Lufthansa Adds IFE to Medium-Haul Flights

Lufthansa has upgraded the travel experience for flyers on medium-haul routes by rolling out a new in-flight entertainment system.

After retrofitting 20 Airbus A321 aircraft over the summer, Lufthansa went live with their medium-haul in-flight entertainment (IFE) system this week. Unlike traditional IFE, which is distributed over screens fitted in the seat or displayed on overhead monitors, Lufthansa’s system relies on a wireless network to transmit the content to passengers’ own devices, saving extensive wiring and heavy equipment on the aircraft itself.

Ever since IFE began appearing on aircraft in the 1920s, airlines have been struggling to find a balance between the cost of carrying the equipment onboard and providing an individualized experience that makes time fly by. The biggest challenge is to provide a decent selection, while also making sure the content is delivered to users quickly.

Lufthansa uses a system called BoardConnect, which distributes content using Wi-Fi. The content available includes TV series, movies, documentaries, music, audio books and print media in digital form. Passengers who wish to enjoy all the in-flight options on their personal electronics can download a free mobile app on their Android or iOS device, or install the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in on their browsers.

The system was trialed on Virgin Australia first, and it is already in use on Condor Airlines, El Al Airlines and on select premium Greyhound buses. Similar technology is also utilized by Gogo Inflight Entertainment on Demand, which several carriers currently use for their IFE.

Lufthansa intends to deploy the BoardConnect system on aircraft primarily operating medium-haul flights, or 2 to 4 hours in length. On the wide-body fleet, serving the long-haul routes of 6 hours or more, Lufthansa is installing the RAVE system by Zodiac Inflight Innovations, which stores content on in-seat devices to provide quick response time.

[Photo: Lufthansa]