Inflight entertainment and connectivity giant Panasonic Avionics Corporation (PAC) is seeing aviation industry recovery take hold, as passenger traffic roars back, narrowbody production ticks up, and the widebody market starts making a comeback. These markers bode well for the future of IFEC.
“We absolutely are seeing recovery in aviation both in terms of IFE system installations and a dramatic upturn in connectivity usage,” Panasonic Avionics VP, product management Andy Masson tells Runway Girl Network.
“From our own internal research and through various industry experts, we’re seeing narrowbody production almost at pre-pandemic levels and passenger levels over 90% of pre-pandemic levels. We are also seeing improvement in the long-haul aircraft, or widebody market, and expect that segment of our market to continue to improve up to and beyond 2025.”
Parent company Panasonic Holdings Corporation’s fiscal third quarter earnings reflect this momentum, with the Osaka-headquartered firm reporting that avionics sales rose in the three months ended 31 December 2022 “reflecting market recovery in the aviation industry”. The holding company has revised upwards the fiscal year 2023 forecast for its Panasonic Connect segment — of which PAC is a unit — partly on the strength of this rebound.
That’s not to say there haven’t been bumps in the road. “From a supply chain perspective,” says Masson, “the awful COVID-19 pandemic did create some well published challenges in the supply chain. Today, however, PAC has largely solved this, leveraging our strong buying power as part of a major consumer electronics company. We do have some suppliers who are challenged, however, and we’ve had to supplement much of their supply chain to protect our deliveries.”
He continues, “It’s a testament to my colleagues here at Panasonic Avionics that throughout these past two years, and despite all the supply chain challenges, the team has also been focused on the future of passenger entertainment, engagement, and revenue generation for our customers. To make sure that PAC was best positioned to support our customers as our market improved, we looked carefully at our product and services, and at ensuring that we have the solutions our industry needs to be successful.”
To that end, PAC in 2022 unveiled its feature-rich, next generation Astrova inflight entertainment system, revealing Qatar Airways as a launch customer for its Boeing 777Xs.
For passengers, says Masson, Astrova “re-defines the passenger experience with unrivalled cinema-grade OLED screens, superior HD audio, Bluetooth and enough fast-charging power to keep mobile devices charged throughout the flight”.
Thirty percent lighter than other IFE solutions, Astrova was also “designed to help airlines achieve their business, brand and sustainability goals — without sacrifice”, he notes. “Its intelligent, lightweight design lets airlines reduce fuel for fewer CO2 emissions, while its unmatched entertainment capabilities drive higher loyalty, engagement and NPS for airlines.”
Panasonic also reckons that its second major launch, called Modular interactive, or M.I., is also a game changer for the commercial aviation industry.
“M.I. is a fully integrated IFE interactive design and publishing tool that enables airlines to personalize the IFE experience for passengers based on personal preferences, route structure, and many other options,” explains Masson. “But the real advantage for airlines is the speed at which they can make changes to the entertainment experience onboard their aircraft. It’s something that our industry has never been able to deliver until now.
“Finally, we’ve also signed a deal with OneWeb to ensure that our global inflight connectivity service remains world class, offering the speeds and experience that all of us expect when we fly.”
But Panasonic’s prior-generation systems continue to have legs in the world fleet. Purely for example, Air India recently leased some ex-Delta Boeing 777s, and opted to retain much of the hard product on board, including Panasonic IFE from nose to tail. Masson explains that this is not a new phenomenon.
“In the lessor and the widebody markets, this has always been traditionally an area where embedded Panasonic IFE systems, even older systems, are seen as very favorable for airlines and their passengers,” he says. “Panasonic Avionics has a specific business model to care for these customers, including a global MRO support organization, called PTS, that works tirelessly to ensure the reliability and availability of these systems. That business continues to be incredibly busy helping airlines bring aircraft back to service in addition to maintaining our IFEC systems flying today.”
Going forward, Panasonic Avionics is optimistic about continued industry recovery, with Masson confiding that “the future looks bright for our market”.
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Featured image credited to Recaro
