Irvine, CA, U.S. – Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics), the world’s leading supplier of in-flight engagement and connectivity (IFEC) solutions, has signed an agreement with India’s leading global airline, Air India, to install its Astrova in-flight entertainment (IFE) solution and a range of digital services on the carrier’s new widebody aircraft.
The flag carrier of India will see Astrova line fit on 34 of its new widebody aircraft currently on order: six Airbus A350-1000s, 14 A350-900s and 14 Boeing 787-9s.
The wide-ranging and diverse fleet of aircraft that will receive the new IFE solution marks Panasonic Avionics’ introduction of the Astrova system in India, and reiterates Air India’s commitment to enhancing its passenger experience by adopting cutting-edge IFEC solutions.
Panasonic Avionics will transform Air India’s in-flight experience by offering its passengers a fully immersive experience through the Astrova solutions providing industry-leading 4K OLED HDR10+ displays with accurate color reproduction, infinite contrast ratios and perfect blacks. High-fidelity sound with Spatial Audio will also be delivered to any wired headset or to the passengers’ own wireless headphones using Panasonic Avionics’ Bluetooth® technology*.
Air India passengers flying on aircraft installed with Astrova IFE will have access to 67W of USB-C direct power at their seat, offering fast charging facilities throughout the entire flight duration for their mobile phones, tablets, compatible laptops, and other personal electronic devices. The advanced features of the Astrova IFE solution also include LED lighting designed to enhance the passenger experience by adjusting the cabin ambience for optimal comfort.
To ensure the highest performance levels of its IFE system across its widebody fleet, Air India has chosen Panasonic Technical Services (PTS) to provide support to its in-service aircraft fitted with Panasonic Avionics’ IFE systems.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India said: “We are happy to continue our relationship with Panasonic Avionics which will contribute to elevating the travel experience of our passengers. The integration of the Astrova IFE solution and cutting-edge digital services on some of our aircraft marks an exciting step forward in redefining our inflight offerings for years to come.”
Hernan Abbes, Vice President of Global Sales at Panasonic Avionics, said: “We are honored that Air India has chosen to continue their collaboration with Panasonic Avionics as we support their ambitious digital transformation journey. Our Astrova IFE solution is designed to provide an immersive and unparalleled inflight experience for their passengers, while redefining the ownership experience with its modular design, enabling Air India to fully embrace digitalization, develop bespoke interactive features, and achieve significant operational cost savings.”