaimed global aviation leaders, attendees can learn more about how the industry will be building back differently through a wide range of topics from the growing importance of intermodal travel, rapid digitalisation, and sustainability.

Attendees at AIX will also benefit from its co-location with World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) – which will celebrate its 10th anniversary at this year’s event. Drawing a wider audience to the show, the co-location with WTCE and the Passenger Experience Conference offers attendees a 360° view of the industry, providing a comprehensive platform to identify products and services from all corners of the industry.

Polly Magraw, Event Director, commented: “After three years since the last in-person event, we’re excited to bring the entire industry together once again in June. AIX continues to offer attendees the widest range of innovative products, ideas and solutions in one definitive marketplace. We’re counting down the days until we can once again facilitate the much-needed networking and sourcing opportunities needed to accelerate the recovery of the cabin interior and passenger experience industry.”

Get your ticket to Aircraft Interiors Expo

Take your place at AIX with a ticket to this year’s must-attend event.

The key trends airlines will follow in 2021

The key trends airlines will follow in 2021

Not so long ago the main preoccupation of passenger experience thinkers at airlines was how to get travellers in seats and to keep everyone happy.

That was the old reality, but if any message has emerged from recent trend-spotting reports from organisations such as Euromonitor, Springwise and Trendwatching, consumer awareness and expectations have significantly shifted. Let’s have a closer look at those new expectations.

The brand will be key for airlines

Specifically, customers are predicted to be much more brand conscious regarding those organisations that make positive contributions to the sustainability of our planet and our societies. The need for clean, driven by the pandemic, is here to stay. And the adoption of digital technologies that bridge the physical distance between us will continue to accelerate.

Trends that were just over the horizon not so long ago, are now established fact. Digging into the detail reveals both the need to change quickly and areas of opportunity for the coming year.

An Alaska Airlines aircraft flies over the Golden Gate suspension bridge in San Francisco
Alaska Airlines has announced its commitment to using sustainable fuel. (Alaska Airlines)

The recovery is seen as the chance for a green reset. This is underscored by Euromonitor International’s Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021, which advocates a shift from a volume- to a value-driven economy.  “Brands that rebuild a greener and more equitable world could gain not only a competitive advantage but also the necessary social licence, or trust of society, to operate,” it predicts.

Furthermore, this shift is echoed in 5 Forces of Disruption, the 2021 forecast from Re_Set Advisory and Springwise, which highlights that seven in ten consumers intend to make permanent behavioural changes to improve their response to the climate emergency. Quick fixes will not cut it, instead, they must look to make meaningful changes, such as de-carbonisation and elimination of plastics throughout the supply chain. “Sustainability must permeate every aspect of doing business,” state the innovation specialists.

A continued focus on sustainability for airlines

The business opportunities identified in Trendwatching’s 21 Trends for 2021 include transcycling, where brands make use of their waste to enter new markets. Another is carbon labelling, whereby revealing the true (hidden) cost of products will win customer trust and competitive advantage. It cites a pop-up shop launched by Swedish food brand Felix, where items are priced according to their carbon footprint, saying this approach is spreading to restaurants and fashion brands as well.

We all know that ultimately travellers will expect their consumer experiences on the ground to be reflected in the air, so how should the interiors community respond? For some time now SEKISUI KYDEX’s focus has been to ensure that the lifecycle of its products is sustainable and materials are 100% recyclable. As part of the full lifecycle approach, it partners with the Aircraft Interior Recycling Association (AIRA) to implement recycling streams for materials that reach the end of their use.

A British Airways plane flying with forest and farm land below it.
British Airways is aiming to be net zero by 2050. (British Airways)

Talking with Design Director Karyn McAlphin, circular solutions will be the way forward. She goes on to say: “Socially conscious brands will pursue lighter weight alternatives, redesign structures we’ve relied upon for years, and determine how to take things apart at their end of life to upcycle for different purposes. Ultimately, brands viewed as contributing to a cleaner, healthier, more equitable world will gain a competitive advantage.”

Safe to fly initiatives needed across the industry

Reassuring passengers that it is safe to fly by implementing rigorous cleaning regimes, plus investigating antimicrobial surfaces and materials have been key to the interiors sector’s pandemic strategy. What Euromonitor calls safety obsessed (but might be more easily understood as hygiene obsessed) is not just desirable, but as good as mandatory, with customers expecting efficiency and cleanliness.

A worker wipes the seat back screen onboard an airplane seat
Delta has been one of many airlines to show off their increased cleaning protocols. (Delta)

Definitions of wellness will expand to include mental wellbeing, with Trendwatching spotlighting products and services that seamlessly boost mental and emotional health as an innovation opportunity.  Think about it for a moment. Even before the pandemic, stress has been hardwired into the journey for many passengers. How then should onboard environments and services be developed to alleviate that stress and make travellers better informed and so feel more in control?

A touchless future onboard aircraft

Another aspect of the past year’s need for clean has been going touchless. In our everyday lives, card and mobile payments have dominated the shopping experience when we are able to go outside. While air travel initiatives have ranged from Emirates and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) trialling a digital COVID-19 pass to Jamco and ANA teaming up on a hands-free lavatory door.

Jamco and ANA are developing hands-free door handles as part of ‘Project Blue Sky’. (Jamco)

Going touchless complements, the third force for disruption – high-speed adoption of digital technologies. Re_Set and Springwise observe that a comprehensive digital strategy is now essential. In response to the pandemic, businesses have been experimenting with everything from virtual showrooms to social shopping that blends e-tailing with social media. They predict that other content-first strategies are likely to emerge such as using digitisation to drive greater personalisation.

The realms of the physical and virtual are no longer distinct separate entities. Consumers now rely on digital tools for daily activities, with Euromonitor noting that consumers, especially younger people, are indifferent as to whether these activities are physical or virtual; they no longer distinguish between the two.

2021 will still be challenging for airlines

2020 has changed the culture around flying. B2B or B2C, customers and passengers are questioning everything we did before. How the passenger experience community rises to these challenges in 2021 will have a far-reaching impact in the years to come. What is clear is that shape of the industry in 2021 is already looking very different from the way we imagined just a year ago.

A330-300 Retrofit Trends: Bridging the Delivery Gap

A330-300 Retrofit Trends: Bridging the Delivery Gap

Cirium is proud to be the Official Data Analytics Partner of Aircraft Interiors Expo 2026

James Mellon - Cirium
James Mellon, Senior Aviation Data Research Analyst, Cirium

Airbus A330-300s make up 13% of the widebodies operating passenger flights, with 602 examples in service. That equates to 77% of the 777 A330-300s built over 28 years between 1992 and 2020.

Given that new widebodies are being delivered at a relatively glacial pace amid OEM ramp-up issues, the reliance on keeping older aircraft in service for even longer will increase as the decade continues. In February 2026, Cirium Ascend Consultancy noted that market values for the A330-300 had increased 20% since January 2025, while market lease rates were up 15%.

The outlook appears to brighter for the -300 than for its smaller sibling the -200. Just 6% of the passenger -300 fleet is stored, compared with 21% of the -200’s. The average age of the in-service passenger -300s is 14 years old. The 271 in-service passenger -200s have an average age of 16.

The increasing value of the A330-300 makes it a more worthwhile investment prospect, as it appears that many will remain operational well into the next decade.

In my analysis, I look at some of the airlines that have retrofitted their fleets of A330-300s over the past few years, and other airlines planning to update theirs soon.

Past Airbus A330-300 Retrofits

Cirium Ascend Ground Events data indicates that 57 Airbus A330-300s have been retrofitted with new cabins since March 2020.

A330-300 Retrofit Trends GE Chart 1
A330-300 Retrofit Trends GE Chart 2
Source: Cirium Ascend Ground Events, retrofit events commencing between March 1, 2020 – March 9, 2026.

Airlines’ ability to retrofit aircraft hinges on multiple factors, so installing the right interior products at the time of acquiring second-hand aircraft isn’t always possible.

Since 2019, Air Canada’s fleet of eight A330-300s has been supplemented with 12 second-hand examples, all originating from Singapore Airlines. Air Canada has operated the ex-SIA units for a long period with their inherited 285 seat dual-class configuration, prior to their being retrofitted with new business-class seats while premium-economy cabins were added. Ground Events data shows that 18 aircraft in the fleet have been retrofitted at four different locations across the USA, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Ground Events data shows that Delta Air Lines’ entire fleet of 31 A330-300s was retrofitted over a two-year period between May 2021 and May 2023, when premium-economy cabins were installed. Collins Aerospace MiQ seats were added when 24 aircraft visited Aeroman in El Salvador. The other seven were retrofitted in-house by Delta TechOps at Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

Between 2021 and 2024, Finnair had its entire widebody fleet of A350-900s and A330-300s, totalling 26 aircraft, refreshed with the installation of new cabin products. The brand-new Airlounge seat from Collins Aerospace was central to the airline’s new business-class product, while premium economy was introduced and HAECO Vector seats debuted. Ground Events data shows that seven A330-300s were retrofitted by HAECO in Hong Kong between 2021 and 2023, while the eighth aircraft was updated a year later, during the second quarter of 2024, by Sabena Technics in Bordeaux, France.

Future Airbus A330-300 Retrofits

Several airlines have publicly announced plans to retrofit their fleets of A330-300s over the next few years, in some cases as a bridge to the delivery of brand-new replacements. In most cases, the upgrades will be focused on the premium cabins.

Following the recent installation of premium-economy cabins, Delta Air Lines’ latest business-class offering, the ‘Delta One’ suites, will also be retrofitted onto its oldest A330s. Cirium Ascend Fleets Analyzer shows that the average age of Delta’s A330-300s is 17 years, but this is skewed by the 21 Pratt & Whitney-powered aircraft that have an average age of 20 years old. Originally delivered between 2003 and 2007, to Northwest Airlines, the aircraft were acquired through that carrier’s merger with Delta in 2008.

Delta’s other widebody fleets featuring Delta One suites have Thompson Aero Seating Vantage and Vantage XL seats, from a mix of line-fit and retrofit installations.

It is not yet clear which MRO facility the A330-300s will visit, but Ground Events data shows that ST Engineering Aerospace recently retrofitted nine Delta A350-900s at its Paya Lebar location in Singapore, while all 21 Boeing 767-400ERs were retrofitted at Guangzhou, China.

Cathay Pacific also plans to refresh its A330-300s, with 20 set to undergo retrofit work starting in late 2026. Fleets Analyzer shows that of Cathay Pacific’s 43 A330-300s, 23 were manufactured between 2010 and 2015, and the other 20 between 2001 and 2007. The new ‘Aria Studio’ business-class product will be introduced alongside improvements to the economy and premium-economy cabins. Cathay’s A330-300s currently feature six different cabin configurations, per Fleets Analyzer. This retrofit project will allow the rejuvenated aircraft to be streamlined into one seat configuration.

This work is starting prior to the arrival of Cathay Pacific’s first A330neo. Fleets Analyzer shows that the airline has ordered 30 A330-900s and taken options on 30 more, with deliveries due from 2028.

The popularity of premium economy continues, with various airlines rolling the cabin out across their whole widebody fleets. Premium-economy cabins are being added to Swiss’s A330-300s, following the introduction in 2022 of the new cabin class on board its Boeing 777-300ERs. The retrofit of its 14 A330-300s will also add new cabin products, to match the brand-new A350-900s currently joining the fleet. Premium-economy seats manufactured by ZIM will sit alongside overhauled first, business and economy cabins with new seats and suites supplied by Collins, Stelia and Recaro, respectively.

In addition to Swiss, other Lufthansa Group airlines will also update their A330-300s in the coming years. Leisure-focused Discover Airlines is planning nose-to-tail upgrades, including new wi-fi from Starlink, as part of a group-wide deal to equip around 850 aircraft. Discover will also expand its fleet to 16 A330-300s, benefiting from the fleet rationalisation that Lufthansa Group is undertaking. Fleets Analyzer shows that the seven remaining Lufthansa A330-300s are all scheduled to be transferred in 2026-27, with five aircraft moving to Discover and the other two to Brussels Airlines. The Belgian carrier will also overhaul its fleet of A330-300s, upgrading all three cabins.

The Chinese Market’s Potential

Looking at the current in-service fleet, 20% of A330-300s are operated by airlines based in China. It appears that these aircraft have not undergone any significant alterations to their original interiors since delivery.

Fleets Analyzer shows that nine Chinese airlines operate 120 of the aircraft with an average age of 10.5 years old. Cirium Ascend Consultancy and other industry observers note that China has a dearth of widebody aircraft orders, relative to the size of the current in-service fleet that will need replacing in the coming years.

Fleets Analyzer shows that 41 widebody passenger aircraft are currently on order or under LOI for Chinese airlines. It is likely that some of the nation’s carriers will receive widebodies ordered by lessors.

The Increasing Value of the A330-300

Despite airlines’ rebuilding of their long-haul networks to pre-pandemic scale, the rate at which new widebodies are being delivered that can operate these routes remains be significantly lower than the 2010s. As evidenced by the examples above, airlines are investing in their legacy widebody fleets by retrofitting them with new interiors to extend their service lives before any brand-new replacement aircraft will be delivered.

Cirium provides aircraft OEMs, MRO and the aftermarket with independent aircraft intelligence, enabling them to reduce downtime, manage risk and act before the market moves. Discover more.

Attending Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg?

Don’t miss Andrew Doyle present an in-depth analysis of fleet and market trends at CabinSpace Live alongside Gary Weissel, Managing Officer at Tronos Aviation Consulting, Wednesday 14 April from 09:30. Find out more and connect with the Cirium team.