Panasonic Avionics Corporation has signed an agreement with Air Canada to install its Astrova in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems on more than 80 of the airline’s aircraft, starting in 2025. The terms of the agreement will see Astrova line-fitted on Air Canada Boeing 787-10, Airbus A321XLR and A220-300 aircraft – the first installation of Astrova on the A220. The system will also be retrofitted on A321s.
The Astrova systems will include 4K OLED HDR10+ displays, and passengers can add high-fidelity audio via their own Bluetooth wireless headphones. Up to 100 W of DC power via USB-C will be available in all phases of flight, for fast charging of personal electronic devices.
The modular design of Astrova will enable Air Canada to keep pace with consumer trends, as the removable peripheral bar can be quickly ‘hot swapped’ to unlock new upgrades and features to services such as USB power, Bluetooth technology, and other standards that may change or evolve over time.
For faster delivery, more efficient maintenance, and a higher speed of innovation-to-market for apps and software, Astrova will leverage Panasonic Avionics’ new IFE software platform. Its design uses a collection of shared system services and utilities, which will allow Air Canada to quickly build, test, and deploy new applications.
Air Canada has also extended its agreement with Panasonic Avionics’ technical services team (PTS) to maintain these Astrova-equipped aircraft.
In other recent Astrova news, EVA Air has signed an agreement with Panasonic Avionics for the installation of Astrova in-flight engagement (IFE) and connectivity systems, and a range of digital services, on 54 of its aircraft.
