By Kai Kosicki, WTCE Technology Ambassador, Consultant for the Hayward Partnership and Founder of ExpAir
I’m very excited to be the official Technology Ambassador for World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo (WTCE) 2025. This year at the show, the list of exhibitors shines a light on our industry by bringing together some of the most innovative and distinguished companies contributing to global catering.
Visitors can expect to see the latest trends, sustainable practices, and taste some delicious tipples. There are many great quality exhibitors this year, but focusing on the technology contributions, my top list focuses on those companies who can demonstrate innovation and tangible benefits for passengers, airlines, or caterers.
LiFE in the Air is a must-visit this year for me, especially for its LiFE system. This open inflight e-commerce and ancillary revenue platform distinguishes itself by its practical design, engineered to operate precisely according to the intricate demands of modern airlines. Notably, the technology platform also addresses the specific needs of low-cost carriers, providing a versatile infrastructure that can be directly implemented by airlines or efficiently leveraged by retail operators. This flexibility positions LiFE in the Air as a key exhibitor to see for airlines seeking adaptable and effective revenue-enhancing technologies.
Omnevo’s integrated software platform, encompassing the complete travel retail journey with intelligent and modular solutions, is precisely the kind of holistic technology that can drive significant efficiencies and revenue growth for airlines. Furthermore, Omnevo’s powerful digital platform aimed at enhancing pre-order, home delivery, and onboard retail aligns perfectly with the evolving expectations of today’s passengers. For any airline looking to leverage cutting-edge technology to transform their retail strategy and enhance the overall passenger journey, Omnevo’s offerings at WTCE 2025 are certainly worth a look.
Next, Tourvest Retail Services is on my radar with its tech solution that handles both customer-facing POS and back-office operations. This two-pronged approach enhances the customer experience and drives revenue, which is exactly what the future of onboard services will look like for airlines. What’s interesting is their broad service range – from procurement and crew engagement to operations, governance, marketing, and finance – which suggests a really comprehensive understanding of the travel retail ecosystem by the company. For the airline segment, their offering of food & beverage, duty-free, and boutique items, both onboard and via pre-order, covers all the key revenue drivers. Plus, the fact that they’re launching new products during WTCE makes their stand a priority to see what innovations they’re bringing to the table.
Also in the onboard retail space, Data Clarity‘s software solutions is a key area of interest for me. Its offering promises optimal analysis of sales data, which is essential for accurately forecasting demand within the onboard retail business. The fact that their solution offers a modular structure and can be seamlessly integrated with any existing retail management system as an additional analysis platform is a significant advantage in terms of adaptability and ease of adoption. I’m particularly keen to speak with the team and see how their powerful solution leverages generative AI, natural language processing, and machine learning to facilitate better decision-making. Ultimately, the potential to predict passenger demands effectively makes Data Clarity stand out from the crowd.
Meanwhile, Paxia’s forward-thinking integrated catering platform connects suppliers, caterers, and operation teams to manage, automate, and control onboard catering. This hugely helps airlines gain valuable data insights to streamline operations while seamlessly integrating with internal systems via API. It’s a real game changer in the market and I’m looking forward to visiting Paxia’s stand.
Limeflight‘s end-to-end inflight logistics software solution for airlines is a key pick for me at WTCE 2025. Their focus on covering end-to-end services aligns with the need for connected solutions in this space. For me, I find the promise of helping airlines maintain inflight service cost control across the entire supply chain is particularly compelling in today’s environment. I’m especially interested in how Limeflight enables the tracking of costs throughout the entire inflight logistics process and the ability to compare costs across different stations, not just with current data but also with historical and projected values – this level of cost visibility is invaluable for strategic decision-making.
Skypro is also top recommendation of mine due to their innovative approach to airline uniforms. They offer a unique 360-degree solution, managing the entire lifecycle of clothing, from design to recycling. Recognising challenges like stock issues and high costs, Skypro provides tailored solutions using advanced technology, essentially acting as an airline’s dedicated uniform department. Their AI-based demand forecasting is a standout piece of technology, directly addressing overstocking and outages that I can’t wait to learn more about during WTCE.
In the beverages field, Skytender will offer its customisable beverage and catering platform that serves passengers through an innovative dispensing concept. I’m particularly interested in its potential to streamline inflight service for crew by automatically accounting for and registering each served drink, promising enhanced efficiency. Furthermore, the platform’s categorisation of beverages (soft drinks, water, and coffee) offers a practical approach to reducing waste and providing valuable insights into passenger preferences.
Lastly, Unisto’s diverse security seal solutions are a key exhibitor for me, addressing crucial aspects of preventing theft, visualising tampering, and avoiding contamination. What I find most interesting is their compact digital security seal, which offers completely real-time monitoring of the sealing process. This technology has the potential to significantly increase process security while simultaneously speeding it up, ensuring a swift response to any tampering attempts. The inclusion of its app that provides full transparency of the sealing history, including the precise time a seal was opened, adds an invaluable layer of accountability and control.
Join us at World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo
Join the industry’s main marketplace for a world of inspiration to enhance the onboard experience.
Join us from 14-16 April 2026 at Hamburg Messe.