The Business of Passenger Experience
When one or two executives leave a company it doesn't usually make the news. When it is a handful all at once eyebrows start to raise. After last week's news of one such shake-up in the inflight entertainment and connectivity world, however, the company's CEO says this is simply business as usual, finishing up a restructuring started in 2018.
India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world and, somewhat surprisingly, one of the least connected in flight. That will soon change, however, thanks to the recent publication of new government regulations. Indian aviation is about to get online in a big way.
Little deals matter, too. Italian leisure carrier Neos is the latest carrier to choose an inflight wifi connectivity solution. The carrier picked Viasat’s Ka-band system to operate on its trio of 787 Dreamliners.
With billions of dollars in contracts at stake perhaps it makes sense that Thales would seek extra help in securing new deals. That it stands accused of failing to pay its partner for that help is less good. That it now also likely faces scrutiny from US and international regulators related to suspicious payment schemes and efforts to influence leaders of foreign airlines is even worse. Welcome to the fun and exciting world of supplier deals in the Middle East.
Is it possible for inflight entertainment and connectivity vendors to do business in the Middle East without suspicion of bribery and fraud? Just a couple years after securing multiple major contracts Thales stands accused of failing to pay a partner it used to facilitate those deals. More than a billion dollars in damages are on the line in the case.
Aer Lingus continues to roll out details on its A321LR fleet plans ahead of delivery later this Spring. The LR will kick off a brand revitalization effort in 2019 extending the carrier’s premium offerings. Even as it seeks to join some parts of the IAG framework, including the (long anticipated) transatlantic fares joint venture, Aer Lingus will keep a streak of independence from its IAG overlords.
It launched as Gogo Vision Touch. Delta Air Lines would be the initial customer but plans were in place to expand the offering to other airlines. Those plans still exist in a roundabout way, but it no longer appears that Gogo is involved in the product as Delta carries this wireless IFE solution forward.
Singapore Airlines pressed its latest A350 configuration into service this week. Adelaide is the first destination to see the mid-haul plane and its new Thales AVANT entertainment and Inmarsat GX connectivity systems on board.
Can a massive airline deliver disruption in the inflight entertainment world? Delta Air Lines hopes the answer is yes as its Delta Flight Products (DFP) group formally launches its wireless IFE solution. Can a massive airline deliver disruption in the inflight entertainment world? Delta Air Lines hopes the answer is yes as its Delta Flight Products (DFP) group formally launches its wireless IFE solution. That's bad news for pretty much every other vendor in the inflight entertainment market today.
The official unveiling is set for Monday in Nadi but Fiji Airways cannot wait to tease some details around its new 737 MAX aircraft. Among them, confirmation that the inflight entertainment and connectivity will be provided by Panasonic Avionics. The partnership was reported to PaxEx Premium subscribers last month.
