Aircraft Interiors OEMs Upgrade Cabins, Aftermarket Services

Airbus Services

Airbus Services

Credit: Airbus Services

1. OEM Support

Company: Airbus Services

Product: Airbus Services offers a catalog of cabin products designed for line-fit and retrofit on its aircraft, as well as support services for interior modification projects. Through its Hamburg-based center for cabin customization and its worldwide supplier network and engineering centers, it produces documentation and kits required to modify Airbus aircraft. In May, it introduced its new Airspace L bins, which are upgraded overhead bins available for retrofit on A320-family aircraft. Airbus says the bins provide a 60% increase in baggage capacity and can be installed in 3-5 days. In January, Delta Air Lines chose Airbus to retrofit and upgrade nine A350s entering its fleet, which will include new seats, monuments and overhead bins. In June, Airbus signed a cabin retrofit agreement with ITA Airways for six A350-900s that will include installation of a new premium-economy class section.

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2. Connected Cabin

Company: Collins Aerospace 

Collins Aerospace
Credit: Collins Aerospace

Product: Collins Aerospace designs, develops, manufactures and services cabin interior products for commercial, business and military aviation from more than 20 global facilities. Its interior products include aircraft seating, lighting, oxygen systems, galley inserts, monuments and lavatory systems. In January, Starlux Airlines launched Collins’ Elements premium business-class suite on its Airbus A350s. Etihad Airways will be the first airline to fly the suite on the Boeing 787-9. In June it debuted Aurora, its first fully lie-flat business-class suite for narrowbodies, as well as wireless connected galley inserts. The galley inserts can be installed onboard to quickly identify and communicate faults to aircraft maintenance teams, which Collins says can help airlines better schedule repair and replacement during regularly scheduled maintenance.

https://marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/collins-aerospace

3. Unique Cabin Concepts

Company: Diehl Aviation 

Diehl Aviation
Credit: Diehl Aviation

Product: Diehl Aviation is an aircraft interior product OEM that also provides aftermarket upgrade solutions and services to major aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. Its cabin products, the majority of which are available for retrofits, include lavatories, monuments, lighting, electronics, and systems for water supply, fire protection and air conditioning. Diehl was recently commissioned by Airbus to develop new overhead bins for the A220 that will provide 20% more stowage capacity. The Airspace XL Bins are scheduled to start production in early 2024. In June, Diehl unveiled a new premium cabin concept in partnership with HAECO Cabin Solutions that features new cabin lighting, lightweight partitions, enlarged overhead stowage bins and staggered seats in a unique four- or five-abreast configuration. The seats give passengers more shoulder room and are enclosed at the rear by a fixed backrest, so reclining passengers do not occupy the space of those seated behind them. The cabin concept will be available through a standard modification kit offered by Diehl and HAECO.

https://marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/diehl-aviation

4. Sustainable Cabin Upholstery

Company: Soisa Aircraft Interiors 

Soisa Aircraft Interiors
Credit: Soisa Aircraft Interiors

Product: Headquartered in Mexico, Soisa Aircraft Interiors designs, engineers, manufactures and services upholstered products for aircraft cabins. Its portfolio includes laminated dress covers, cushions, curtains and ottomans, as well as insulation, acoustic and sidewall panels. Soisa’s customers include major aircraft seat OEMs, airlines and MROs. It recently expanded dress cover operations to Dubai to support customers such as Emirates, Etihad and Flydubai. The company has also increased its capabilities to assemble composite panels to make consoles for business-class seats. Soisa recently launched a unique sustainability program in which it donates production scrap materials to a local ethnic group in Chihuahua, Mexico, and trains its people in upholstery-making so they can generate income from artisan products. It is developing a similar program focused on prison reform, where at least 50% of income generated from the products created will go to prisoners’ families.

https://marketplace.aviationweek.com/company/soisa-aircraft-interiors

Lindsay Bjerregaard

Lindsay Bjerregaard is managing editor for Aviation Week’s MRO portfolio. Her coverage focuses on MRO technology, workforce, and product and service news for MRO Digest, Inside MRO and Aviation Week Marketplace.