Air India launches Panasonic eX3 IFE on A350
IFE content offerings on Air India
Air India has unveiled a vast content library for its updated inflight entertainment system, Panasonic eX3 IFE, that will offer an immersive entertainment experience to travellers on its long-haul flights. The full suite of IFE content features more than 2,200 hours of entertainment content across formats and genres, including 1000 hours of movies, 600 hours of TV and 600 hours of audio, the January 29 press release said.
This IFE experience will be available on Air India’s A350, n777-200LR and incoming widebody aircraft. Air India’s legacy widebody fleet is set to undergo complete refurbishment of all interiors starting in the second half of 2024 as part of a US$400 million retrofit program. These aircraft will also feature the updated IFE system and expanded content offering.
“As Air India takes flight into a new era with the arrival of our A350 aircraft, so does our guests’ entertainment experience. This complete overhaul in our inflight entertainment offering mirrors the dynamic transformation underway at Air India. We're redefining what it means to fly with us, and this world-class IFE system and carefully curated content are a cornerstone of that commitment,” said Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India.
Panasonic eX3 IFE systems onboard
Air India is introducing Panasonic’s eX3 IFE system on its A350 aircraft, featuring a full HD experience on touchscreens. The cabin-wide full-HD 1080p monitors provide an immersive viewing experience. Business Class passengers will enjoy a large 21-inch HD touchscreen, while Premium Economy and Economy passengers will enjoy 13.3-inch and 12-inch HD touchscreens, respectively.
3D moving map experience
Arc from Panasonic Avionics Corporation
Air India will debut Arc™, an immersive inflight map experience from Panasonic Avionics Corporation, aboard its A350 fleet. Arc’s Explore mode is a fully interactive experience built from the ground up that lets passengers explore the world’s geography, read curated city guides and zoom in to street map views of select cities. Arc provides real-time flight data and world clock time zones, among other features, to keep passengers updated throughout the journey.
A wide-ranging IFE content selection
The IFE content selection will range from timeless classics like Sholay and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to contemporary Indian cinema like Kantara and Drishyam 2. Air India passengers will be able to choose from over 250 Indian movies spanning decades and genres.
“The content catalogue offers a rich spectrum of regional cinema with 76 Indian regional movies in eight languages, in addition to a host of popular and engaging web series and digital content,” the airline said.
Popular Hollywood blockbusters will also be available onboard, including BAFTA and Oscars-winning titles, along with the latest hits such as Barbie and Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One. Passengers will also have the chance to binge-watch entire franchises like Harry Potter or Spider Man.
International films will be a huge part of the selection available to travellers. Air India’s global cinematic repertoire spans 14 languages, including French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Danish, Icelandic and Dutch, among others, featuring critically acclaimed films from around the world.
For travellers who prefer TV shows and limited series to movies, Air India's inflight library boasts episodes of Western, Indian and International TV shows and digital content, spanning many genres and categories. Passengers will be able to enjoy content from “behind the wall” as Air India’s latest IFE will feature a selection from the biggest streaming and OTT platforms. This includes titles from Paramount, HBO, Prime, Sony Liv, Hulu and more.
Air India will also introduce Air India Radio, which takes passengers on an auditory journey with insightful podcasts, a music collection of 800 choices from every genre and more than 60 curated playlists. The music collection features classic albums from Pop, Rock, Dance, Jazz, Classical, Bollywood, Ghazals, Hindustani & Carnatic Classical, Indipop, Indian Regional and more.
For children onboard, the IFE selection includes more than 55 hours of curated audio and video content, divided into three dedicated sections: Pre-School, Kids and Teens. Shows and movies in this section of the content library include CoComelon, Blippi, Oddbods, Baby Shark, Mickey Mouse, Karadi Tales and the Pretty Little Liars series.
An elevated auditory experience in all cabins
Air India will also introduce updated headsets in all cabins. Aboard the A350, Air India’s Business and Premium Economy passengers will receive lightweight and comfortable-to-wear active noise-cancelling headsets with superior sound quality. Economy Class travellers will be provided with reusable earphones that come in a vibrant red colour, with aubergine silicone tips, packaged in eco-friendly pouches.
