March 29, 2005 – BRITISH carrier First Choice Airways is setting a new standard for the leisure sector by installing Panasonic’s Ethernet-based eFX audio/video-on-demand system on six of its Boeing 767s.

“Our in-flight experience is designed in line with First Choice Holidays’ strategy of offering differentiated quality in all aspects of our product, from flights to hotels and kids’ clubs,” says Sue Blanche, the airline’s general manager for in-flight services and sales. “The IFE system is a key strand in the differentiation of our onboard experience. We believe this will help to increase customer loyalty and encourage repeat bookings in the long term.”

Six First Choice 767s are due to be fitted with eFX by the end of next year. Installations are under way and three aircraft are scheduled to be in service by the end of this May, with the rest to follow by next winter. First Choice is the European launch customer for eFX and the first carrier to opt for the system’s 9in screen and associated handset.

Manchester-based First Choice, known as Air2000 until last year, is gaining a reputation for its innovative approach. One of the first airlines to order the Boeing 787, it signalled its inflight entertainment intentions in 2004 by introducing handheld video players from French company Archos.

“The Archos handhelds were a transitional step between our previous IFE system and eFX,” says Blanche. “The units have performed very well, with positive customer feedback. We will continue to carry some on each long-haul aircraft, to be used in the event of technical problems with seatback units.”

In the first eFX-equipped aircraft First Choice is offering AVOD and multiplayer games on 9in displays in its Premier class and broadcast films on 7in screens in the main cabin. From May 1 main-cabin passengers will be offered the option of paying £5 for an upgrade to Premier Class functionality. Initially they will pay a flight attendant, who will swipe a card to activate the system, but in future passengers will be able to use their own credit cards.

Content provider is UK-based IFE Services. Premier passengers are offered 12 on-demand films while main-cabin passengers can choose among eight broadcast options. Also broadcast are 10 channels of TV programming and three dedicated children`s channels. The inflight retail catalogue is available in both classes.

The airline believes that its AVOD user interface compares well with those of the systems offered by full-service carriers like Virgin Atlantic and Emirates. “We have specifically designed the interface to ensure that the customer is only three or four clicks away from a desired programme or game,” Blanche comments.

Future enhancements could include gambling, online shopping Internet access. “We have not yet approached Internet access service providers,” says Blanche. “We are currently working on how to achieve the hardware interface.”

The eFX installations, total system weight 2,600lb, are being carried out by GAMCO in Abu Dhabi. Hangar time per aircraft is four weeks. First Choice is the first Panasonic customer to receive the company’s VSEBQ seatbox, designed to cut box count by serving nine seats versus the three typical of current units. Being offered as a low-weight option for eFX and the next-generation eX2, the box weighs just under four pounds, a third less than conventional units. A First Choice 767 has 33 VSEBQs, each attached vertically to a seat leg at intervals through the cabin.

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