Technology Conference: Day 2 Morning Recap
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Day 2 of the APEX TECH Conference began with a full panel of industry experts to discuss the recent changes to the use of Personal Electronic Devices (PED’s).
- Ken Brady – Chief Engineer, Thales Avionics Inc
- Michael Childers – Chief Consultant, Content and Media Strategy, Lufthansa Systems
- Rich Salter – Chief Technology Officer, Lumexis Systems
- Erik Miller – Senior Manager, IFE Systems Engineering, American Airlines
- Doug Murri – Director of Airline Solutions, Row 44
- Brian Regan – Legal Advisor, Office of the Bureau Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Federal Communications Commission
Representing a broad cross-section of industry constituents, panel members noted that recent changes in onboard PED use had strong consumer benefits, but also created a significant communications challenge for airlines regarding exactly when and how they can be used. In addition, Brian Regan provided a significant amount of background on the FCC’s guidance on the issue, including significant rules regarding the use of spectrum for voice calls in the air. Regardless of spectrum issues, American’s Doug Backelin reinforced that his customers, while appreciative of connectivity, do not want voice calls in the cabin . . . period.
In the day’s second session, Chase’s Deanna Karhuniemi shared how the U.S. credit card industry is planning to move from magnetic-stripe based payment systems to chip and pin-based verification, known as EMV. EMV is already prevalent in other countries, and the shift in the U.S. is planned for October 2015. IFPL’s Mark Reed then shared how both EMV and Near Field Communication (NFC) technology are changing the nature of onboard cabin commerce, as more and more airlines move away from cash entirely. The technology can also be integrated within the IFE system to also change the way that cabin service is conducted – moving to a more “on-order” process.