Editor’s Note — Monthly Ticket is a CNN Travel series that spotlights some of the most fascinating topics in the travel world. In June, we’re taking to the skies for a look at the latest developments in plane interiors, including the people working to change the way we fly.
Hamburg (CNN) — A design for “floating” airplane furniture and a cabin concept that could give each passenger their own personal fridge are among the winners of this year’s Crystal Cabin Awards.
The prestigious aviation awards, which highlight innovation and creativity in airplane interiors, were announced at a ceremony at the 2022 Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany.
Speaking to CNN Travel at the awards, president of the Crystal Cabin Award Association Lukas Kaestner said a team of industry experts spent a day interrogating each submission before arriving at their decision. Judges debated the creativity and ingenuity of the ideas, and also considered reactions from airlines and potential passengers.
Not all of the finalists’ products are on the market, or anywhere near, says Kaestner. Many are still just concepts. But “the underlying question of most decisions by the jury” is, he explains, “Is it something that has a realistic chance to fly?’
‘Floating’ cabin furniture
Speaking to CNN Travel earlier at AIX, the Teague team explained that the idea behind the concept was to “open up more space” in the cabin, by attaching all the furniture to one track that’s connected to the sidewall and aisle.
The idea, said the Teague team, started when airplane designers were chatting over a beer at AIX three years ago. The designers and engineers realized they were all facing the same problem — how to free up space in airplane cabins without losing seats in the process. They set about dreaming up a solution.
Meanwhile, Collins Aerospace’s passenger fridge concept, called SpaceChiller, took home the award in the Passenger Comfort category. The Crystal Cabin jury was intrigued by Collins’ claim that the fridge would use half the power of traditional airplane fridge designs. The fridge’s potential to be scaled up or down, allowing for a mini version to be placed in arm’s reach of a potential passenger, was also…
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