Spafax highlights potential for personalizing inflight ad content
This is a special feature from the April 2025 AIX issue of PAX Tech Magazine on page 46.
Spafax has identified approximately 200 touchpoints where airlines can interact with passengers throughout the journey
As digital innovation reshapes inflight entertainment, Spafax’s Dimitrios Tsirangelos, Vice President of Business Development IFE Technology and Innovation, sees an opportunity for seamless integration of digital inflight advertising, driven by evolving media consumption habits and the rise of personal electronic devices (PEDs) onboard. By focusing on content engagement, airlines can create personalized experiences that extend beyond traditional seatback screens, enhancing passenger satisfaction, brand impact and ancillary revenue.
“The value of advertising onboard the aircraft is higher than on the ground and should be considered as such,” Tsirangelos tells PAX Tech.
Data fusion & audience insights
When passengers think of personalization, they may expect the same level of targeted ad content they receive on the ground, yet Spafax utilizes anonymized data to protect passenger privacy. Rather than personalizing ads at the individual level, Spafax can leverage data-driven insights based on the demographics of passengers to curate a relevant, non-intrusive passenger experience that connects with a wider demographic. To Tsirangelos, this is a positive thing.
“The fear of infringing on passenger privacy is understandable, but it doesn't happen,” he says. “We work with airlines to create this balanced approach where engaging content, entertainment and brand sponsorships complement—rather than disrupt—the passenger experience.”
Spafax is committed to working closely with its airline partners and leverages data to meet and exceed the airline’s ancillary revenue goals. Spafax invests significantly in data analytics, including usage behaviour and demographic information, to carefully craft a unique Media Sales Strategy for each individual airline partner.
Maximizing every moment
Spafax has identified approximately 200 touchpoints where airlines can interact with passengers throughout the journey. But Tsirangelos points out that just because an airline can engage with a traveller so many times along the way, does not mean it should.
Audience interest and travel stage—whether emailed pre-flight information or interactive gate displays or branded content in the lounge—creates a harmonized ecosystem and shapes the type of content passengers are most receptive to. Spafax takes a data-driven approach to ensure that content investment translates to measurable outcomes for airlines, determining which touchpoints hold the most value.
Dimitrios Tsirangelos, Vice President of Business Development IFE Technology and Innovation, Spafax
Tsirangelos explains that for inflight advertising to be effective, it needs to be subtle and seamless. For example, passengers do not want to see the same advertisement multiple times on the journey but will tolerate five to seven ad viewings from different brands without complaint if they are all unique and relevant. These offerings should be tailored to the airline’s route demographics delivering targeted buy-in opportunities, such as post-flight activities or bidding on a seat upgrade before takeoff.
“Offering a curated, relevant content ecosystem is how we see airlines enhance passenger satisfaction and loyalty through inflight advertising,” he says.
Airline systems today are fragmented. Airlines operate separate systems for onboard and ground interactions. Spafax can unify these disparate touchpoints and bridge the gap between advertising best practices on the ground versus onboard the aircraft, optimizing ROI for the airline and passenger experience.
AdConnect is Spafax’s centralized marketplace which allows advertising agencies to browse and purchase digital inventory directly from airlines
“If you know the audience, offer exactly what the audience wants to see. When executed well, branded content within the airline’s connectivity portal can drive significant value for all participants,” Tsirangelos says.
He highlights the value in strategically placing the paywall for access to IFC services on passengers’ PEDs to maximize engagement or offering free Wi-Fi while watching a set number of ads, generating revenue through advertising. Tsirangelos identifies connected IFE and personalization as trends that Spafax can support in the current market because passengers expect tailored content recommendations on both streaming services and wireless IFE. He also cites interactive and shoppable ads as trends to watch.
“As these trends evolve, we expect passengers to engage with advertising more intentionally,” he says.
Trends and passenger expectations vary by region, with Tsirangelos noting that Spafax does not adopt the same methodology for integrating advertising on a North American versus European versus Asian airline. The level of premium service that is typical of an airline is also a factor in the types of inflight advertising opportunities that passengers will engage with onboard.
Connect in Hamburg
Spafax will be exhibiting at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, this month, showcasing how the convergence of technology, data, and creativity is reshaping the airline experience via its Connected Content Stream. At the booth, the content service provider will have multiple interactive stations demonstrating its content offerings and data fusion (how it collects and consolidates data) for full-service carriers as well as new low-cost carrier packages.
Spafax will also showcase its portable VR IFE system, an offering for premium airlines as well as the StoryWonder app that brings interactive stories to life for children. In addition to hands-on demonstrations at the booth, these innovations and more are highlighted on the new Spafax website.
