AIME 2010: The future is real soon now, says Panasonic

The IFE giant’s VP for global communications services, Bruner presented a futuristic vision of data-packed Dick Tracey-style wrist communicators feeding location-specific prompts to the passenger en route through the terminal, elegantly integrated screens greeting him from the seatback, and an effortless flow of information and images to and from his iPhone by satellite.

Then he sprang his surprise. “It might look like science fiction, but seats like that are already being built as part of our Fusion programme,” he said. “And we’ll be offering broadband connectivity in commercial service before the end of the year.”   

Panasonic’s eXConnect Ku-band satellite passenger connectivity service has been in development for a number of years but could now be close to its operational debut. “The first aircraft for our five eXConnext customers will be delivered by the end of the year,” said Bruner. “And you should look out for an announcement any time now from Lufthansa, our launch customer.”

Bruner spoke highly of the German flag carrier. “The system is now flying with them,” he said. “You couldn’t ask more of a partner than what we have had from Lufthansa in the way of help to get the system up and running. They negotiated a great deal with us, but we will be the beneficiary in the long run because they have pushed in a very good way for the best possible quality.”

According to Bruner, the carrier plans to equip a significant number of aircraft before marketing the service, a successor to the pioneering Connexion by Boeing, to its passengers. “We will launch on the North Atlantic,” said Bruner. “When we do, travellers on Lufthansa’s Europe-USA routes will be able to count on having it whenever they fly.”

The second announced taker for eXConnect is Turkish Airlines. “But another carrier will be the second to offer service,” Bruner said.

Panasonic announced recently that eXConnect, along with the GSM phone and inflight television elements of its Global Communications Suite, would be made available on the new Airbus A350. Bruner confirmed yesterday that offerability on the rest of the Airbus range was on its way.