News
In-Flight Entertainment key part of Aircraft Interiors Expo
March 11, 2013, Hamburg, Ger. - With only six weeks to go, more than 60 new exhibitors will be on display at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo, including four In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) software companies.
March 11, 2013 By Carey Fredericks
Organized by Reed Exhibitions, Aircraft Interiors Expo will take place at Hamburg Messe in Germany from April 9-11.
According to a November 2012 MarketsandMarkets research report, the IFE business sector is expected to grow from $2 billion in 2012 to $3 billion by 2017 with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 6.67 per cent during the same period, predominantly driven by higher deliveries of wide body and very large aircraft.
Covering games, music, satellite communications and software development, the four new IFE software exhibitors are: DTI Software (Canada), planBmedia AG (Switzerland), Satcom Direct (USA) and Western Outdoor Interactive Pvt. Ltd (India).
DTI Software, wholly owned by Advanced Inflight Alliance AG, develops and integrates innovative entertainment software, owning over 90 per cent of the worldwide in-flight games market and supplying popular licenced in-flight games to the majority of international airlines.
The company has exclusive licencing agreements with the most popular entertainment brands to provide airline passengers with an extensive range of entertainment options from the comfort of their seats.
planBmedia, in co-operation with Universal Music International, will be launching its latest Skyfi Music wireless IFE system at Aircraft Interiors Expo, which allows passengers to experience on-demand interactive audio and video in the air.
“Our streaming technology allows passengers to connect directly via a range of devices including smart phones, tablets and laptops. Depending on the airline’s operating system, our Skyfi application is available either as Graphical User Interface (GUI) or as a stand-alone application, “said Giuseppe Amato, Director of In-Flight Entertainment at planBmedia.
He added, “There is no doubt that wireless IFE systems are closing the technology gap on their “ground” market cousins, which is good news for passenger experience and genuine connectivity.”
Satcom Direct offers secure, reliable and global satellite communications with flagship products such as FlightDeck Freedom, fully supported cabin services and various mobile applications. At Aircraft Interiors Expo, the company will be promoting its first certified aircraft hardware, which was recently unveiled at a company conference – the Satcom Direct Router.
“We look forward to talking to current and prospective business jet customers in Hamburg. In particular, we’d like to meet with those visitors looking for nose-to-tail in-flight connectivity solutions and to also meet with MRO and installation facilities to develop key partnerships and dealer opportunities in the connectivity space,” said Chris Moore, VP Global Accounts at Satcom Direct.
Established in 1996, Western Outdoor Interactive has designed and developed IFE software for more than 50 airlines worldwide. It offers expertise in the areas of content development, games, GUI design, IFE services, software development and systems integration. New concierge services such as AeroBooks address the need to improve airlines’ overall service quality. Western Outdoor Interactive’s catalogue supports a broad range of devices and hardware including Linux, Android and the fast-emerging HTML5 platform.
Katie Murphy, Exhibition Director of Aircraft Interiors Expo, said: “The IFE sector is clearly evolving at a rapid pace, not only in its bid to entertain passengers but also in its adoption of fast-emerging technologies. With the inclusion of these and other new exhibitors, it’s clear that IFE companies – be they hardware or software focused – will take advantage of the highly targeted visitor base that attends Aircraft Interiors Expo to launch innovative products and services."
As the only global event to attract key airline interiors decision makers from around the world, Aircraft Interiors Expo will see 500 exhibiting companies taking up approximately 18,000 square metres at the Hamburg Messe from April 9-11 2013. A wide array of cabin interior products and services will be on display, covering everything from whole interior design concepts, through seating systems across the different cabin classes, to galley equipment, lighting, textiles, flooring and in-flight entertainment.
