Welcome a special episode of PaxEx Update, coming to you from APEX EXPO and Aircraft Interiors Expo in Los Angeles.
Two sets of seats were on display this week, spanning the range of the passenger experience. Spirit Airlines‘s new economy class seats on display show off just what the 28″ pitch option will look like for travelers. Some creativity in the shape of the seat and a fixed recline deliver more personal space than one might expect from that dense a configuration.
The Quadra seat from Optimares brings a unique recline mechanism into play. It is not quite a fixed shell design and somewhat magically delivers more knee room when the passenger in front reclines. This is the seat that will be flying on Qatar Airways‘ new A321neo fleet starting in mid-2020.
IFPL is marketing a new Bluetooth headset connection that has no user interface. Touch the tip of the armrest to pair and let the system do the rest. One airline is signed up for demos later this year. Safran is a bit more advanced on the Bluetooth front with multiple customers committed to its full-plane solution, including Lufthansa and ANA flying the kit in 2021.
Panasonic Avionics announced a deal with Indian carrier Vistara to bring the company’s new Arc moving maps on board. Vistara is the launch customer for the solution, with entry into service expected in 2020.
Safran‘s RAVE Ultra screens looks great with 4K content, but are arguably more impressive for their ability to upscale lower resolution sources on the fly.
The push for phased array antennae remains strong, with multiple vendors showing their wares. The fully electronic models still remain a couple years off, though.
Finally, Viasat announced a deal with SAS to fit at least four more planes with its Ka-band satellite wifi solution while SITAONAIR picked up ANA as a GX Aviation upgrade.
Catch up with these stories and lots more from the show and beyond every day at PaxEx.Aero.
More from the 2019 APEX EXPO
- Gogo makes a China 2Ku play
- Cabin-wide Bluetooth audio to fly in 2021
- EL AL brings USB-C in-seat power online
- Viasat extends its SAS reach with long-haul planes
- JetBlue selects Thales AVANT for A220 IFE
- Moving Maps and much more coming to Vistara’s long-haul fleet
- PaxEx Update: APEX EXPO
- Inflight WiFi for JSX slips to 2020
- AERQ wants to be more than just a Welcome Board
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