Emirates has opted to equip its new fleet of Airbus A350s with Thales’ Avant Up inflight entertainment (IFE) systems. The UAE-based airline has 50 A350-900 aircraft on order, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2024.
Avant Up will provide Emirates passengers on the A350s will with over 5,000 channels of entertainment via the airline’s ‘ice’ entertainment system, displayed on Thales’ latest Optiq 4k HDR displays which use Samsung’s QLED technology for a cinematic viewing experience boasting over one billion colours. The Optiq smart displays feature two Bluetooth connections, built-in wi-fi for passengers to pair multiple personal electronic devices (PEDs), and also supporting up to 70W of in-screen charging for passenger devices: 10W from the USB-A and 60W fast charging from the USB-C.
This contract also sees Emirates become the first airline to select Thales’ Pulse power-management technology that ensures charging performance remains constant, no matter how many users are charging their devices at the same time.
Emirates has also chosen several Avant Up digital services, including integrated personalisation features, expanded PED capabilities, and user interface enhancements that enable visually impaired passengers to have an immersive experience. The IFE system will be integrated with Emirates’ preferred next generation connectivity solution.
Adel al Redha, Emirates’ chief operating officer said of the deal: “Emirates has always regarded inflight entertainment as an essential aspect of our onboard experience, and we were in fact the first airline to put personal screens onto every single seat onboard when that was far from the norm over 30 years ago. Today, Emirates ice remains unmatched in inflight entertainment content and experience, having won best-in-the-sky awards consecutively for the past 14 years. Our investment in next-generation Thales systems for our new A350 fleet will further our lead and enable us to deliver even better experiences to our customers. Watch this space.”
