Curating memories with SriLankan Airlines and Inflight Dublin
This is a special feature from PAX Tech's F ebruary/March 2024 issue, on page 14.
Passengers flying with SriLankan Airlines can enjoy a wide range of entertainment options, thanks to its ongoing partnership with Inflight Dublin
In operation since 1979, Sri Lanka flag carrier SriLankan Airlines is a member of the oneworld Alliance, serving 113 destinations in 59 countries from its base at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.
With a strong reputation for high-quality service, comfort and safety, the airline has been rewarded with numerous accolades, including 2023 APEX Passenger Choice Awards® for Best Food & Beverage in Central/Southern Asia; Best Seat Comfort in Central/Southern Asia, and ‘World’s Leading Airline to the Indian Ocean’ at the 2022 World Travel Awards. Not resting on its laurels, the airline places a strong emphasis on attention to detail and the customization of its services to meet passenger expectations and enhance satisfaction. This includes the provision of inflight entertainment which is provided through a mix of Thales AVANT and Safran RAVE seatback screens on long-haul and short-medium-haul flights, and Panasonic on short-medium-haul routes.
“As a full-service airline, inflight entertainment plays a vital role in the overall passenger experience with SriLankan Airlines,” Maria Sathasivam, the airline’s Manager Product Development, tells PAX Tech.
The airline has worked with Inflight Dublin as its content service provider (CSP) since 2019, recently extending its partnership for a further three years.
“We are proud of the exceptional service we have provided to SriLankan Airlines, and we look forward to continuing to work together to deliver a world-class inflight entertainment experience to its passengers,” said Barry Flynn, COO of Inflight Dublin, in June 2023.
Sathasivam points to Inflight Dublin’s position as a leading CSP that works with more than 500 global content distributors and subsequent ability to provide a wide range of content, from Hollywood blockbusters, international films and much more, as the rationale behind the decision.
Speaking to PAX Tech, Sathasivam reveals that at present, the Dublin-based CSP provides inflight entertainment content throughout SriLankan Airlines’ entire fleet and manages an inflight entertainment webpage designed to offer customers a “sneak peek into the diverse entertainment options available on board even before they step onto the aircraft.”
On board, passengers can access more than 100 Hollywood and international movies, TV shows and audio content in the IFE catalogue, which is refreshed every four months.
In response to the prevalent demand for Western/international content, SriLankan Airlines provides a content distribution where 70 percent is Western/international, and the remaining 30 percent is dedicated to local and regional offerings.
At the time of writing, passengers can enjoy hits such as Barbie, the DisneyPixar animation Elemental and the latest chapter in the Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Regional content includes the comedy Bhool and action film Bachchhan Paandey.
In keeping with the passenger demographics on its key destinations, the IFE system provides a selection of five language options: English, Sinhala, Tamil, Chinese and Japanese.
Additionally, subtitles and captions in various languages are available, whenever it is provided by the relevant content distributors.
“Offering a diverse array of entertainment, the content also aims to educate passengers on what to expect and experience in their travels to Sri Lanka, be it for leisure or business,” says Sathasivam, adding that, “The content also covers special interests such as wildlife, food and beverage, culture and economy.”
