Virgin America has teamed up with iHeartMedia to offer passengers access to specially curated music stations via the Red in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, which has just received a major upgrade.
iHeartRadio is a digital live streaming service and the company has worked with Virgin Produced, Virgin Group’s entertainment arm, to create a bespoke music selection, which can be accessed via the seatback IFE system or through passengers’ own personal electronic devices.
The collaboration comes as Virgin America introduces the beta version of Red, which is based on Android software that allows for faster, real-time updates and features higher resolution, capacitive touch-screens, support for surround-sound audio, more interactive games and maps, and three times more content. Red Beta will run on Panasonic EcoV2 monitors.
The new-look Red offers an experience akin to what passengers would expect from a leading smartphone or tablet, making the onboard entertainment system far more intuitive and responsive. Alfy Veretto, In-flight Entertainment Manager at Virgin America, said passengers can expect a far more “immersive” IFE experience, thanks to the new Red system.
Passengers will have access to a total of six curated music stations via iHeartRadio, ranging from hip-hop and alterna pop, to soul and reggae.
