Qatar Airways has announced that it is upgrading its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner fleet with the latest Thales AVANT IFE system, aiming to provide “the best inflight experience” to its passengers.
The upgrade includes the latest High Definition (HD), capacitive touch screen technology enabling passengers to seamlessly navigate the graphical user interface (GUI) using familiar gestures from their smartphone or tablet. The lightweight screens are two to three times brighter than the former technology, featuring more than 16 million colours for an enhanced viewing experience.
The AVANT system offers a large selection of features and applications with high capacity servers to store over a terabyte of media content including the latest HD movies, TV show episodes and music collections. Business class passengers will enjoy 17-inch Full HD touch screens, while the main cabin will feature the same high-quality experience with 12-inch smart displays.
Qatar Airways Senior Vice President, Marketing & Corporate Communications, Salam Al Shawa, said: “As a leader of innovation within the global aviation industry, we are always looking for ways to further enrich our already exceptional 5-Star on board experience for passengers. With the latest in-flight technology, including lightweight screens, greater content storage and full HD touch screens, we are delighted to work with Thales in bringing the most advanced AVANT IFE system on board our Boeing 787-8 fleet.”
Thales has developed an upgrade programme to adapt the existing legacy system to incorporate new AVANT screens and servers into the existing seats and aircraft infrastructure. This turnkey approach includes delivery of full seat modification, hardware and all required certifications, as well as the ability to leverage media integration commonality across the Qatar Airways’ fleet equipped with AVANT.
Philippe Carette, Chief Executive Officer, Thales Inflyt Experience, commented: “Qatar Airways continues to be a leader in the recovery of the aviation industry, maintaining a paramount commitment to service and to the enrichment of the passenger journey. Together we have developed a turnkey upgrade program with a seamless customer experience and continued installation despite the crisis. With the AVANT IFE system, passengers on Qatar Airways Boeing B787-8 aircraft will enjoy a 5-star experience.”
