FTS

Perhaps you don’t remember FTS but they are an up-and-coming IFE supplier and we heard from its Chief Technical Officer, Rich Salter, about a new inflight Wi-Fi certification that they recently obtained, so we asked him what’s up? He told IFExpress: “This is the first of many certifications FTS has in the pipeline, and it’s always good to get the first one in the books – now we have a solid base of documentation and safety testing to build future certs on.” He went on: “Down the road you’ll see lots more technology rolling out, ranging from the Flight Butler flight attendant smart watch to satellite interfaces for Ku and Ka systems.  And the software apps are really starting to roll too, including on-board shopping for revenue generation.” So, we guess we should now show you the press release –

FTS announces EASA STC award for its Xstream Inflight WiFi streaming system on Airbus A320 Family of Aircraft

FTS, a fast rising provider of Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity solutions, announces that its Xstream inflight WiFi streaming system has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for Airbus A320 family of aircraft.  This marks a major milestone in the product rollout and growth. FTS Xstream hardware qualification on Myanmar Airways International aircraft was achieved following multiple rigorous trials aboard an Airbus A319 test aircraft.  The certification validates the reliability and safety compliance of FTS onboard hardware in meeting stringent EASA standards and paves the way for the rollout of Xstream systems for global airlines.

The Xstream next generation inflight wireless entertainment and connectivity system is completely designed and manufactured in-house within FTS.  The system features a high performance 2-MCU embedded file server, 2 wireless access points that support the latest 802.11AC WiFi standard and a revolutionary 3G/4G cellular modem that takes up to 4 sim cards.  Passengers can connect to the onboard wireless network through their own mobile devices and enjoy streaming HD-quality video and audio entertainment, play single/multiplayer games, read latest news, view 2D/3D flight progress maps and indulge in shopping. “I am proud of the team’s achievement in attaining the EASA STC,” said Rich Salter, CTO of FTS based in the California, USA office. “Our software teams have also been hard at work to get the software platform ready for the commercial launch onboard, integrating ancillary revenue generating services and a payment processing gateway.  By next year, the Xstream product family will be further boosted with the addition of Ku and Ka HTS satellite connectivity and In-seat Wireless Smart Display solutions as our customers demand a viable product upgrade path with smooth transitions”.  FTS had previously announced launch airline customers in Asia and North America within the first year of the company’s operation.  In parallel with the EASA STC, FTS is also pursuing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) STC on Boeing aircraft models which is expected to be awarded in September 2017.  In April 2017, FTS added another feather in the cap by receiving a “ONE TO WATCH” award from Onboard Hospitality magazine for its FLIGHT BUTLER flight attendant smart watch application.

PANASONIC

Panasonic Avionics (Panasonic) subsidiary AeroMobile today announced that it has added 100^th aircraft to its 3.5G mobile network. With 60 percent of airlines now offering 3.5G inflight connectivity, users of the AeroMobile service grew by 57 percent between 4Q16 and 1Q17. The AeroMobile service allows passengers to use their own mobile devices to text, make calls, listen to voicemail and browse the internet while inflight. The service is easy to use with no onboard payment or registration; passengers simply turn on their mobile device to connect to the network and are billed directly by their mobile operator. Noted Kevin Rogers, AeroMobile CEO: “The milestone of 100 3.5G connected aircraft is testament to the continued airline adoption of the service and strong passenger demand. We have seen rapid growth in the 3.5G service and already 60 percent of our airline partners are rolling it out. In 2017 alone, 3.5G connected aircraft have already flown to 127 destinations in 65 countries.” The inflight 3.5G network is complementary to Panasonic’s global inflight connectivity service. It offers passengers a simple and elegant way to stay in touch with friends, family, co-workers and current events while in the air. It gives passengers the same connectivity options as they have on the ground, and when combined with inflight Wi-Fi, enables data speeds that are comparable to a terrestrial service.

(Editor’s Note: AeroMobile’s phone service is already in use on over 500 aircraft across 21 airlines worldwide including Air Berlin, Aer Lingus, Air France, Alitalia, Emirates, Etihad, EuroWings, EVA Air, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Malindo Air, Qatar Airways, SAS, Singapore Airlines, Air Serbia, Air Seychelles, SWISS, Turkish Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. We note: AeroMobile was the first to introduce mobile phone services in 2008 and now has over 350 roaming agreements in more than 150 countries. AeroMobile Communications Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, is a UK-based mobile service provider for the aviation industry. Their services enable airline passengers to use their own mobile phones for voice, texting and mobile data whilst inflight. As part of the Panasonic Group’s Global Communication Suite, AeroMobile’s services are available for installation either at the point of aircraft manufacture (line fit) or on aircraft in service (retrofit) across both Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Since 2008, over 40 million passengers have successfully connected to the AeroMobile network inflight.)

SITA

Passenger satisfaction is higher during the airline journey when self-service technologies are used, particularly at bag tag and collection, and passport checkpoints. This is according to the 2017 SITA Passenger IT Trends Survey, a global survey released today by IT provider SITA and co-sponsored by Air Transport World. The survey shows that passengers rate their journey very highly with an overall satisfaction rate of 8.2 of out 10 but this is boosted even further when technologies such as mobile services and biometrics are used. Ilya Gutlin, President, Air Travel Solutions, SITA, said: “Passengers are increasingly comfortable with the use of technology in their everyday lives, and they are demanding more services as they appreciate the benefits technology can bring to their journey. Airports and airlines can take note that technology solutions can boost passenger satisfaction every step of the way.” In the global air transport industry, identity checks are a vital element of the passenger journey. SITA’s survey shows that technology, such as biometrics, can support security while offering a better passenger experience. Automated identity checks at passport control and boarding increases passenger satisfaction.

A total of 37% of travelers surveyed by SITA used automated ID control on their last flight. Of these, 55% said they had used biometrics at departure security, 33% for boarding and 12% for international arrivals. Looking forward, 57% of passengers said they would use biometrics for their next trip. Passengers who use biometrics are highly satisfied. In fact, they rated the experience 8.4, well above the ratings for face-to-face transactions at passport check (8) and boarding (8.2), demonstrating passenger acceptance of this secure technology to deliver a seamless journey.

Baggage collection is another area where technology is improving the passenger experience. Airlines and airports are helping to relieve the anxiety of waiting for bags to arrive by providing real-time information to passengers. On their last flight, more than half (58%) of passengers who checked in bags received real-time bag-collection information upon arrival. These passengers were happier than those who did not receive any information, rating their experience 8.4 out 10. Passengers are even more satisfied when they receive the information to their mobile devices. SITA’s survey shows that this bumped up satisfaction levels by an extra 10%.

Technology is also driving passenger satisfaction for baggage management earlier in the journey as more airlines and airports offer self-bag tagging. The use of this technology increased satisfaction to a rating of 8.4 out of 10. Nearly half (47%) of all passengers took advantage of a self-service tagging option on their most recent trip, which is a healthy increase from 31% in 2016. As more self-bag tag options are made available we can expect passenger satisfaction at this point of the journey to increase.

This year’s survey also highlights that as passengers become more familiar using technology during travel, the more likely they are to switch to newer, more efficient platforms. They are increasingly using smarter, mobile-enabled websites to book and check-in. Airline and airport apps, meanwhile, meet passengers’ desire for new services to help them better manage their journey. They want personalized information about their flight, their baggage and how to find their gate directly on their mobile device. The appetite for new services using technology is high: three quarters (74%) of passengers say they would definitely use flight and gate alerts pushed to their mobile devices; 57% would use airport wayfinding; and 57% would use biometrics to smooth identification each step of the way. Gutlin said: “Passengers aren’t deciding anymore whether they should use technology but which technology to use. They want to make each step of the journey as easy as possible. Tech adoption will be driven by both context and usability. For this reason, a clear focus on the end-users’ demands should shape the services airlines and airports offer.” This is the 12th edition of the SITA/ATW Passenger IT Trends Survey. It was conducted with more than 7,000 passengers from 17 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa representing almost three-quarters of global passenger traffic.

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