Gallery: IFE technologies shifting to adapt to passenger viewing tastes

Dubai-based flydubai has a partnership with PressReader to provide passengers with complimentary access to a wide range of international publications onboard 70% of its Boeing 737 fleet. This comes as part of flydubai’s growing partnership with PressReader where passengers visiting the flydubai Business Lounge at Dubai International (DXB) can have complimentary access to PressReader’s wide range of content. By connecting to the Business Class Lounge WiFi network and downloading the PressReader app, passengers are able to search for and download their favorite publications before their flight.
 

LATAM Airlines Group (LATAM) and Touch Inflight Solutions extended their IFE partnership for another five years to deliver LATAM Play. Beyond serving content, Touch and LATAM said they will expand the role of LATAM Play into a “powerful passenger engagement tool, creating new and unique touch points where LATAM can connect with passengers about its brand, offerings and loyalty program.”
 

Hawaiian Airlines expects to complete its first installation of SpaceX's Starlink Wi-Fi system on an A321neo soon and intends to finish deploying Starlink to all of its A321neos (pictured) in the second quarter. It will then look to install the equipment on its A330 fleet. Hawaiian will also equip its incoming fleet of Boeing 787-9s (deliveries pending), with Starlink’s satellite internet connectivity service.With Starlink, Hawaiian will provide complimentary high-speed, low-latency broadband internet access to every guest onboard flights between the islands and the continental U.S, Asia and Oceania.

Austrian Airlines is offering Airbus A320 passengers unlimited messaging via Austrian FlyNet. From the end of 2024, all existing A320 fleet family will be successively upgraded with broadband internet.

The Lufthansa Group plans to fully equip all aircraft in the Airbus A220/320 family (A220, A319, A320ceo, A320neo, A321ceo, A321neo) operated by Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and now also SWISS, in total more than 150 aircraft. The installation of the system, in partnership with Viasat, will begin at all airlines from the fourth quarter of 2024 and will be completed after around two years. After Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings, SWISS will thus be the next airline in the Lufthansa Group to introduce in-flight internet for its passengers on short- and medium-haul aircraft. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings have been offering their passengers broadband internet on many short- and medium-haul flights since 2017.

Panasonic Avionics signed an agreement with Icelandair for the installation of its Astrova inflight entertainment (IFE) solution and a suite of digital solutions on the airline’s new fleet of Airbus A321neo LR aircraft.
Panasonic Avionics’ Astrova seat-end IFE solution will be installed throughout Icelandair’s A321neo LR aircraft, with 16-inch monitors in business class and 13-inch in economy. Astrova will enhance Icelandair’s passenger engagement by creating an immersive experience through industry-leading 4K OLED screens with industry-leading high-definition capability available, combined with high-fidelity audio, accessible through Panasonic Avionics’ Bluetooth technology.
 

Air New Zealand is working with satellite internet service provider, Starlink, to introduce free internet onboard domestic aircraft. Starlink will be installed on a domestic jet and, in a world first, on an ATR in late 2024. After a successful trial, Air New Zealand will look to roll out Starlink internet on other aircraft in its domestic fleet in 2025.