• China Southern successfully introduced another software solution from Lufthansa Systems

Raunheim, Germany | November 18, 2015– Lufthansa Systems today announced that the Chinese airline China Southern plans its flights with Lido/Flight. Following the completion of the implementation phase, the flight planning solution from Lufthansa Systems is successfully operational since a few weeks. China Southern has been a Lufthansa Systems customer since 2007 and is also using the NetLine/Plan and NetLine/Sched solutions from the airline IT specialist for its medium- and short-range flight planning.

“We require a flight planning software that meets our needs as the largest airline in the Asian market,” said Mr. Cui Maixi, Director of Dispatch at China Southern. “With its powerful flight planning functions and automated data processing which ensures efficient flight operations, Lido/Flight from Lufthansa Systems optimally meets our requirements.”

Every day, more than 30,000 flights worldwide for over 110 airlines are calculated using Lido/Flight. The core features of Lido/Flight are the integrated and continually updated aeronautical database and the so-called optimizer. Based on all flight-related data, weather conditions and the current airspace situation including any restrictions, Lido/Flight interactively and fully automatically calculates the most suitable route for each flight. Lido/Flight provides dispatchers with significant optimization options regarding flight time, fuel consumption or costs of each flight. The system has around 2,700 configuration parameters, enabling it to be adapted to specific customer requirements and regulations. Lido/Flight is being used successfully worldwide by leading airlines of all sizes, business models and alliances – including low-cost, network, cargo and charter airlines. The system is a component of the Integrated Operations Control (IOCC) Platform from Lufthansa Systems, which facilitates comprehensive monitoring of all business processes by integrating several operations control solutions.

“We are delighted that China Southern is satisfied with our products and has opted for another solution from our portfolio. This successful, long-standing cooperation with the largest carrier in China strengthens our position in the Asian market and also highlights the great economic benefits of our products,” said Tom Vandendael, Senior Vice President Regional Management Asia Pacific at Lufthansa Systems.

Based in Guangzhou, China Southern is the largest airline in the People’s Republic of China. The airline serves 190 destinations worldwide with its fleet of 540 aircraft. China Southern is a member of the SkyTeam alliance.

Thales had a milestone event today in the first delivery announcement of the latest Thales TopSeries AVANT in-flight entertainment and connectivity IFEC system. As launch customer for the newest system, China Southern selected “the world’s most advanced Thales passenger system”. Why is it important? In case you have been asleep for that last few months you have not seen the aircraft manufacturers predictions that half the worlds traffic growth will occur in the Asia-Pacific region. Indeed, the market for aircraft (and thus IFEC systems) looks to be a whopping 13,000 aircraft to the tune of almost $2 T… that’s Trillion!

At a ceremony held today at the Boeing facility in Seattle, China Southern took delivery of the first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft equipped with the new generation Thales TopSeries AVANT in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) system, making China Southern the launch customer for the world’s most advanced Thales passenger system.

China Southern is the largest airline in Asia by fleet size and the fifth largest airline in the world by number of passengers. Thales already equips the airline’s Airbus A330 aircraft with its IFEC systems and will now install the award winning AVANT system on all 10 Boeing 777- 300ER scheduled to enter into service for the airline between 2014 and 2016. The first of these aircraft will fly from Seattle back to the airline’s main hub in Guangzhou, Baiyun International airport where it is scheduled to enter into regular service on March 2nd, between Guangzhou and Shanghai Hongqiao. It is believed that China Southern will use the Boeing 777-300ER to fly direct between Guangzhou and New York.

The fourth-generation TopSeries AVANT system is ideal for all commercial aircraft types. Its unique design eliminates the electronics box under cabin seats, thereby improving passenger comfort and enhancing weight efficiency. China Southern will benefit from the system’s scalable design which will allow the airline to offer significant differentiation between classes, such as single touchscreen in economy and interactive multi-screen in business. The AVANT system is also based on the Android operating system, which accommodates a wide range of both off-the-shelf and airline-specific applications.

Full Press Release

Signing Presentation Brochure

Why the latest press release from Panasonic release is worth reading: The following excerpts from today’s announcement from Panasonic, to the best of our knowledge, is the first mention of tying in airline operations, aircraft health conditioning, crew ops, EFB, maintenance operations, airplane conditions, and weather in one package…not to mention one terrific information/entertainment service package. Although these functions and their bundling have been discussed for years, this is the “Big Apple” of connectivity and delivers the payoff of a problem noted in the early nineties by the President of Douglas Aircraft when he stated that only node in the airline network not automated was the airplane itself!

Singapore Airlines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) to explore opportunities to leverage Panasonic’s Global Communications Services to change the way it conducts business.

With the signing of the MOU, the two companies will look to use Panasonic’s Global Communications Services to streamline operations across key areas including:

• Tie broadband-equipped aircraft into the airline operations network to improve aircraft location monitoring and view aircraft speed, altitude and other performance parameters in real time
• Deliver real-time aircraft health monitoring, engine data transmission, critical systems monitoring, and detection and communication of issues prior to arrival
• Increase cabin crew and flight deck efficiency with live customer relations management, electronic flight bag, operations and maintenance air to ground communications, and real-time information about icing, turbulence and other critical weather updates
• Enhance the passenger experience with greater levels of personalization, more robust infotainment.
• Paul Margis, President and Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic Avionics Corporation said, “Connectivity has the potential to change the airline industry in the same way the internet changed the way business is done everywhere on the ground.  We salute Singapore Airlines for recognizing the enormous value a truly connected aircraft can bring to their operations.”
• Panasonic and Singapore Airlines also announced a long term Power By The Hour Maintenance Contract covering the maintenance, repair and support of Panasonic IFE equipment through 2024.  The Singapore based Panasonic and SIAEC Joint Venture, Panasonic Avionics Corporation Services Singapore (PACSS) will play a central role in the execution of this agreement.    The contract further enhances ties between the two industry leaders.

Paul Margis, President and Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic Avionics Corporation said, “Connectivity has the potential to change the airline industry in the same way the internet changed the way business is done everywhere on the ground.  We salute Singapore Airlines for recognizing the enormous value a truly connected aircraft can bring to their operations.”

Panasonic and Singapore Airlines also announced a long term Power By The Hour Maintenance Contract covering the maintenance, repair and support of Panasonic IFE equipment through 2024.  The Singapore based Panasonic and SIAEC Joint Venture, Panasonic Avionics Corporation Services Singapore (PACSS) will play a central role in the execution of this agreement.    The contract further enhances ties between the two industry leaders.

 

Neuilly-sur-Seine, France and Seattle, WA | February 25, 2014– At a ceremony held today at the Boeing facility in Seattle, China Southern took delivery of the first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft equipped with the new generation Thales TopSeries AVANT in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) system, making China Southern the launch customer for the world’s most advanced Thales passenger system.

China Southern is the largest airline in Asia by fleet size and the fifth largest airline in the world by number of passengers. Thales already equips the airline’s Airbus A330 aircraft with its IFEC systems and will now install the award winning AVANT system on all 10 Boeing 777- 300ER scheduled to enter into service for the airline between 2014 and 2016. The first of these aircraft will fly from Seattle back to the airline’s main hub in Guangzhou, Baiyun International airport where it is scheduled to enter into regular service on March 2nd, between Guangzhou and Shanghai Hongqiao. It is believed that China Southern will use the Boeing 777-300ER to fly direct between Guangzhou and New York.

The fourth-generation TopSeries AVANT system is ideal for all commercial aircraft types. Its unique design eliminates the electronics box under cabin seats, thereby improving passenger comfort and enhancing weight efficiency. China Southern will benefit from the system’s scalable design which will allow the airline to offer significant differentiation between classes, such as single touchscreen in economy and interactive multi-screen in business. The AVANT system is also based on the Android operating system, which accommodates a wide range of both off-the-shelf and airline-specific applications.

System programs are offered in five languages, English, Simplified Chinese, French, Japanese and Korean. Beyond the convenience of on-demand entertainment, passengers have a wide selection of applications including an interactive 3D map, 25 games, flight connection information, e-books, e-shopping and a picture viewer. Electronic surveys are also available in support of passenger-airline relations.

China Southern will also benefit from service support provided by Thales’s Airline Operations Centre, which will provide round the clock monitoring of all seats and enable response and maintenance within 4 hours of a fault being detected anywhere in the world.
Prior to the departure of the maiden flight of the first China Southern Boeing 777-300ER from Seattle, Mr Zhang Zifang, COO of China Southern, said “These aircraft play a crucial role in our international growth strategy and being the launch customer for the AVANT system is a important move for us to offer an advanced experience to our passengers.”

Dominique Giannoni, Thales Vice President and CEO of the In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity business line, added “The Chinese market is one of the most dynamic in the world, and we are delighted to experience the launch of our new system with China Southern. This is a major milestone for Thales and we anticipate that passengers will really enjoy their in-flight experience and the new features that the AVANT system will bring them.”