From the Control Tower
Seats are getting smarter and so are the ways passengers choose which one they'll sit in on board. Plus more airlines are adding inflight connectivity as the deployments appear to be pickup up pace, at least in some markets.
Those developments are good news, but could still be derailed by delays from the 737 MAX returning to service, a prospect that continues to push further out on the calendar.
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Connectivity
Azul plans inflight connectivity with Viasat deal
Brazil's Azul will add inflight wifi connectivity to its fleet going forward. Viasat was selected as the network integrator for the Ka-band satellite service.
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EL AL expands connectivity partnership with Viasat
Add another half dozen planes to the backlog, and a new type for Viasat's inflight connectivity platform. EL AL will fit its 777 fleet with the Ka-band wifi service in the coming year.
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In-Flight Entertainment
JetBlue boosts inflight entertainment content with new partners
Putting big, bright new HD screens in the seatback is good for passengers. Dramatically increasing the content on those screens is even better. JetBlue passengers should be very happy now based on new partnerships announced this week with Showtime, Spotify, INSCAPE, and PressReader.
paxex.aero
Cabin Design
Recaro’s iSeat brings the connected cabin to life on TAP Air Portugal
Some TAP Air Portugal seats are getting smarter. In partnership with aircraft seating giant Recaro the airline installed its first ever “intelligent seat” product in the cabin of a TAP A321. The economy class BL3530 seat is equipped with numerous sensors to gather data on seat performance and generic behavior during flight.
paxex.aero
Lufthansa to cut inflight service on long-haul routes
Feeling peckish towards the end of a long flight? On most airlines a second meal typically shows up an hour or two before landing. For economy and premium economy class passengers on Lufthansa, however, the hot meal will no longer be provided. That's just one of the changes - mostly bad for passengers - rolling out later this month.
paxex.aero
Austrian updates seat selection with 3DSeatViewVR
Passengers who can see what they're buying are more likely to spend extra for more legroom and other seating improvements. That's the theory Austrian Airlines is working with as the carrier announced the introduction of a 3D preview during the seat selection process. The new service is available today on the airline's website for flights operated on its Boeing 777 fleet.
The post Austrian updates seat selection with 3DSeatViewVR appeared first on PaxEx.Aero .
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Other Industry News
Regulators want revised Boeing 737 MAX software documentation
Yes, the documentation is important. Arguably as important as making sure the systems are actually programmed correctly. And Boeing's constantly changing development process for the 737 MAX appears to have left some gaps in the paperwork. Each delay in the FAA getting a test flight in the air means delays in the planes returning to service. And the EoY target Boeing has been touting is starting to look rather soft.
reuters.com