Panasonic to Upgrade Turkish Airlines’ Passenger IFC Experience

Turkish Airlines’ A350-900 aircraft. Photo: Airbus.

Panasonic Avionics and Turkish Airlines have announced a major commitment for In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) solutions to be line-fit installed on 50 wide-bodied aircraft the airline has on order, and with options for a further 10.

Panasonic will fit its X-Series IFEC system along with its Rivet Media advertising solution and a suite of connectivity services including inflight Wi-Fi, mobile phone use, and global live television on 25 Boeing 787-9s and 25 Airbus A350-900s, with Turkish Airlines due to receive the first aircraft in June 2019.

According to Turkish Airlines, the system will enable a personalized home theatre experience that includes High Definition (HD) screens for each passenger, audio and video entertainment on demand, capacitive multi-touch screens, in-flight shopping and hospitality features, route-based inflight entertainment, passenger survey functions and USB charging facilities.

The system will include Panasonic’s Passenger Data Integration (PDI) service, which will allow Turkish Airlines to add higher levels of personalization to its in-flight experience. PDI will enable Turkish Airlines to recognize the travel preferences of its guests and recommend content, services and specific amenities that will enhance their experience both in flight and in their destination city.

Panasonic will also fit Turkish Airlines’ aircraft with a new satellite modem which offers bandwidth up to twenty times greater than previously available, enabling a host of new applications including live television programming, internet connectivity, video streaming, in-flight mobile phone service and greater bandwidth for crew applications.

Passengers will also receive live text news customized for Turkish Airlines by Anadolu Agency, a Turkish news agency.