After trials earlier this year triggered enthusiastic response from passengers, Lufthansa has selected BoardConnect for the introduction of wireless IFE on its narrow-body fleet.
Lufthansa will be the first mainline carrier in Europe where passengers can access a rich choice of entertainment and information on intra-European flights using their own smartphone, tablet PC or laptop on selected routes. In summer 2014 20 Lufthansa A321 aircraft will be equipped with BoardConnect.
“This innovative infotainment platform will give us plenty opportunities for offering our passengers not just entertainment but new services and new ways of interaction”, says Dr. Reinhold Huber, Head of Product and Marketing, Lufthansa German Airlines. “Its low weight and easy operations makes it especially suited for our A321 aircraft.” The solution will be installed by Lufthansa Technik.
Lufthansa Systems’ BoardConnect brings in-flight infotainment to work with a regular WLAN based on the established WiFi standard. The high performance Wireless Access Point, which also supports the latest 802.11 ac standard was developed by Lufthansa Technik. Depending on aircraft size BoardConnect needs only two to five access points in the cabin to deliver a broad variety of content including lagging-free streaming media to every passenger.
“Lufthansa’s decision makes us very proud and is another proof of the numerous advantages our innovative technology offers”, said Norbert Müller, Senior Vice President BoardConnect at Lufthansa Systems. “Compared to airlines using legacy IFE systems BoardConnect holds the potential for significant savings across the board.”
Economics is not the only area where BoardConnect sets a new standard. The trend-setting solution is less complex and uses off-the-shelve components. This means high reliability and lower maintenance costs. BoardConnect for the first time allows airlines to offer content-rich IFE on single-aisle commercial aircraft, most of which are not equipped with IFE today. Movies, music, shopping, electronic magazines, destination information, passenger announcements and much more – everything that touches on entertainment and information can easily be integrated into the wireless infotainment platform. Because of its Digital Rights Management BoardConnect has Hollywood approval for streaming blockbusters. At the same time the solution is user-friendly and impressively versatile. It can be used with iOS, Android and conventional Windows devices including Windows 8 operating system.
During the APEX Expo in Anaheim, Lufthansa Systems is presenting a shopping module and a highly interactive moving map as the solution’s latest features, expanding the technology lead its award winning wireless WiFi-based IFE solution BoardConnect has over competitors.
While most airlines still rely on traditional on-board catalogue sales, BoardConnect offers a contemporary shopping experience and helps boost revenues generated in flight. The new airline branded online shop excels through a clean and well-structured interface design. Passengers are able to quickly find and purchase products. Payments for this and other services onboard are handled with highest security standards. The moving map allows passengers not only to follow their flight with a high degree of accuracy and change the view of the map. They also can select points of interests (POI) and access further information on them, including the ability to purchase services and items related to a certain POI.
N.B: Image: Lufthansa Systems AG
