Carter Stewart shares the podium with a select group of aviation industry leaders at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Hamburg opening press conference.

The panel included:

Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airlines
Ben Bettell, Head of Business Development, Premium Aircraft Interiors Group
Bob Lange, Head of Marketing, Aircraft Interiors, Airbus

The speakers fielded a wide range of questions on issues facing the aviation industry today and in the future. Some of the highlights:

Q: What are some of the issues that airlines must look at as they recover from the recession?

Carter Stewart: Airlines need to look at how to manage revenue better in the short term, but also set their sights on the future. This means using a people centred approach to develop scenarios around three key demographic challenges: the ageing population, the advent of the super-size passenger and the rise of digital natives. Older travellers will need to be looked after not just on the plane, but throughout their entire journey from home and back again.  Larger passengers need to be accommodated somehow and that will require a lot of design input. And how will airlines respond to that group of people who have never known anything but a digital life? Connectivity will be vital for them. Finally come all the operational questions of how to rationalise product offers across alliances.

Tim Clark: I am happy to say that Emirates grew by 21% last year, despite the downturn. Planning has been the key to this. We have never stopped driving OEMs on the quality of our passenger product. In some cases, we have even had to do our own design, as Boeing and Airbus will often constrain what can be done. I can understand that they are under the pressure of timelines and budgets, which dictate design directions, but we always need to invest in our passenger experience.

Bob Lange: With respect to trends in entertainment, we have to look at the digital natives, as Carter suggested. Passengers are now bringing their own entertainment systems on board. Airlines must adapt and provide connectivity. The technologies to do so are very diverse and many airlines are being bold in anticipation of choosing the dominant one. Architectures, products, and design solutions all vying for acceptability. The IFE hall is brimming with answers, almost to the point of confusion.

Tim Clark: Emirates have pushed ahead to enable mobile phones on our aircraft, but connectivity is the holy grail. Only 3 of 10 passengers are after mobile phone use in flight, while 8 out of 10 would like an internet connection. It is the future. The more you travel long-haul, the more you want to connect.

Bob Lange: Airbus is committed to delivering on the promise of what airlines want. Customers push us to do many new things. It’s the execution of the customisation that matters. We focus on the delivery of our customers’ requirements, satisfying passengers on the way.

Tim Clark: We have put a lot of effort into building the Emirates brand. It is resonant with quality.  Last year, we wanted to test our customer loyalty, so we pushed fares up by 35%. Different segments have supported the growth. Boomers in the UK picked up our premium economy offer. Business class remained full. Our yields jumped up to levels that we haven’t seen since Q1 08. It all proves the importance of managing costs, yes, but more importantly, managing the customer experience to be the best that it can be.