Saudi Arabian Airlines has selected Panasonic Avionics to provide inflight entertainment (IFE) on its new fleet of 35 Airbus A321neo family aircraft.
The airline is installing Panasonic Avionics’ NEXT IFE system on 20 new Airbus A321neo and 15 Airbus A321neoXLR aircraft.
The system features 4K displays and Bluetooth audio streaming, allowing Saudi’s passengers to enjoy premium entertainment options safely, using their own Bluetooth-enabled headphones.
Business Class passengers will experience the full 4K experience on 16-inch screens while using wireless charging to power their devices.
Economy Class passengers will get 12-inch 4K screens and high power USB charging at every seat.
The first new aircraft is expected in 2024 and the full order will be complete by the end of 2026. Saudi is deploying them on regional, European and Asian routes.
Panasonic Avionics is already the IFE provider for Saudia’s fleet of Airbus A320 and Boeing B787-10 aircraft.
Captain Ibrahim Koshy, Chief Executive Officer at Saudi Arabian Airlines:
“We are delighted to be partnering again with Panasonic Avionics who have consistently delivered on their product commitments to provide reliable, engaging, tailored in-flight entertainment for our guests. Implementing their 4K and Bluetooth technology onboard our new fleets will ensure we deliver the best passenger experience in the skies.”
Ken Sain, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics:
“We are delighted to extend our strategic partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines by taking their passenger experience to the next level with our 4K and Bluetooth audio in-flight entertainment technology. We are very excited to broaden our relationship with Saudia to this new fleet of aircraft and deliver the hardware and digital services that help ensure passengers expectations are exceeded by the best-in-class services available today and into the future.”
About Saudia
Saudia, also known as Saudi Arabian Airlines, is the flag carrier airline of Saudi Arabia. The airline’s main base is at Jeddah-King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED).
Routes: Saudia has a global network and currently operates to more than 90 destinations worldwide. It includes destinations in the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, India and Pakistan, North African countries. It also flies to an increasing number of airports in Europe and North America.
Fleet: At the time of writing, Saudi has 144 passenger aircraft, comprising:
- 46 Airbus A320
- 15 Airbus A321
- 32 Airbus A330
- 33 Boeing B777
- 18 Boeing 787-9
Passenger numbers: About 28 million a year.
Alliance: SkyTeam
N.B. Image credit: Airbus
