We’re proud to announce that Cathay Pacific’s “IFEC: In-Flight Entertainment & Control” system – developed in close collaboration with Reaktor Aero and JPA Design – has been awarded the 2025 Crystal Cabin Award in the Passenger Comfort category. This milestone marks a significant step forward in redefining the digital and physical experience of premium air travel.
Setting a new benchmark for comfort and control
The Crystal Cabin Awards are the most prestigious international prize for aircraft cabin innovation. Each year, they spotlight the most forward-thinking developments in aviation across seven categories, from sustainability to digital services. Winning the Passenger Comfort category puts a global spotlight on the collaborative work behind the Aria Suite – Cathay Pacific’s next-generation Business Class.
Unveiled onboard the Boeing 777-300ER, the IFEC system delivers an industry-first: true integration between entertainment, lighting, and seat controls. Through fully customizable “Activity Modes,” passengers can tailor their environment to match different moments of the journey – whether it's resting, working, dining, or watching a movie – all from any control surface: the IFE screen, seat-side remote, personal device, or seat display. Even lavatory status can be checked directly from the seat, bringing a long-requested feature into reality.
A seamless fusion of design and digital intelligence
"This award is a testament to what’s possible when design and technology are developed hand in hand,” said Michael Holler, Vice President at Reaktor Aero. “With the Aria Suite, we set out to make every digital interaction onboard feel as refined as the physical environment. It’s about extending the luxury of Business Class into the digital space – creating an experience that’s not just seamless, but deeply considered.”
Guillaume Vivet, General Manager of Customer Experience Design at Cathay Pacific, added: “We are honoured to be recognised by the prestigious Crystal Cabin Awards for the ground-breaking system in our new Aria Suite Business Class that unifies the inflight entertainment and cabin control like never before. This achievement was the result of great collaboration together with our partners such as Reaktor, who helped bring new levels of comfort and control to our customers’ experience.”
A growing legacy of recognition
This Crystal Cabin Award adds to a growing list of accolades for the Cathay Pacific IFE experience, including the 2025 German Design Award Gold and the Red Dot Design Award for Brands & Communications Design in 2024. Each award further reinforces Reaktor’s commitment to advancing aviation design through intelligent, human-centered technology.
As we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible onboard, we’re honored to be recognized for helping shape the future of air travel – one seamless interaction at a time.
