DELTA
IFExpress received a note from Airbus about Delta’s new aircraft delivery and here is what they said: “Delta Air Lines has taken delivery of its first A350-900, and will be the first U.S. airline to operate the newest member of Airbus’ leading widebody family. The A350 XWB will bring unrivaled eco-efficiency and a superior passenger experience to primarily transpacific routes starting in October. This delivery is the first of five A350-900s scheduled for delivery to Delta in 2017. The aircraft features 32 seats in the Delta One cabin, 48 seats in Delta Premium Select and 226 seats in the Main Cabin. The A350 XWB was the first aircraft to incorporate the innovative passenger experience elements collectively known as Airspace by Airbus. Delta’s customers will enjoy the quietest twin-aisle cabin, with more personal space and the largest overhead bins in the business. More fresh air, LED ambient lighting, and optimization of cabin pressure, temperature and humidity all combine for absolute passenger wellbeing. The A350 XWB also boasts the latest aerodynamic design, carbon fiber fuselage and wings, and the fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. This combination of technologies translates into unequaled operational efficiency, with a 25 percent reduction in fuel burn and emissions, and significantly lower maintenance costs. DELTA AIR LINES had $1.22b net income in 2Q17 (vs $1.55b in 2Q16) on 3% higher revenues, its first revenue growth in 2.5 years despite $115m headwind from April’s operational disruption.”

(Editor’s Note: We were told the plane features the Panasonic eX3 IFE  and Gogo connectivity.)

PANASONIC
EL AL Israel Airlines today announced that it has selected Panasonic Avionics Corporation’s (Panasonic) industry-leading eX3 inflight entertainment (IFE) system for its new fleet of 16 Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Under terms of its agreement with Panasonic, EL AL will install eX3 across nine Boeing 787-9s and seven B787-8s, with the first aircraft being delivered in August 2017. The agreement also includes a 15-year contract for the provision of system maintenance by Panasonic Technical Services, including spares, repairs and logistics, at an optimized maintenance cost. EL AL’s eX3 system features an elegant industrial design across all cabin classes. Passengers will be able to view 12, 13 and 16-inch high definition monitors that deliver superior viewing angles and capacitive touch. They also feature proprietary Panasonic technology that functions like the human eye, making dark scenes more visible by improving brightness in dark areas while simultaneously eliminating white saturation. The result is superior picture performance across all media formats including movies, TV shows, games, maps and more. Hideo Nakano, Chief Executive Officer of Panasonic Avionics Corporation, says: “Our partnership with EL AL continues to go from one successful program to the next and now stretches over a quarter of a century. Our eX3 system will provide EL AL with an industry-leading entertainment experience, delivering a premium service to their passengers traveling across the world. Our renewed agreement is testament to the loyalty and opportunity that our continued relationship delivers and we look forward to this new and exciting chapter.” EL AL Vice President Service Amir Rogovsky adds: “We are focused on delivering a premium inflight experience for our customers. Our long-term partnership with Panasonic continues to be extremely successful and we look forward to strengthening our relationship with Panasonic Avionics as one of the leaders in the IFE industry.”

GOGO
IFExpress recently noted a portion of a Gogo study that was released on the subject of connectivity demands.  This past week we received a note from Meredith Payette of Gogo
and she told IFExpress: “I saw your recent newsletter and did want to share that we released our Global Traveler Study, a global research study that examines travelers’ inflight habits, behaviors, and preferences. This study explores the rapidly evolving technology landscape among travelers, key global trends, and the changing passenger dynamics that face today’s airlines. It covers 15 countries across six regions around the world and includes data collected from more than 4,500 respondents who flew within the past year. Attached is the full report. This is the main study that was used to create the Travelers of Tomorrow summary issued back in May. This full report is called Understanding the Global Traveler and it is the second part of the Global Traveler Research Series.” Gogo Study Finds Inflight Wi-Fi Most Popular Amenity | Androidheadlines.com

QATAR AIRWAYS
Oops!
Qatar Airways’ CEO Akbar Al Baker posted on YouTube a scathing cut on US flight Attendants noting his cabin crew average age as 26. Naturally, The Association of Flight Attendants had a response – “Straight from Akbar Al Baker lips, he confirms what AFA has said all along: Qatar Airways thrives on misogyny and discrimination. Qatar is not only seeking to choke out U.S. Aviation, but also the 300,000 good jobs built through opportunity created on the principle of equality. There is no room for a separation of humanity in air travel or in an emergency. Flight Attendants are onboard to save lives and every life counts. If you prop up Qatar Airways you are supporting sexism, racism, and ageism. Period. “

HONEYWELL
Inmarsat satellite high-speed data is being rolled out in China by Honeywell and they are talking to many airlines as we write. Then service will be Ka band. A Honeywell spokesperson said: “Passengers will be able to watch YouTube videos during a flight, and have access to real-time TV, TV on demand, high-speed broadband internet, video conferencing, emails and other applications.”  Honeywell has other connected services onboard, including a weather information service and fuel-efficient software.

SECURITY
According to the Associated Publishers, which first announced the plan on Wednesday, facial-scanning pilot plans are now advancing at six American airports—Boston, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, New York City, and Washington DC. More airports are set to increase next year. Stay Tuned on this one.

OTHER STUFF

• Need inflight IFE? There is Sunstream for that, and yes, there is an app for it. In fact, here is what marketeers say: “Sunstream is the complete inflight entertainment service that puts you in control. Download the App to wirelessly connect and enhance your inflight experience with Thomas Cook Airlines and Condor from your own device.”
• Soon we are going to cover Asian InFlight Connectivity. As a precursor, here is a good story about the efforts under way in Australia – Virgin hints at international inflight Wi-Fi – Travel Weekly
• We don’t know diddly about “NVMe”, but this article states the following: “One potential niche application is inflight entertainment systems offering movies, games and Wi-Fi access. There’s a lot more going on now,” Phillips said (Scott Phillips – Virtium). “They’re hitting those little servers in the planes a lot quicker and with a lot more different requests, so they’re now concerned about lowering latency for response times.” – Does NVMe Have a Place in Industrial Embedded and IoT? | EE Times
• The US is ending bans on laptops for Middle East Airlines – U.S. ending laptop ban on Middle Eastern airlines and, yes, carry-on devices will be allowed for countries upgrading new exit security requirements.
• Recent airport takeoff limitations due to heat have been a problem in the US, especially in Phoenix, but the issue may become a big deal everywhere in the years to come. Notes Science Daily: “Average global temperatures have gone up nearly 1 degree Centigrade (1.8 Fahrenheit) since about 1980, and this may already be having an effect. In late June, American Airlines canceled more than 40 flights out of Phoenix, Ariz., when daytime highs of nearly 120 degrees made it too hot for smaller regional jets to take off. Worldwide, average temperatures are expected to go up as much as another 3 degrees C (5.4 degrees F) by 2100. But that is only part of the story; heat waves will probably become more prevalent, with annual maximum daily temperatures at airports worldwide projected to go up 4 to 8 degrees C (7.2 to 14.4 F) by 2080, according to the study.” Hey, no flight, no IFEC!
• Want to read a good article on connectivity payment modeling? Check it out: GCA Link June 2017 – Business Models Evolve with New IFEC Technology | Avionics Digital Edition