THE HAGUE, Netherlands and HAMBURG, Germany (7 June 2023): Airline technology provider AirFi has been recognised for excellence in aircraft cabin technology, winning three separate awards at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. The AirFi suite of solutions won The Crystal Cabin Award for IFEC and Digital Services, the Onboard Hospitality (OBH) Award for Best Onboard Technology, and the PAX Tech Readership Award for Best Technology.
The prestigious Crystal Cabin Award for IFEC and Digital Services was awarded by an international jury of in-flight experts for AirFi LEO, created in partnership with Iridium and SKYTRAC. The solution consists of an antenna smaller than a pen, which is placed inside a window frame to enable a connection to the Iridium Certus low-Earth orbit system. The data link allows for access to aircraft ACARS transmissions, validation of credit card payments and the use of WhatsApp and iMessage by passengers.
“Everyone knows the Crystal Cabin Awards are the Oscars of the aviation industry,” AirFi CEO Job Heimerikx noted in accepting the award during a gala dinner that took place at the Hamburg Chambers of Commerce on June 6th. “To receive this award is a true validation of all our hard work to bring an affordable, minimally invasive in-flight connectivity solution to the commercial aviation industry.”
Heimerikx added, “Currently, more than a dozen airlines are testing LEO and many of them will make their adoption official very soon. We can’t wait to see what airlines and passengers think of the benefits delivered by AirFi LEO as it takes to the skies in the very near future.”
The OBH Award for Best Onboard Technology was presented to easyJet Onboard, the portable inflight entertainment and retail platform powered by AirFi at an awards ceremony in the Taste of Travel Theatre at the World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) on 6th June. The introduction of easyJet Onboard saw the rollout of AirFi’s portable streaming solution across 327 aircraft in just six months and gives passengers access to games, journey-specific content and airline information, plus the ability browse inflight retail offerings using their personal electronic devices. The award was accepted by William Kramer, easyJet’s Transformation & Continuous Improvement Lead for Inflight Retail on behalf of the team.
To round off a jam-packed day, the company picked up the PAX Tech Readership Award for Technology for AirFi LEO during a joint awards celebration in collaboration with the Travel Plus Awards at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Hamburg on 6th June. The award was accepted by Jalal Zriouil, AirFi’s Vice President of Customer Success.
“Whether it’s our AirFi box or AirFi LEO connectivity, it’s clear that our solutions offer an attractive proposition for airlines wanting to find innovative new ways to improve the passenger experience without breaking the bank. We’re delighted to be recognised by these important institutions for our efforts – if these awards are anything to go by, 2023 might just be AirFi’s best year yet!”
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About AirFi
With offices worldwide, AirFi is a travel technology company that helps airlines deliver digital entertainment, shopping, and brand experiences to passengers, unlock operational benefits for crew and drive ancillary revenues from onboard sales. AirFi’s state-of-the art portable wireless streaming solutions are safe, proven, cost-effective, and easy to deploy. More than 70 airline and rail operators trust AirFi and its portfolio of commercial, fulfilment and content partners to provide enriching passenger experiences while supporting ancillary revenue strategies in the cabin.
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About the Crystal Cabin Awards
The Crystal Cabin Award is THE international prize for innovation in the aircraft cabin. A high-caliber jury made up of renowned academics, engineers, specialist journalists and airline and aircraft manufacturer representatives comes together under the slogan “Let your ideas take off” to honour extraordinary cabin concepts and products. The competition was launched by Hamburg Aviation and is organised by the Crystal Cabin Award Association. This unique honour has been presented at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg every year since 2007. The trophies have become a seal of quality, known and coveted around the world.
About Onboard Hospitality
Onboard Hospitality is the leading magazine for the airline, rail, cruise and ferry hospitality industry worldwide. It is a vibrant hub of news, views and conversations for the buyers and suppliers of onboard catering, comfort, technology and entertainment.
We don’t just cover industry news but also aim to help form industry opinion, identify and share trends and innovations, and be THE place people come to for ideas and inspiration.
About PAX Tech
PAX Tech is the leading voice for the interiors, IFEC and MRO industries, covering a wide variety of sectors within these categories, including seating, lighting, inflight entertainment and connectivity, cabin hygiene and cleanliness, and more. The full colour, glossy publication is offered in both print and digital, and is published five times annually, plus 52 issues of the weekly e-Newsletter. Its sister publication, PAX International, is also published five times per year, plus 52 issues of the weekly e-Newsletter and covers the global travel catering and onboard services industry.