The shortlist for the Seamless Journey Award, a new programme to recognise innovations that connect the aircraft cabin with the rest of the passenger journey, has been announced. The award is an initiative of the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) and the Crystal Cabin Award (CCA).
The scope of the award encompasses airlines, airports, technology providers, manufacturers and service partners that are working together to find new ways to make travel easier for passengers. The Seamless Journey Award focuses on what happens outside of the flight itself. It looks at how the cabin can work with airport services, ground transportation and other parts of the trip.
APEX and the CCA say the the response to the first year of the award has been “exceptional”, with a number and quality of nominations that exceeded their expectations. The new award is separate from the eight main Crystal Cabin Award categories and follows its own application and selection process.
The innovators that have made the shortlist in the inaugural Seamless Journey Award are:
Aeromond: Technology that enables passengers to order and pay for on-board services such as food & beverage or retail items via their personal device.
La Première: Air France’s first class service, which includes end-to-end benefits such as a private drop-off area, a dedicated check-in lobby, private security screening, access to a Sisley beauty centre, and transport to the aircraft in a luxury vehicle.
Vista Digital Platform: Air India developed this platform in-house to connect inflight entertainment, loyalty, commerce and travel services across the guest journey.
Cloud Map: FlightPath3D’s Cloud-powered, SaaS-based inflight moving map architecture streams interactive maps, live flight tracking, and destination content to both personal mobile devices and seatback screens.
StoryWonder: Spafax’s AI-powered, personalised digital storytelling platform for young passengers
Airporio: Technology that makes connected gaming experiences possible across seatback systems and personal devices.
Connected Seatback Platform: A Cloud-powered wireless seatback platform developed by Axinom and Rosen Aviation in which the screen operates as the airline’s own digital surface in the air, with use cases far beyond in-flight entertainment.
Etihad Wellbeing: The airline has been crafting the art of arriving well, with new initiatives designed to ease the physical and mental strains of long-haul travel and help passengers arrive rested and refreshed.
Chronolite: A collaborative research project led by Jetlite, focused on developing an industry standard for IoT-supported, chronobiologically effective lighting systems that reduce jet lag and improve circadian well-being in aircraft cabins.
The Integrated AI Human-Robotic PRM Transfer Ecosystem: Rather than relying on isolated equipment, this modern framework by Lift Mobility links autonomous mobility hardware with predictive AI orchestration software to eliminate manual lifting, reduce worker injury, and ensure seamless transit from terminal to aircraft seat.
AeroProfile: A digital concept created by Minugi Anthony, a student at Wichita State University.
SAS Travel mode: Part of a broader digital-first cabin evolution at Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), this technology connects onboard experiences, digital services, and customer touchpoints into a unified travel ecosystem.
Sentrl Ai: This UK-based company is building an operating system for travel. A single intelligence layer sits across airlines, airports, and travel providers, turning reactive, siloed responses to issues into coordinated, autonomous action.
Cabin-as-a-Service (CaaS): Tadpole & Co’s flexible approach to digital transformation and retail within airline cabins enables airlines to deploy independent, Cloud-optimised cabin services, irrespective of underlying hardware or connectivity hardware constraints.
WellVoyage Seat: A universal design concept developed by Toyota Boshoku and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) under the Sky4All programme. It is a detachable aircraft seat that doubles as an integrated, 360-degree swivel in-cabin wheelchair.
Journey: TrueAltitude’s modular Cloud platform is designed to connect the entire customer journey by acting as an intelligence layer that helps airlines capitalise on aircraft connectivity, turning standard internet bandwidth into tailored passenger engagement and new revenue streams.
Seamless Journey: United Airlines’ Connected Travel Experience is a set of digital features on the United Airlines Mobile App designed to guide passengers seamlessly through flight connections, airport navigation, and travel disruptions.
Dr Joe Leader, APEX Group CEO said of the award, “While aircraft interior innovation is fundamental to the passenger experience, its impact is amplified when it integrates seamlessly with every other touchpoint of the trip, from the boarding gate to baggage claim.
“‘Seamless Journey’ pairs the Crystal Cabin Award’s rigour on the aircraft interior with APEX’s view of the passenger’s entire path, debuting in Singapore as Asia’s aviation market increasingly sets that agenda. Airlines, airports, and manufacturers built this category together because none of them can deliver a seamless trip alone” he added.
Following evaluation by an expert judging panel, the award will be presented at a ceremony on 19 November during the APEX FTE Global Expo in Singapore. The awards ceremony will be hosted at Swissôtel The Stamford in Singapore.
