The invention relates to a holding element (1) for fastening equipment elements to a supporting rail (2) with a rail head (3) having an essentially elliptical cross-sectional outer contour which is fastened to an inner supporting structure of a fuselage cell of an aircraft. The holding element (1) has, inter alia, two resilient and pivotable clamping arms (4,5) which, when "clamped on", bear against the rail head (3) and thereby bring about an initial fixing of the holding element (1) on the supporting rail (2). The holding element (1) can still be displaced longitudinally in this state. If the holding element (1) is pressed further upward onto the supporting rail (2) the clamping arms (4,5) are secured against an intentional expansion in a "locked state". The holding element (1) permits simple, rapid and flexible fastening of a multiplicity of very varied equipment elements.