Philippine Airlines to Upgrade and Launch New IFC Services

Philippine Airlines’ reconfigured A330 jet. Photo: Philippine Airlines.

Philippine Airlines has tasked SITAOnAir to upgrade the airline’s existing Boeing B777 fleet equipped with Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband to Inmarsat’s GX Aviation, as well as line-fit Philippine Airlines’ new Airbus A350s and A321s. Once complete, SITAOnAir will activate its package of In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) services to offer an enhanced connected experience for passengers and cabin crews.

In addition, Philippine Airlines customers will be able to use SITAOnAir’s mobile connectivity over GX via the company’s Mobile OnAir service; OnAir Plug’s secure online channel for in-flight card transactions and crew and passenger interactions; plus integrated, connected in-flight entertainment from Zodiac Inflight Innovations.

In April, Philippine Airlines announced its selection of SitaOnAir’s CrewTab solution to digitize cabin crews’ operations. Coupled with GX connectivity, this solution’s capabilities will further optimize the customer service experience and efficiencies CrewTab-equipped cabin crews can deliver in-flight.

According to Philippine Airlines, the new services drive toward the airline’s goal of becoming a full-service five-star carrier.

“A quality in-flight connectivity experience is now a ‘must-have’ for airline passengers,” added David Lavorel, SitaOnAir Chief Executive Officer (CEO). “SITA’s 2017 Passenger IT Trends Survey found onboard satisfaction higher among tech-using passengers than non-tech users.”