APEX Award Winners & Rockwell Collins Buys B/E Aerospace: APEX Daily Experience Week in Review
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Here are the most-read stories from this week’s APEX Daily Experience newsletters. To receive breaking passenger experience industry news in your inbox on a daily basis, subscribe here.
APEX Awards Ceremony: Air New Zealand Wins Two Categories
APEX MEDIA | OCTOBER 24, 2016
Air New Zealand took home two of the eight awards at the 2016 APEX Awards ceremony held at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on October 24. The Kiwi carrier was the most-awarded airline of the evening, winning in both the Best Personalization Innovation and Best In-Flight Entertainment Innovation categories at the ceremony hosted by Dominic Lau. The Newcomer of the Year Award, which recognizes a product or service created by an APEX member company that joined in the past two years, went to Immfly for its wireless entertainment platform and to SkyLights for its immersive IFE headsets, while Singapore Airlines’ Goh Choon Phong was the recipient of the first-ever APEX CEO Lifetime Achievement Award.
Rockwell Collins Agrees to Buy B/E Aerospace for $6.4 Billion
Reuters | October 24, 2016
Rockwell Collins has agreed to buy B/E Aerospace for $6.4 billion, plus the assumption of $1.9 billion in debt, in a deal that will unite two of the biggest suppliers to airlines and aircraft manufacturers. The acquisition, which is expected to be finalized by spring 2017, is subject to regulatory approval, and continues a trend toward consolidation of aerospace industry suppliers amid pressure from Airbus and Boeing to cut costs. The purchase will allow both companies to sell to each other’s customers, delivering annual cost savings of around $160 million, and could see Rockwell Collins’ in-flight connectivity expertise used to make Internet-enabled seats, galleys, lavatories and other B/E Aerospace products.
Now Boarding: Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Prepares for Takeoff
APEX MEDIA | OCTOBER 25, 2016
Inmarsat Aviation president Leo Mondale announced the initial deployment of GX Aviation has been completed. Speaking at a private press event atop Marina Bay Sands Tuesday night, he said, “We’ve been working for the past six years to bring broadband to the aviation world. It was a massive effort, and thousands of people have contributed to it.” Mondale also announced that Lufthansa will be the first airline customer for GX Aviation, with service beginning next month in a soft launch. “Anyone lucky enough to be on one of the installed A320 aircraft will be able to log on and connect,” he added.
Global Eagle Entertainment’s Content-to-Go Gets Going on Air Transat
APEX MEDIA | OCTOBER 27, 2016
Global Eagle Entertainment’s (GEE) Airtime Content-to-Go app has been in service on Air Transat’s Boeing 737s since March and feedback has been positive. “Air Transat reported that the user take-up rate was significantly higher than expected,” says Alexis Steinman, senior vice-president, Digital Media Solutions, GEE. The platform gives passengers the ability to choose and download their preferred content before a flight, without the need for any in-flight entertainment hardware or connectivity on board an aircraft.
China Eastern Airlines Opts for Rockwell Collins’ On-Demand IFE
ROCKWELL COLLINS | OCTOBER 26, 2016
China Eastern Airlines has selected Rockwell Collins’ on-demand PAVES in-flight entertainment (IFE) platform to be installed on 30 Next-Generation Boeing 737s and 60 737 MAX aircraft. PAVES provides a high level of flexibility in terms of IFE configuration and digital content management. The Shanghai-based airline will also install a series of other Rockwell products – including its MultiScan ThreatTrack weather radar, GLU-925 Multi-Mode Receiver and Head-up Guidance System – on close to 200 other aircraft. “The advancements we’ve made with our in-flight systems and avionics allow for a safer and more comfortable flying experience,” said Jim Walker, vice-president and managing director for International and Service Solutions, Asia Pacific, Rockwell Collins.
Qantas Changes Its Kangaroo: Aussie Flag Carrier Unveils New Livery and Dreamliner Cabins
Business Traveller | OCTOBER 28, 2016
Qantas has unveiled its latest livery and brand image. This rebranding marks the fifth time the Australian carrier has tweaked its iconic red and white kangaroo tail design since it debuted in 1944. “The Qantas logo is one of the most recognizable in the world,” says the logo’s designer Marc Newsom. “This redesign aims to retain the fundamental essence of the flying kangaroo but also move the brand forward.” Qantas also revealed the cabins it will feature in its upcoming Boeing 787-9 aircraft, scheduled for delivery in 2017. Its business class will be equipped with the next-generation of Qantas’ fully-flat Business Suite, while new economy seats will offer an extra inch of pitch.
