Finnair has started installing a new immersive inflight map for its passengers to view onboard long haul flights.
Passengers are able to choose from over 20 distinct map views in full HD for various phases of flight. These incorporate 3D satellite imagery, local and global views.
Passengers can also personalise the system to see the aircraft’s relative position to their selected map location throughout their flight.
Called Arc, the system is from Panasonic Avionics and Finnair is the launch airline in Europe.
It is designed so that new content can soon be pushed to individual aircraft.
Finnair can also make money from the new system. Panasonic says an airline can ‘Leverage the high eyeball count of maps by displaying destination services, promotions, and affiliate programs on the map’. So lots of ads on those shiny new maps.
The new map will be available through Panasonic Avionics’ eX3 IFE system on Finnair’s 19 Airbus A350-900 and eight A330-300 aircraft.
It will be available to all passengers, in all cabin classes.
The first aircraft with the new map entered service last month.
Harri Valkama, Digital Channel Lead at Finnair:
“Finnair is striving to create a unique, differentiated IFE user experience and we are excited to take the 3D map experience to the next level with Panasonic Avionics, going beyond offering a traditional third party off-the-shelf app. We found it very valuable to actively participate and influence the development of the Panasonic Arc map based on the feedback received from our customers. The map will be an integral part of the Finnair IFE user interface and we see big potential in the possibilities enabled by open APIs. In the future, Arc Studio will enable us to easily make changes to the Arc map and influence how the map is shown to our customers. “
Andrew Mohr, Vice President of Digital Solutions for Panasonic Avionics Corporation:
“The moving map is an integral part of the passenger experience and Arc takes this to a whole new dimension. As the European launch customer, Finnair, with its well-deserved reputation for innovation, will be setting the standard for the in-flight map experience across this important region.”
Since its debut, Arc has experienced one of the highest adoption rates of any Panasonic Avionics service, with confirmed orders from over 20 airlines on over 300 aircraft.
N.B. Image credit: Panasonic Avionics
