Walk-On In-Flight Entertainment Creates Inroads for Low-Cost Carriers
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APEX Insight: Dramatically more affordable than seatback in-flight entertainment (IFE), easier to deploy and uniquely positioned to drive ancillary revenues, wireless in-flight entertainment (wIFE) offers several attractive selling points to low-cost airlines.
“Low-cost carriers tend to get excited about the wireless in-flight entertainment application more than others,” says Ultan O Brien, VP Sales, Arconics. The Dublin-based company’s CloudStore solution has seen significant uptake after going into revenue service on Tigerair Australia in April this year. Arconics has enhanced its app suite to offer further integration between its wIFE and cabin management apps on its software platform, across all devices.
Unveiled last week, Inflight Dublin’s new wIFE platform, Everhub, touts cost-effectiveness as one of its key attributes. “Having evaluated numerous offerings, we chose Everhub, primarily because we were very impressed with this customized and cost-effective solution,” says Adrian Parsons, project manager at Cardiff Aviation (Air Dijbouti), the platform’s launch customer.
“Having evaluated numerous offerings, we chose Everhub, primarily because we were very impressed with this customized and cost-effective solution.” €” Adrian Parsons, Cardiff Aviation
“Ancillaries are indeed a key area of focus for our customers and for us,” says Thierry Carmes, director of Strategy and Development, Display Interactive. In addition to covering loyalty programs, commission-based options, Ã la carte features and advertising, “We are also developing some new features for crew tablets, in order to support innovative ancillary strategies,” says Carmes.
Display Interactive’s UGO platform was selected by the Czech Republic’s largest airline, Travel Service, for installation across its B737 MAX fleet, supported with hardware from Donica Aviation Engineering. Corsair has also selected UGO for installation across its fleet.
Lufthansa Systems finds that its BoardConnect Portable solution provides an ideal platform for collaboration. With several partners, including Napster, PXCom, A Look at Media and, just announced, Touch Inflight Solutions and Epteca, airline customers have been able to offset installation and maintenance costs with commissions on content.
“It’s all about commission and it’s all about take-up rate,” says Eckart Wallis, director of Project Management, BoardConnect. Wallis credits strong marketing campaigns for BoardConnect’s peak take-up rates of more than 50 percent, noting that partners with mutual interests can market more effectively together.
In August, Lufthansa Systems completed installation on Eurowings’ entire fleet of more than 70 aircraft. “Once we could prove that walk-on IFE works for a sizeable carrier such as Eurowings with 72 aircraft, we’ve seen a lot more interest,” adds Jan-Peter Gaense, director of Project and Certification, Lufthansa Systems.