Spafax and Oman Air Renew ARIA Partnership to Advance Premium In-flight Entertainment
Share
Spafax and Oman Air have renewed their in-flight entertainment (IFE) partnership for another four years, extending a collaboration that has shaped the airline’s ARIA platform since 2020. The new agreement focuses on smarter curation, data insight, and brand strategy to improve how passengers discover and enjoy entertainment onboard. The first content cycle under the renewed term will launch in February 2026, aiming to deliver a more personalized and easier to navigate experience that supports Oman Air’s premium vision.
Strengthening a Premium Entertainment Platform
Under the renewed agreement, Spafax will continue managing Oman Air’s in-flight entertainment while taking on a larger strategic role in how ARIA evolves. ARIA, Oman Air’s entertainment platform, has become an important part of the airline’s premium identity. Both companies see the next phase as a chance to make the experience feel more intuitive and tailored to passengers.
For passengers, the update is designed to feel seamless and natural. The core experience remains familiar, but the focus shifts toward better curation, easier discovery, and programming that reflects how passengers actually use content onboard. ARIA’s library will continue expanding across films, television series, music, and regional selections, supported by placement strategies that reduce friction and simplify navigation. The emphasis moves from simply adding more titles to making discovery smoother and more enjoyable.
The partnership centers on understanding guest behavior at a deeper level. By analyzing how entertainment is consumed across cabins, languages, and route profiles, Oman Air can fine tune programming decisions that feel tailored rather than generic. The goal is an experience that adapts to expectations without overwhelming travelers, balancing variety with clarity.
Treating ARIA as a recognizable entertainment brand strengthens Oman Air’s connection with passengers. Together, the renewed partnership shows a shared belief that in-flight entertainment is no longer just a secondary feature. It is a central part of the passenger experience, guided by data, design, and long term planning.
“Spafax has been a trusted partner in supporting ARIA since its launch,” said Oman Air Vice President Guest Experience, Loyalty and Brand, Renata Rached. “This renewed agreement enables us to continue enhancing our onboard entertainment in a way that reflects Oman Air’s premium positioning and commitment to delivering a high-quality guest experience.”
Data Driven Programming and Performance Insight
A central part of the renewed partnership involves expanding the use of Spafax IQ, the company’s IFEC (in-flight entertainment and connectivity) analytics platform. Instead of treating in-flight entertainment as a static library, the platform allows Oman Air to manage programming as a dynamic ecosystem informed by real usage patterns.
Spafax IQ tracks how passengers interact with entertainment across routes, cabins, languages, and categories. These insights help Oman Air understand what people actually watch, which guides programming decisions and onboard promotion. Rather than guessing what works, the airline can build ARIA around real viewing behavior.
Performance driven programming creates a feedback loop that improves over time. Data informs which titles receive priority placement, how menus are organized, and how collections are grouped. The result is a curated environment where discovery feels simple and intentional.
Spafax’s data led approach keeps ARIA responsive to changing demand. As fleet profiles, route structures, and passenger demographics evolve, analytics provide a foundation for faster decision making. Entertainment remains curated and relevant instead of static.
“This renewal is a strong vote of confidence in both our partnership and the people behind it,” added Spafax CEO Niall McBain. “This next phase allows us to make greater use of data and insight to ensure onboard entertainment feels even more relevant, engaging, and aligned with what guests value most.”
For Oman Air, analytics support the airline’s broader brand strategy. Entertainment acts as an extension of its hospitality style, reinforcing identity through careful curation and consistency. As expectations for onboard connectivity and digital experiences continue to rise, data helps ARIA keep pace with how passengers behave.
Expanding ARIA Beyond the Cabin
The partnership also looks beyond the aircraft cabin. Spafax and Oman Air are exploring plans for a dedicated ARIA entertainment website that would connect with the airline’s broader digital ecosystem. The goal is to make entertainment part of the full travel journey, not just something passengers encounter after boarding.
A web extension would allow travelers to preview content before their flight, create watchlists, and engage with the ARIA brand on the ground. This mirrors how people consume media at home and creates a smoother bridge between personal devices and seatback screens. Instead of starting from zero once onboard, passengers could enter the cabin with their entertainment already planned.
Both companies are planning the rollout before the February 2026 content cycle, with more updates expected as the platform develops. The focus is on steady, practical improvements that keep the guest in mind while getting closer to the at home streaming experience passengers now expect.
This move by Oman Air reflects a larger shift across the airline industry to bring the onboard experience closer to what passengers already have at home. Airlines no longer treat in-flight entertainment as a separate environment with lower expectations. They see it as part of how people live and consume media every day. Speaking at APEX TECH 2026, Spafax Vice President Global Business Development & Growth Dimitrios Tsirangelos put it simply: “The bottom line is they [airlines] want passengers to experience what they experience at home.” His comment shows how passenger expectations now guide onboard strategy. Travelers do not see the cabin as disconnected anymore. They expect the same familiarity and ease of use they get from their personal devices and home streaming platforms.