The Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) is committed to further improving passenger experience and comfort on board. The upcoming APEX EXPO, the world’s largest event on the passenger experience in the aviation industry, will be held from 24 to 27 September in Boston.
This year, for the first time in the history of the event, the kick-off will take place above the clouds. On 22 September, Lufthansa will treat guests to the Lufthansa FlyingLab APEX EXPO on an Airbus A350, an exclusive pre-conference on board Flight LH424 from Munich to Boston. A special gate event in Munich will set the mood for the passengers. Lufthansa is organizing this FlyingLab in cooperation with APEX and Lufthansa Systems. The IT subsidiary of Lufthansa is a pioneer in aviation digitalization and is providing the technical basis for the conference, among other things.
“What better place to present and test new trends for passengers than in a plane?” said Joe Leader, CEO of APEX. “We are delighted to kick off our conference this year with the Lufthansa FlyingLab. In addition to exclusive presentations by renowned industry experts, we will give APEX participants and all passengers the opportunity to try out innovative products on board and discuss new trends.”
Expert presentations and innovative test gadgets
During the conference 10,000 meters over the Atlantic, passengers will enjoy six short presentations on the passenger experience of the future. The topics will range from innovative lighting concepts – which can already be experienced first-hand on Lufthansa flights – through modern cabin designs, to new seating and communication options. Videos of each 15-minute presentation on board will be streamed live via WiFi to the passengers’ own smartphones, tablets or laptops – regardless of where they are sitting in the plane. During the presentations, passengers can use their devices to send questions to the speakers, which will be answered live afterwards.
To ensure that all of the technology runs smoothly, Lufthansa Systems has installed a WiFi network on board. This is based on the multi-award-winning BoardConnect digital platform, the new features of which Lufthansa Systems will unveil at the APEX EXPO in Boston.
Along with presentations, the Lufthansa FlyingLab APEX EXPO will offer the opportunity to test new passenger experience products on the eight-hour flight to Boston. There will be innovative in-flight entertainment (IFE) with stylish VR glasses from Skylights as well as a smart temperature regulating blanket with an integrated neck pillow from feel.flight, among other things. Participation in the Lufthansa FlyingLab APEX EXPO is free. Passengers simply need a ticket for Flight LH424 on 22 September 2018, from Munich to Boston.
Digitalization above the clouds
The Lufthansa FlyingLab is a component of the Group’s digitalization strategy. With this unique in-flight conference, Lufthansa is once again positioning itself as a leader in the field of digitalization, where it is pursuing a strategy of what is called “fast prototyping”. Relevant digitalization topics are implemented in FlyingLabs in order to get direct feedback from the participants. Lufthansa FlyingLabs have already been held on the topics of virtual reality as well as fashion & technology.
“We are pleased to be able to hold this special event together with APEX and other partners. The Lufthansa FlyingLab enables us to make efficient use of flying time and offer informative added value. The digital BoardConnect platform from Lufthansa Systems is the key technology for making an aircraft part of a digital journey, enabling us to create extraordinary experiences. BoardConnect is being used by many airlines inside and outside of the Lufthansa Group,” explained Olivier Krüger, CEO of Lufthansa Systems.
