SIA Unifies Fleet-Wide IFEC Offering by Choosing Panasonic Avionics’ eX1 System for Boeing 737-8s
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Singapore Airlines (SIA) has chosen to equip its new fleet of 37 Boeing 737-8 aircraft, six of which have already been delivered to the carrier, with Panasonic Avionics’ eX1 in-flight entertainment (IFE) solution.
The agreement is the latest in a 26-year partnership between the two parties and marks the harmonization of SIA’s IFEC offering across both its narrow-body and wide-body fleets.
The 737-8 IFE system includes full-HD seatback monitors with capacitive touch screen displays and USB charging ports across all 154 seats in both business and economy class. The screen size is 16-inches in the former and 10-inches in the latter.
In the business class cabin, the design of which was recently revealed at the Dubai Air Show, each of the 10 seats will also have access to an additional IFE handset and AC in-seat power outlets.
Furthermore, the jets will offer Panasonic Avionics’ in-flight connectivity service, which can deliver average speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to the aircraft. Peak speeds can reach 200 Mbps or higher, the company said.
As a result of the fully integrated entertainment and connectivity system, passengers will also benefit from Panasonic Avionics’ immersive 3D in-flight map platform, Arc. This agreement will mark the first time Arc has been made available on Boeing 737-8 aircraft.
“Our eX1 solution, connectivity and Arc map capabilities bring the full power and potential of in-flight entertainment and connectivity into the narrow-body cabin, and will ensure that Singapore Airlines can offer an amazing and consistent passenger experience across its fleet,” said Ken Sain, CEO at Panasonic Avionics.
SIA’s new 737-8 products also include lie-flat business-class seats manufactured by Thompson Aero Seating and customized by London-based Factorydesign, as well as slimline economy-class seats from Collins Aerospace.
Subject to regulatory approval, the carrier will operate its Boeing 737-8 fleet on short- and medium-haul flights to destinations including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Nepal, and Thailand.
Earlier this year, the airline became the launch customer for Panasonic Avionics’ new Marketplace digital eCommerce platform, offered in partnership with SIA’s KrisShop retail platform, which enables passengers to browse around 4,000 products that they can have delivered directly to their homes or on their next flight.