LAKE FOREST, California – 9 November 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced that it has received a new order for Panasonic’s eX2 IFE system from All Nippon Airways (ANA) for its Boeing 767-300ER aircraft and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The eX2 system delivers an enhanced IFE experience through Audio and Video On Demand (AVOD) and other entertainment options on high-resolution seatback monitors. Passengers can also view their own iPod and other personal media content on the in-seat display using the iPod, USB and audio jacks. In addition, the eX2 system offers advanced interactive entertainment choices, including shopping, and games, movies and television programming.
“The eX2 system offers many innovative entertainment features that are valued and demanded by our passengers,” said Vice President Products & Service Innovations of All Nippon Airways. “We will continue to look to Panasonic Avionics to provide our passengers with new options in the area of in-flight entertainment and communications.”
“We have had a long and successful partnership with All Nippon Airways and are pleased to earn their repeat business,” said Yasu Enokido, Chief Operating Officer and President of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “It is exciting to be an integral part of their expansion plans and we look forward to providing their passengers with an amazing long-haul experience for years to come.”
Ranked among the top 10 airlines in the world, carrying almost 50 million passengers every year to 52 destinations in Japan and 26 cities throughout Asia, Europe and the United States, ANA is recognized for outstanding passenger service both on the ground and in the air. In the Japanese tradition of mixing hospitality with high technology, personalized, a la carte service complements state-of-the-art entertainment systems and the latest in cabin design. ANA has been in the airline business for over 50 years, and combined with ANA Group companies its activities extend across a host of complete travel and aviation-related services.
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, a U.S. corporation, is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
ORLANDO, Florida – 20 October 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation, the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced the availability of its Global Communications Suite to business aircraft at the annual National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) conference in Orlando.
Panasonic’s Global Communications Suite offers enhanced connectivity and productivity for business flyers through a combination of the following services: eXConnect, eXPhone, and the Panasonic Airborne Television Network. The suite provides the bandwidth to support virtually any service business passengers require, including simultaneous voice, Internet, VPN, live television and video conferencing.
Panasonic is in discussions with multiple customers who operate aircraft including the Boeing Business Jet, Airbus Corporate Jet, Embraer 135, B747, and the B777.
Panasonic’s Global Communications Suite consists of the following solutions:
- Panasonic eXConnect – This global, two-way broadband solution will provide high-speed connectivity to the aircraft supporting data rates up to 50Mbps.
- Panasonic eXPhone – Together with Panasonic’s service partner, AeroMobile, eXPhone enables passengers to make and receive calls and SMS text messages with their personal mobile phones, and use GPRS-based devices such as BlackBerry®.
- eXTraBandwidth – This solution provides a tiered offering of guaranteed, consistent bandwidth for high quality communications, such as dedicated voice, video conferencing and other bandwidth-critical applications.
- Panasonic Airborne Television Network – This private, global network will provide real-time broadcast TV programming delivering live news, sports, business/finance, weather, and entertainment via a proprietary, encrypted satellite feed. The Panasonic Airborne Television Network will be the first aviation satellite television product to deliver a consistent viewing experience on a global basis.
“Having broadband access to the Internet, broadcast satellite TV and the use of personal mobile devices is crucial to today’s business executive,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “With our Global Communications Suite, Panasonic will be providing a truly global solution with major improvements in connectivity bandwidth, television capabilities, and mobile device support providing business executives with the performance and capabilities they desire.”
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, a U.S. corporation, is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
Palm Springs, California – October 6, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced at the annual World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) Conference details of its high-definition, premium-class solutions for its X Series IFEC product line.
Perpetually focused on innovation in IFEC, Panasonic has integrated leading-edge technology into a suite of new products to further elevate today’s premium class passenger experience, including a 32″ High-Definition LCD Monitor, a High-Definition Premium Seat Electronics Box, and the company’s exclusive Karma Touch Screen Handset.
• The 32″ High-Definition LCD Monitor (HD-LCDM) provides up to 1080ip resolution with exceptional color purity and contrast ratios. Designed for the premium class pod-seats and suites, the HD-LCDM can also be used as a cabin monitor on bulkheads and monuments.
• The High-Definition Premium Seat Electronics Box (HD-PSEB) provides 1080ip video resolution to support the new 32″ HD-LCDM. It also delivers 720p video, making upgrades easy for Panasonic’s current customers to enable HD on their existing LCD monitors. The HD-PSEB will also feature upgrades to the microprocessor, graphical processing unit, and system memory to further advance the premium applications and gaming experience.
• The Karma Touch-Screen Handset is the ultimate remote control. It provides a comprehensive, visually-based, capacitive-touch-screen controller in a sleek and attractive design befitting the elevated requirements of today’s premium class cabin products. Karma provides easy to use navigation for passengers and a dynamic graphical user interface offers airlines the option to create customized designs to effectively promote their brand. Karma gives passengers the ability to simultaneously watch the latest video on the monitor while ordering a drink, purchasing duty free products, tracking the flight or chatting with another passenger.
“At Panasonic, our primary goal has always been to delight the passenger with our products,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “By combining Panasonic’s industry-leading High-Definition technology into our X Series product line, we have created an experience that, in many cases, exceeds what passengers are accustomed to on the ground.”
BE Aerospace’s first class seating pod (Oasis Mid-Privacy Suite) will be the first to feature the premium solutions at the WAEA conference.
Palm Springs, California – October 6, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced at the annual World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) conference that it is introducing entry-level solutions as part of its X Series product line.
With the introduction of Panasonic’s Audio-On-Demand Passenger Control Unit (AOD-PCU), and High-Definition Digital Overhead Monitors (DOM), Panasonic has created a comprehensive entry-level IFEC solution in its flagship X Series product line. Combined in part, or in total, each of these products represents a significant step forward in the IFEC entry-level product space:
• The AOD-PCU delivers an affordable solution that is sleek, durable and reliable. The AOD-PCU offers a high-resolution display that provides branding opportunities to the airline with familiar controls and navigation found in today’s most popular personal media devices. Linked to the IFEC system, the AOD-PCU provides nearly limitless, truly on-demand audio entertainment as well as interaction with overhead video displays for gaming and surveys.
• The DOM is an Ethernet-based high-definition digital overhead display with exceptional picture quality. The DOM is available in both wall-mount and retractable form-factors providing the ultimate in shared visual entertainment and attractive cabin interior design.
Taken together, these products form Panasonic’s industry-leading X Series IFEC solution to address all aspects of the market. The entry-level market now has affordable IFEC options that solve the business requirement of any customer or airframe while establishing an X Series architecture that is feature-rich at entry-into-service. The products also provide an upgrade path to Panasonic’s premium product options, extending the value of its customers’ return-on-investment.
“Providing an amazing in-flight entertainment experience to all passengers, all of the time, has always been our primary goal,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “By introducing HD widescreen overhead monitors, together with AOD, we will significantly improve the experience for a part of the market which has sometimes been underserved.”
Frankfurt, Germany – October 12, 2009 – Today, Lufthansa announced the return of in-flight passenger connectivity with the re-launch of their FlyNet branded broadband internet service. FlyNet will utilize the Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) Global Communications Suite. Lufthansa aims to equip a major part of its long-range fleet with FlyNet within the first year of operation.
The Panasonic Global Communications Suite consists of the eXConnect broadband service, the eXPhone GSM service, and the Panasonic Airborne Television Network.
Panasonic’s eXConnect is designed to provide global, two-way broadband connectivity to support a wide range of passenger and crew applications, including Internet access, voice, data, and the ability to monitor and transmit airline operational data in real time at speeds of up to 50 Mbps to the aircraft.
The eXPhone solution allows passengers to use their mobile (cell) phones to make voice calls, send SMS text messages, or utilize data services in-flight, virtually anywhere in the world. The eXPhone system is designed to be flexible, giving the airline full control over the services offered with the ability to restrict certain services when appropriate.
The Panasonic Airborne Television Network is a revolutionary approach to live, in-flight television. This proprietary, dedicated network is provided by Panasonic to offer a global, synchronized viewing experience with live news, sports, financial and special events to airline passengers. Panasonic has established licensing relationships directly with top content providers to provide the programming for the service.
Panasonic has assembled and integrated a world class team of technology and service providers to collectively deliver the Global Communications Suite.
The eXPhone system and service are provided in conjunction with AeroMobile, the award-winning provider of in-flight mobile communication services and technology.
MTN Satellite Communications is the leading global service provider of at-sea communications, connectivity and content services and will provide the Ku band satellite network services for Panasonic’s Global Communications Service business. More details about the satellite network will be provided in the coming weeks.
Panasonic has contracted with EMS Technologies’ Defense & Space Division, to provide the advanced dual-panel, satellite-tracking antenna, developed collaboratively by Panasonic and EMS. This unique design delivers greater performance and global coverage, especially at lower latitudes such as near the equator. The antenna’s dual polarization receive capability, unique to the EMS Technologies antenna system, doubles the available receive bandwidth.
Panasonic licenses iDirect’s state of the art satellite IP router technology as a core component of the Panasonic eXConnect in-flight satellite transmission platform. iDirect is a world leader in satellite-based IP communications technology. iDirect’s innovative spread spectrum waveform diffuses the transmission of satellite bandwidth while maintaining a high data rate, which dramatically conserves satellite space segment and lowers bandwidth costs for airlines.
In November of this year, Panasonic is installing their eXConnect system on a private Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737) to conduct the initial flight tests. Additional information on this aircraft and customer will be announced in Orlando, Florida at the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Annual Conference October 20, 2009.
“We are thrilled to be working with Lufthansa as our launch customer of the eXConnect broadband service.” states Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer. “Panasonic had already assembled the best of class suppliers to provide the full range of services in the Panasonic Global Communications Suite – and now, in Lufthansa, we have the perfect launch customer to match.”
Palm Springs, California – October 7, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced that it has supplied its Digital Multiplexed Passenger Entertainment System (DMPES) for retrofit to Mexicana Airlines’ (Mexicana) single aisle fleet. Mexicana has installed the DMPES in-flight entertainment (IFEC) system on thirty-nine A318, A319 and A320 aircraft and taken delivery of two A330s equipped with Panasonic’s eX2 system.
Business class passengers on Mexicana’s single aisle aircraft enjoy a personal and portable IFEC experience with the Panasonic eXpress Personal Medial Player (PMP), a compact, durable hand-held audio visual on demand (AVOD) device. The PMP devices are preloaded with hours of rentable content for on-demand playback. With its intuitive controls and multi-language menus, plus a crisp 7-inch LCD widescreen display, the PMP is easy to use for passengers.
The Panasonic eX2 system gives passengers on Mexicana’s A330 aircraft a robust application and communications hosting platform that the carrier can tailor to passenger requirements. Using in-seat user-friendly touch screen displays, passengers can enjoy access to AVOD content on the flights between Mexico City and Madrid, Spain and Europe.
Installed on Mexicana’s narrow-body single aisle aircraft, the Panasonic DMPES overhead system is an advanced in-flight entertainment system using the latest technology that incorporates the System Controller with Analog Audio Output (SC-A). With 160-gigabyte media memory, the SC-A reduces space, weight, and power when compared with traditional IFEC systems by eliminating the use of tapes.
“Panasonic is extending its relationship with Mexicana Airlines by providing system configuration options so it can offer Business and Economy Class differentiation,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We are proud to be its IFEC supplier of choice as the airline expands its fleet of aircraft and services.”
From its operations hub in Mexico City International Airport, Mexicana Airlines flies to over 40 destinations in Europe, North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean. Founded in 1921, Mexicana provides the most extensive international flight schedule from Mexico and is the leading transportation company between Mexico and the United States. The new IFE system will enhance the in-flight entertainment experience for passengers on the airline.
“In extending our longstanding and successful relationship with Panasonic Avionics Corporation, Mexicana Airlines takes another bold step forward in providing the highest quality in-flight entertainment for our passengers,” said Adolfo Crespo, Senior Vice President, Customer Service & Corporate Communications at Mexicana Airlines. “Offering dual-class IFE helps us raise the bar for passenger service in our region, leading to greater passenger satisfaction and loyalty.”
Palm Springs, California – October 5, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced that eXport, an innovative connectivity feature proprietary to the Panasonic eX2 system, will be available via licensing agreements to all IFEC vendors.
The eXport solution provides a single connection for all audio, video, power, and data communication between the iPod and IFEC system, eliminating the need for octopus cable previously used in the industry. The eXport solution helps enhance passengers’ in-flight entertainment experience by integrating iPod personal portable players with Panasonic’s eX2 IFEC system using an eXport Smart Cable. With this device, passengers can enjoy their own personal content on their iPod® or iPhone™ while in flight.
“Panasonic is a proven innovator in IFEC technology and our eXport technology delivers an enriched in-flight experience to iPod and iPhone users,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “Having multiple industry standards for iPod integration does not benefit the flying public and we felt it was important to make eXport available to our competition. By licensing this solution, we have taken another step forward to establish eXport as an industry standard feature on aircraft.”
Panasonic’s eXport solution for iPod and iPhone has been exceptionally well received by airline customers and passengers alike since it was introduced last year. Nearly 4,500 seats equipped with the eXport solution were shipped in just under one year. The early adopters include Avianca, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International, and United Airlines.
As the only Made for iPod IFEC vendor in the commercial air transport industry, other IFEC vendors have expressed interest to Panasonic in licensing eXport for use with their IFEC systems.
Currently, Panasonic offers license agreements to avionics industry customers exclusively. In the future, the eXport technology may have applications to other markets in the travel industry.
Palm Springs, California – October 5, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation, the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced its 30th anniversary at the annual World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) conference in Palm Springs.
Panasonic Avionics Corporation was founded in 1979 with a vision to enhance the quality of air travel throughout the world. In January 1980, Panasonic Avionics signed its first contract to provide a Passenger Entertainment SystemPassenger Service System for the Boeing 767. In October 2003, the company launched its X Series IFEC solution, eFX, as the first generation digitalEthernet-based system. Panasonic Avionics is now on its third generation digitalEthernet based system, eX2. Along the way, the company has been the first-to-market with many industry-leading innovations including:
• Audio Video On Demand (AVOD) introduced (1997)
• MPEG-2 video quality introduced (2000)
• Integrated IFE Broadband Passenger Connectivity (2002)
• Advertising and Integrated Shopping offered for in-flight entertainment (2004)
• Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliant IFEC system (2006)
• Closed Captioning offered for in-flight entertainment system (2007)
• MPEG-4 video content introduced (2008)
• In-flight voice and data services introduced (2008)
• Global real-time content broadcast network TV introduced (2009)
Now headquartered in Lake Forest, California, the company has over 3,100 employees globally with offices in Bothell, Washington and regional centers in Dallas, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Toulouse.
“With 30 years of hard work and dedication from our employees and long-standing relationships with many of the world’s leading carriers, Panasonic Avionics Corporation has grown to become the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communications systems,” said Yasu Enokido, President of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We look forward to the next 30 years of consistent product innovation and committed customer service.”
“Every day we come to work with a sole purpose: to surprise and delight the millions and millions of passengers using Panasonic IFEC systems,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We’re extremely proud of everything we’ve done, but we continue to believe that everything we do, all of the products we make, can be made even better for our customers and their passengers by pushing ourselves harder.”
The past 30 years have been very successful but Panasonic remains highly focused on the next 30 years of innovation. The company recently embarked on its largest innovation exercise in many years, which yielded over 250 new ideas that will benefit passengers, crews and airline operations. For the passenger, the focus is how we plan travel, how we experience travel, and then how we share those experiences. For the crew, Panasonic also has ideas for efficiency, effectiveness and using technology to enable better interaction with passengers. For airline operations, Panasonic will provide tools that enable the most efficient operation of IFEC systems, never losing sight of the basics of safety, reliability, power, weight, and size.
HONG KONG, China – 9 September 2009 – Announced today at Aircraft Interiors Expo / Asian Aerospace in Hong Kong, China, Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) has opened its China Region headquarters in Hong Kong and has set in place the infrastructure to support the rapidly expanding in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) market in China.
Widely acknowledged as the industry leader in next-generation IFEC platforms that maximize airline operational efficiency and enhance the passenger experience, Panasonic is sending a clear message to customers in one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world.
“Like elsewhere in the world, ancillary revenue strategies are being evaluated by airlines across China,” said Charles Ogilvie, Executive Director of China for Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “This market is changing so quickly that all companies who help airlines deliver passenger experience must design their structure and products to be both flexible and dependable, which is something we’ve done in the establishment of this new region for Panasonic Avionics.”
“Panasonic is thrilled to announce our commitment to China,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We began with an integration center in Shanghai and staff in Beijing and Guangzhou to support our operations. Now we have added a Regional Headquarters in Hong Kong to strengthen our core efforts across China.”
“Panasonic is committed to the highest quality and delivering excellence to our customers worldwide,” said Yasu Enokido, President of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We now further enhance that commitment to China..”
Key aviation industry leaders, including Steve Ridgway, Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic and other Asian Aerospace executives, will attend a private Panasonic-hosted function Wednesday evening in Hong Kong to celebrate the launch of Panasonic’s China region and opening of its new regional headquarters in Hong Kong.
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, a U.S. corporation, is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
ONG KONG, China – September 8, 2009 – Announced today at Aircraft Interiors Expo Asian Aerospace in Hong Kong, China, starting from July 2009, Shanghai Airlines’ passengers onboard ten (10) A321 aircraft began experiencing the Panasonic eFX in-flight entertainment (IFE) system from the comfort of their seats. This IFE system offers audio and video on demand (AVOD), games, and other entertainment options.
The Panasonic IFE platform flying on Shanghai Airlines provides a flexible and scalable IFE system that offers a robust and engaging passenger experience. Panasonic eFX is a fully-digital IFE system with an open architecture to provide for maximum performance. Shanghai Airlines can easily add advanced functionality to the system as its long-term strategy evolves.
Shanghai Airlines chose Panasonic because of its ability to offer a comprehensive in-flight entertainment solution, and its proven success in the industry.
“After great analysis and discussion, we decided the Panasonic system was the right one for us,” said Xiaoyun Shao, Senior Vice President at Shanghai Airlines. “We look forward to continued cooperation with Panasonic and future success. With eFX, Shanghai Airlines will be able to provide high quality entertainment and make passengers feel more satisfied.”
“Panasonic is pleased that Shanghai Airlines selected eFX for its in-flight entertainment system,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “The selection of eFX by Shanghai Airlines is evidence of their total commitment to providing a world-class experience for their passengers. Panasonic is making it easy for airlines to install these new technologies into their aircraft. eFX has a flexible and integrated architecture and supports the latest industry technologies.”
“Shanghai Airlines’ decision to install on-demand, in-seat in-flight entertainment on narrowbody aircraft represents a very significant innovative step in China,” said Charles Ogilvie, Executive Director of China for Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “Panasonic is committed to the Chinese market and we’re proud to be working with Shanghai Airlines.”
SINGAPORE – September 8, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced at a signing ceremony that Panasonic has chosen to sign an agreement with the SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) for Maintenance Services (MS). Panasonic is providing IFEC maintenance services for the entire Singapore Airlines fleet over 10 years.
Panasonic currently provides IFEC systems to Singapore Airlines entire fleet. With this agreement, Panasonic’s dedicated Maintenance Services (MS) team serves as a central point of communication for daily IFEC maintenance, providing real-time updates on aircraft tail performance, scheduling preventive maintenance actions and detecting any recurring issues.
“After thorough exploration of SIAEC’s maintenance offering, we found them to have one of the industry’s best service organizations and a thorough knowledge of the IFE business,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation “To ensure the best possible passenger experience for our customers, we know we can count on SIAEC to help us maintain our IFE systems and meet our continued growth requirements.”
“We are delighted to continue our relationship with Panasonic to help customers maintain a premium passenger experience,” said Mr. William Tan, Chief Executive Officer of SIA Engineering Company. “We are proud Panasonic has chosen SIAEC to provide the best possible care to maintain the high reliability of SIA’s cabin system.”
Under the agreement, Panasonic will work in conjunction with SIAEC to provide a “one-stop-shop” solution covering all on-aircraft labor, logistics, spares, repairs, and media loading. Panasonic’s Total Care Packages provide total support for the IFE systems, ensuring the highest performance and best experience for passengers and crews.
LAKE FOREST, California – June 23, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced that its Multiplexed Passenger Entertainment System (MPES) was installed on the 6,000th Boeing 737 to enter into service. The aircraft was delivered to International Lease Finance Corp and will be leased to Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA (Norwegian), the second largest airline in Scandinavia.
Panasonic MPES is a simple-to-operate, high performance overhead audio and video in-flight entertainment system for narrow body aircraft. It features a broad range of exciting entertainment options, including distributed audio and video, broadcast moving maps, and other entertainment content. In addition, the system has an advanced technology for superb sound quality.
“The quality and simplicity of the Panasonic MPES product, in addition to the company’s comprehensive customer support, were key factors in our selection of Panasonic Avionics Corporation,” said Asgeir Nyseth, Chief Operating Officer at Norwegian Air Shuttle. “Panasonic MPES will offer our passengers the latest advances in in-flight entertainment options, which is the perfect complement to Norwegian’s business expansion model and flight schedule. We have strong confidence in the Panasonic brand to deliver the high quality experience our passengers expect.”
“We are pleased to participate in the delivery of the 6,000th Boeing 737 aircraft and continue our strong relationship with Norwegian Air Shuttle,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer at Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “As this latest delivery illustrates, we continue to enjoy success and growth in the European air transport market.”
In addition to MPES, Panasonic also supplies DMPES (Digital Multiplexed Passenger Entertainment System) IFE system to Norwegian for its forty-five (45) B737-800 aircraft for delivery into service August 2009. DMPES uses the latest technology that incorporates the X Series’ System Controller with Analog Audio Output (SC-A). With a 160-gigabyte media memory, the DMPES reduces space, weight and power when compared to traditional IFE systems, resulting in cost savings for airlines. Furthermore, Panasonic DMPES compact head-end volume saves room and is lighter in weight, improving aircraft fuel-efficiency.
Established in September 2002, Norwegian is one of Europe’s leading low fare airlines with four domestic routes. In December 2003, Norwegian was listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company has locations in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Poland with 1,400 employees and offers a route network of 158 routes to 83 destinations.
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with over 2,600 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
LAKE FOREST, California – June 18, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced their selection by Bombardier to provide Cabin Management and Passenger Address System (CMS) for the Bombardier CSeries aircraft.
Panasonic’s CMS on the CSeries aircraft will allow control, monitoring and diagnostics of numerous aircraft cabin functions, including temperature and lighting. The CMS also provides a complete embedded digital audio solution offering passenger address, interphone and pre-recorded announcements and music (PRAM) capabilities to the CSeries aircraft passengers, cabin and flight crew. Panasonic is committed to enhancing the entire passenger experience, including CMS, in-flight entertainment and communications systems.
“Panasonic’s CMS is one of many features that allow the CSeries aircraft to deliver a preferred passenger experience at one of the lowest operating costs in its class,” said Rob Dewar, Vice President, CSeries Integrated Product Development Team, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Together with Panasonic, we are introducing features that make flying more enjoyable for passengers and create real value for our customers.”
“We are pleased that Bombardier selected Panasonic to provide the CMS for its CSeries aircraft,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer at Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We look forward to using the latest technology to deliver a cost-effective and lower weight solution that enhances the passenger experience on this new aircraft.”
Lake Forest, California – May 22, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced an agreement with long-time customer American Airlines to install the Panasonic Digital Overhead AudioVideo System on multiple aircraft in its fleet. As part of this agreement, Panasonic will install its 100th Digital Overhead AudioVideo System onboard an American Airlines plane.
“Panasonic is very proud to continue our long, successful relationship with American Airlines,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We are also very pleased to celebrate our milestone delivery of Panasonic’s 100th Digital Overhead AudioVideo System with one of our most valued customers.”
New installations of the Panasonic Digital Overhead AudioVideo System are already in service on 58 Boeing 767-300, 10 Boeing 767-200, and four Boeing 737-800 aircraft in the American Airlines fleet. The new contract also includes the retrofitting of IFE systems on 106 Boeing 757-200 aircraft to be completed by November 2015 and five Boeing 767-200 aircraft to be completed by July 2009. Panasonic is scheduled to begin the retrofits in the fourth quarter of 2009. The Panasonic IFE system is also in production on 72 Boeing 737-800 aircraft to be completed by October 2010.
The new agreement also includes retrofitting of 18 Boeing 757-200 international aircraft with Panasonic IFE systems for In-Seat Audio and Video-on-Demand in First Class and Digital Overhead AudioVideo capability in Economy Class. These aircraft retrofits are already in progress and will be completed by December 2009, with the first two aircraft already in service.
American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection® airlines serve 250 cities in 40 countries with, on average, more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members serve nearly 700 destinations in over 130 countries and territories.
LAKE FOREST, California – 01 May 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced that Air Austral, La Réunion, France, has installed the eX2 in-flight entertainment system on two (2) Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The eX2-equipped aircraft will enter service this month.
Air Austral passengers will have a number of entertainment and communication options available at each seat with Panasonic’s eX2 IFEC system. For example, the eX2 system will provide passengers with access to applications such as audio and video on demand (AVOD), dynamic moving maps, games, and a variety of applications that generate ancillary revenue. With over 50 in-flight application options and services, several award-winning handsets, and high performance/high resolution displays, eX2 is an advance entertainment system that the airline can tailor to specific passenger requirements.
“We are proud to be the first French operator flying the Panasonic eX2 in-flight entertainment system. eX2, an outstanding offering with deep maturity, will be a strategic tool to address the very competitive market between Paris and La Reunion,” said Gérard Etheve, Chief Executive Officer of Air Austral. “It will also be a major asset to our worldwide development, especially to Sydney, Australia.”
Originally known as Réunion Air Service, the airline started operations in March 1975. Starting April 1, 2009, the company will begin flights to Sydney, Australia and Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. Air Austral has been a Panasonic customer since 1998 and currently has Panasonic’s IFEC systems installed on three Boeing 777-200 aircraft.
“The long-lasting relationship between our European team and Air Austral played a key role in this entry into service,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We are pleased that Air Austral chose the eX2 system to help them differentiate their service in its competitive market.”
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
LAKE FOREST, California – 07 April 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), a leading global provider of in-flight entertainment (IFE) and communications systems, congratulates five of its customers for their “best in-flight entertainment.” For ten years, the SKYTRAX World Airline Awards have acknowledged those airlines that have used technology innovation to benefit the flying public. The 2009 award honorees are:
- Emirates
- Singapore Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Qatar Airways
This year’s winners were commemorated at an event at the Aircraft Interiors Exposition in Hamburg, Germany.
“Each year, the World Airline Awards seeks to recognize airlines for their ongoing efforts to utilize technology in order to benefit the flying public,” said Paul Margis, CEO of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We are delighted that these five outstanding airlines have been recognized for their ongoing efforts in innovations that enhances the passenger experience. We applaud them for their creative use of IFE technology to provide the best quality product and service for their passengers.”
The 2009 World Airline Awards are based on the annual World Airline Survey by SKYTRAX, which was conducted between August 2008 and March 2009. The prestigious and highly coveted awards are recognized around the world for its global, independent passenger survey of airline standards.
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
01 April 2009 – Aeromobile, the award-winning provider of in-flight mobile phone services, is demonstrating the benefits of its partnership with Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFE) systems, at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo.
Work by the two companies has led to the integration of the AeroMobile system with Panasonic’s X Series IFE platform. Known as the eXPhone, the system allows airlines to incorporate in-flight mobile technology within the Panasonic IFE system, saving investment costs and aircraft weight.
Panasonic is offering eXPhone as part of their Global Communications Suite, or as a stand-alone product.
Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, said: “Our objective has been to offer a flexible, scalable product that integrates in-flight mobile technology into our IFE systems. Airlines are starting to see the benefits of this, both in terms of cost and convenience.”
AeroMobile’s relationship with Panasonic has been forged in successful in-service operations with Qantas, Emirates and Malaysia Airlines. Later this year, V Australia will roll out the eXPhone service on its trans-Pacific routes.
AeroMobile CEO, Bjorn-Taale Sandberg, said: “Our relationship with Panasonic unites the world’s largest IFE provider with one of the world’s largest telecom providers – our majority shareholder Telenor – enabling us to provide a genuine enhancement to airline IFE solutions.
“A number of airlines have already expressed strong interest in eXPhone, and we hope to be able to announce further details shortly.”
About AeroMobile
AeroMobile Limited is a UK-based company which is majority owned by Telenor ASA. Since 2003, it has been pursuing the objective of developing the safe use of passengers own mobile phones and PDAs in response to market demands.
AeroMobile is the first in-flight mobile technology to be commercially available and first flew in June 2005 on Boeing’s 777-200LR ‘Worldliner’ demonstrator aircraft. It was subsequently trialled with Qantas on over 1,000 domestic Australian flights in 2007, when GSM text messaging and GPRS data services were offered to its passengers.
In March 2008, the AeroMobile system made possible the first authorised in-flight calls on a commercial flight with launch customer Emirates. Since that time, over 160,000 Emirates passengers have used AeroMobile, and it is now available on 32 aircraft – a quarter of the airline’s fleet.
AeroMobile is also in service with Malaysian Airlines, and will be rolled out on V Australia aircraft later this year.
AeroMobile is teamed with Panasonic Avionics Corporation, the Panasonic’s market-leading in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems provider, to offer the AeroMobile aircraft technology under the eXPhone brand as an integral part of Panasonic’s IFE systems. The AeroMobile system uses existing Inmarsat satellite communications systems installed on commercial aircraft, and these will be upgraded at the earliest opportunity to Inmarsat’s latest SwiftBroadband service providing further features and capabilities such as GPRS mobile data services
In September 2008, AeroMobile won the “Best Achievement in Technology 2008” award from the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA).
More information may be found at www.aeromobile.net
HAMBURG, Germany – 01 April 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced that it has entered into multi-year agreements with five major television news groups to provide live news and information via its proprietary Panasonic Airline Television Network. The licensed news organizations are Al Jazeera, BBC World News, the BLOOMBERG TELEVISION® network, euronews and France 24. Discussions are ongoing with additional broadcasters with details soon to be announced.
As a component of the Panasonic eXConnect in-flight broadband system, a part of the Panasonic Global Communications Suite, the Panasonic Airline Television Network is a global TV broadcast system designed to provide passengers with live news, information and events wherever the aircraft flies. At its heart is the first worldwide in-flight television distribution system powered by the same Ku based satellite network as the eXConnect service. This Panasonic proprietary network delivers a seamless passenger experience across multiple regions and provides airlines with revenue generation opportunities through advertising insertion and pay-per-view capabilities. The Panasonic Airline Television Network utilizes the same antenna and onboard components as the eXConnect broadband system, minimizing hardware and installation costs to the airlines.
“The Panasonic Airline Television Network will strengthen our customers’ ability to provide the best in-flight entertainment by engaging recognizable, branded content providers that appeal to a wide demographic of passengers,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “In addition, Panasonic is excited to work with these global broadcasters as they extend their channels’ distribution to the airborne market.”
The licensing agreements with the five broadcasters range from 3-5 years with flexible terms for extension. “The long-term stability of the Panasonic Airline Television Network from a content perspective is a fundamental strategy at Panasonic Avionics,” Margis said. “Our goal is to provide our customers with a compelling offering within the Panasonic Global Communications Suite. Therefore, we have structured the Panasonic Airline Television Network with the ability to add channels on a global or regional basis, depending on our customers’ specific requirements and business needs.”
As a standalone system or integrated into existing in-flight entertainment systems, the Panasonic Global Communications Suite enables personal connectivity through the following components:
- eXConnect in-flight wireless high-speed broadband Internet and data services that provide access to live and cached content for passengers and operational information for the flight crew
- eXPhone in-flight mobile phone service using the passenger’s own GSM phone
- Panasonic Airline Television Network in-flight global access to live broadcast television
For more information, please visit our booth located in Hall B6 #6F25.
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
About Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera started out over twelve years ago to providing comprehensive, independent television news and live debate for the Arab world.
Providing a voice to the voiceless and putting real people back at the center of the news agenda, Al Jazeera has been credited with revolutionizing the broadcast industry in the Arab world. Today, the channel that sent waves through the Arab world has become a global brand recognized around the world.
The Al Jazeera Satellite Channel has an estimated peak audience of over 50 million viewers and has been ranked by brandchannel.com as the most recognizable and influential news brand globally. With more than 40 bureaus and dozens of correspondents covering events around the world, and the freedom to operate with complete editorial independence, Al Jazeera has given millions of people a refreshing, impartial take on the events that affect their lives.
In addition to news and current affairs, the Al Jazeera Satellite Channel has a variety of live, interactive talk shows, including the Opposite Direction, Without Borders, More Than One Opinion, From Washington and Open Dialog, which give Arab audiences a unique opportunity to provide their personal insights and comments on the issues that matter to them.
About BBC World News
BBC World News, the BBC’s commercially funded international 24-hour news and information channel, is owned and operated by BBC World News Ltd, a member of the BBC’s commercial group of companies. BBC World News attracts 78 million viewers a week, is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, and reaches 287 million households and close to 1.7 million hotel rooms. The channel’s content is also available on 80 cruise ships, 43 airlines, 36 mobile phone networks and a number of major online platforms including bbc.com/news. For further information visit bbcworldnews.com.
About the BLOOMBERG TELEVISION® Network
The BLOOMBERG TELEVISION® 24-hour network broadcasts to more than 200 million homes worldwide. BLOOMBERG TELEVISION programming is created exclusively by Bloomberg news professionals in more than 140 bureaus. The dynamic BLOOMBERG TELEVISION screen adds depth and context to on-air reports, providing viewers with interactive charts, breaking news, market prices and indexes in real time gleaned from the news, data and analytic tools of the BLOOMBERG PROFESSIONAL® service.
About euronews
Launched in January 1993 euronews covers world affairs from a European perspective. euronews is broadcast 24 hours a day, simultaneously in eight languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.
euronews presents a complete news bulletin every half hour, followed by in-depth programmes business, europe, sport, a review of press headlines from Europe’s major dailies, and the weather forecast.
euronews’ feature programmes cover a wide range of topics including science, cinema, fashion, new technologies, and space.
euronews is broadcast all over the world, reaching 253 million households in 142 countries by cable, digital satellite and terrestrial distribution. The channel is also available on mobile operators (3G, VOD), on ADSL/High Speed Internet networks, and live on board the aircraft of international airlines. Viewers can watch euronews on their PDAs and live on the Internet in Europe on RealNetworks Superpass. euronews and no comment TV are also available on YouTube and Dailymotion.
euronews is the most-watched international news channel in Europe: every day, 2.8 million Europeans watch euronews on cable and satellite, while another 3.6 million watch on terrestrial channels (Source: euronews/Telmar Peaktime©, evaluation system based on viewers audience, 4th quarter 2008).
About FRANCE 24
FRANCE 24 is the French international news channel that offers a French perspective and sensibility on world events. It broadcasts on a 24/7 basis on three channels, in French, English and Arabic, in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and on the east coast of the US. FRANCE 24 can be accessed by cable, satellite, DSL and on mobile. The website www.france24.com is available in three languages (English, French, Arabic).
HAMBURG, Germany – 31 March 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in in-flight entertainment and communication (IFEC) systems, today announced at the Aircraft Interiors Exposition the launch of the Panasonic Airline Television Network.
The Panasonic Airline Television Network is a proprietary broadcast TV distribution network. It includes a selection of respected broadcast television channels specifically licensed by Panasonic for worldwide distribution to aircraft in-flight via Ku band satellites. Panasonic defines and manages the selection of channels, and all licensing and distribution agreements are made directly with the content providers. By defining and controlling the encryption format utilized for the content distribution, Panasonic has greatly simplified the content management process and system design.
Current in-flight solutions utilize existing direct-to-home feeds for their programming. The beams or footprint for these feeds are optimized to serve consumers on land, not aircraft in-flight. Furthermore, the existing distribution agreements that govern the broadcast of content are often limited to specific geopolitical boundaries. In contrast, the Panasonic Airline Television Network is not reliant on existing distribution networks and encryption formats. With these restrictions removed, Panasonic can offer the first seamless, synchronized, global TV network.
Passengers flying on an aircraft equipped with the Panasonic Airline Television Network will enjoy a virtually continuous entertainment experience as the aircraft moves from one coverage area to another. In addition to enhancing the in-flight experience for passengers, this network provides airlines with ancillary revenue opportunities through onboard ad insertion and pay-per-view access.
Due to the scalability and flexibility of the Panasonic Airline Television Network, additional channels and content can be easily added to the network to meet passenger demands or an airline’s specific regional needs. Additionally, the service is provided via the same antenna and onboard equipment as the Panasonic eXConnect broadband system, avoiding the cost and weight of additional hardware on the aircraft.
“The Panasonic Airline Television Network is the first seamless, worldwide in-flight television network,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “As yet another industry first, the Panasonic Airline Television Network illustrates the leadership and innovation of Panasonic Avionics in the in-flight entertainment and communications industry.”
Panasonic is currently seeking regulatory approvals where necessary in partnership with potential airline customers.
For more information, please visit our booth located in Hall B6 #6F25.
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California, with over 3,100 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
Friday, March 20, 2009 – Cutting-edge communications for Emirates passengers reached a new milestone today with the first birthday of its world-beating in-flight mobile service with AeroMobile.
History was made a year ago today when the first authorised call on a commercial flight was made on flight EK751, flying from Dubai to Casablanca on March 20th 2008.
Since then, 160,170 passengers have switched on their mobile phone on an Emirates flight to take advantage of the ability to make and receive calls and text messages – more than 50,000 in the last three months alone as the service becomes more widely available and increasingly popular.
The AeroMobile system, which allows passengers to safely make and receive calls during flights, has now been fitted on a total of 32 Emirates aircraft, making it available on one-in-four of Emirates’ services. Emirates Engineering are installing the AeroMobile system on the rest of the fleet, with one aircraft being equipped every ten days or so.
Patrick Brannelly, Emirates’ Vice President, Passenger Communications and Visual Services, said: “Using this innovative service has now become second nature to our passengers who love the convenience of being able to stay in touch when they choose to.
“It has proved as popular with passengers on all flights to all destinations, not just businessmen and women but also leisure travellers. It’s ideal for just wanting to call home or make contact with family on birthdays or anniversaries.
“Typically about a third of our passengers are switching on their phones onboard AeroMobile-equipped aircraft, so it’s clearly a popular service. We do see many though, that switch on their phone but don’t necessarily use it, showing that they like the idea of being contactable. It’s clear that passengers prefer using their own phone which they are familiar with, rather than the seatback phone.
“The early concerns about potential impact on other passengers have proved, as expected, to be unfounded. We very rarely see multiple calls at the same time, and most calls are shorter than a couple of minutes. Texting using sms has been very popular. The feedback from our customers has been full of enthusiasm.”
The AeroMobile service is being rolled out across the Emirates fleet and is currently operating on five aircraft types, the Boeing 777-200s and 777-300s, plus the Airbus A340-300, A340-500 and A330-200. It is due to be installed on the Boeing 777-300ER from May.
AeroMobile CEO Bjorn-Taale Sandberg said: “With our service firmly established on an increasing number of Emirates’ aircraft, the usage level amongst passengers has increased at a faster pace.
“We’re particularly proud of the quality of the voice service and overall reliability. The comment we most often hear is that people receiving calls from our customers in-flight can’t believe they are calling from 35,000 feet.
“We are looking forward to more growth and rising user numbers throughout 2009 to cement a great first year.”
About AeroMobile
AeroMobile Limited is a UK-based company owned by Telenor ASA and Arinc. It has been pursuing the objective of allowing the safe use of passengers own mobile phones and PDAs since 2003 in response to market demands.
In September 2008, AeroMobile won the “Best Achievement in Technology 2008” award from the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA).
Prior to the launch of the Emirates service, mobile phone use in aircraft has only been allowed in limited, short-term trials which did not support voice calls.
AeroMobile is the first in-flight mobile technology to be commercially available and first flew in June 2005 on Boeing’s 777-200LR ‘Worldliner’ demonstrator aircraft. In April 2007, AeroMobile implemented a trial service on domestic flights within Australia. This evaluation project, supporting GSM text messaging and GPRS data services, continued until January 2008 having operated on over 1,000 flights.
AeroMobile is teamed with Panasonic Avionics Corporation, the Panasonic’s market-leading in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems provider, to offer the AeroMobile aircraft technology under the eXPhone brand as an integral part of Panasonic’s IFE systems. The AeroMobile system uses the existing Inmarsat satellite communications systems installed on all Emirates aircraft. These systems will be upgraded at the earliest opportunity to Inmarsat’s latest SwiftBroadband service providing further features and capabilities such as GPRS mobile data services.
More information may be found at www.aeromobile.net
Lake Forest, California – March 04, 2009 – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic), the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communication systems, today announced that TUIfly Nordic, a leading charter airline based in Stockholm, Sweden, has chosen the Panasonic eFX in-flight entertainment (IFE) system for three (3) B767 aircraft. When the aircraft enters service in April 2009, TUIfly Nordic will be the first charter airline in the Nordic region to equip aircraft with full in seat audio and video on demand (AVOD).
The Panasonic eFX system is a fully digital system that delivers entertainment and productivity tools in a sleek, single-aisle package. Travelers on TUIfly Nordic flights will be able to enhance their flying experience as soon as they settle into their seats with the eFX system’s world-class digital entertainment options, including music, movies, games, TV-series, destination presentations and moving map.
“TUIfly Nordic is spending the largest investment ever in interior cabin installations, including in-flight entertainment,” said Jim Hofverberg, Communications Manager TUIfly Nordic. “Our goal is to make travel experience as enjoyable as possible and Panasonic’s innovative technologies give our passengers a more value-rich and advanced in-flight experience, as well as differentiate our brand among competitors. Also, the eFX system’s capabilities for communicating personalized content and advertising will help us increase opportunities for in-flight revenue generation.”
TUIfly Nordic, a part of TUI Travel PLC and the Fritidsresor Group, operates holiday charter flights to destinations in the Canary Island, Egypt, the Mediterranean, Turkey, Florida, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Mauritius, Maldives and Thailand from airports in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Thomson Airways, another member of TUI Travel PLC, is also a customer of Panasonic Avionics.
“Working with TUIfly Nordic expands and strengthens Panasonic Avionics’ relationship with the TUI Group,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We are proud that TUIfly Nordic chose the Panasonic eFX system as it breaks new ground for in-flight entertainment in the Nordic region.”
About Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Panasonic Avionics Corporation is the world’s leading supplier of in-flight entertainment and communication systems. The company’s best-in-class solutions, supported by professional maintenance services, fully integrate with the cabin enabling airlines to deliver the ultimate travel experiences with a rich variety of entertainment choices, resulting in improved quality communication systems and solutions, reduced time-to-market and lower overall costs.
Established in 1979, Panasonic Avionics Corporation is a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC). Headquartered in Lake Forest, California with over 2,600 employees and operations in 80 locations worldwide, it serves over 200 customers worldwide and provides IFEC systems on over 3,700 aircraft. For additional information, please visit www.panasonic.aero.
The headset is the most critical part of any IFE system. It defines the quality of audio delivery and its look and feel defines the quality of the Airline. The headset is probably responsible for more passenger complaints, and IFE reliability issues than any other IFE component - so why do most airlines leave its procurement to the catering department?”
