Passengers on Qatar Airways‘ 777s are getting an entertainment system upgrade. The carrier committed to refreshing the Panasonic Avionics hardware on board, including new 10″ EcoFW HD screens and other infrastructure. Qatar Airways is the launch customer for the EcoFW screens.
We are delighted to work with Panasonic to bring the next generation EcoFW HD screens to our award-winning Oryx One in-flight entertainment system, enabling our passengers to enjoy an enhanced journey on board our fleet as part of the airline’s exceptional five-star service.
– Qatar Airways Senior Vice President, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Ms. Salam Al Shawa
The updated screens are lighter and more reliable, extending the life of the on-board in-flight entertainment system and reducing operational costs for the fleet. The refresh program also calls for the installation of a new passenger entertainment server on board. The upgraded systems allows for even more content to be carried for the Oryx inflight entertainment platform. It also delivers a more responsive passenger experience, with faster content load times.
Ken Sain, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, said: “We are delighted to be deepening our longstanding partnership with Qatar Airways by upgrading a key element of their fleet with our latest generation of inflight entertainment solutions. We are confident this will enable them to deliver an enhanced passenger experience and benefit from a host of operational efficiencies.”
The retrofit program is relatively light touch. Panasonic Avionics says it can typically be completed in an overnight maintenance cycle, minimizing AOG time and associated costs.
The carrier will update the seatback IFE screens and server on 37 of its 777s in service. The first retrofit aircraft completed the IFE upgrade last week.
The carrier also previously announced plans to retire the 777 fleet by the middle of the decade, raising questions about the decision to invest in the upgrade. But the savings on fuel and maintenance should offset the capital costs.
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