Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) and AeroMobile today announced that Emirates Airline has extended its commitment for in-flight mobile connectivity with an order for an additional 84 eXPhone systems for installation.
This latest commitment follows Emirates’ ground-breaking launch of inflight connectivity with AeroMobile in March 2008 when it became the world’s first airline to commercially launch an inflight mobile phone service. The additional eXPhone systems will be installed on the carrier’s Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.
eXPhone is offered by Panasonic, the world leader in state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) systems, in collaboration with AeroMobile’s inflight mobile phone service. It will allow Emirates passengers to use their mobile phones, smart phones and BlackBerry® devices to make and receive voice calls and SMS text messages in flight, along with data services such as emails.
Since 2008, over four million Emirates passengers have connected to the service offered by AeroMobile, the in-flight communications market leader, and it is already in service on 85 of the airline’s fleet.
Patrick Brannelly, Vice President of Corporate Communications Product, Publishing, Digital and Events for Emirates, said, “We are absolutely committed to making sure our passengers are able to stay connected throughout their journey on Emirates. In recent years we have seen a huge number of people turn on their GSM phones onboard and it is only natural that we expand the service and offer more choice to our passengers by offering GPRS connectivity allowing the use of email or chat services such as BlackBerry or other smartphone services.”
The eXPhone system will be line-fitted on Emirates’ Boeing 777-300ER aircraft which are currently on order, and retrofitted on the aircraft already in operation. The first of the 84 additional installed aircraft is due to enter service later this year.
“For more than a decade, Emirates has remained a strategically important partner for Panasonic, and we are very excited that they have chosen our eXPhone product for an additional 84 aircraft,” said Paul Margis, Chief Executive Officer for Panasonic Avionics Corporation. “We look forward to continuing to work with Emirates on IFEC solutions that ensure an amazing, industry-leading entertainment and communications experience for their passengers.”
Pål Bjørdal, AeroMobile’s President and CEO, said: “This latest commitment from Emirates is a massive vote of confidence in the AeroMobile system. It has enabled over four million of their passengers to stay connected inflight and helped them retain their well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s most innovative carriers.”
EMIRATES EXTENDS COMMITMENT TO INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY WITH PANASONIC AND AEROMOBILE
