WAEA Hosts Largest Global Inflight Connectivity Workshop

July 13, 2009, McLEAN, Va., USA - The World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) will host the Single Focus Workshop: Connectivity where top inflight entertainment and communications (IFE&C) experts will gather to share options available for inflight communications and innovations for the future. The WAEA expects a record-breaking number of attendees from global airlines, vendors of IFE&C and press at the Workshop being held on 14-15 July 2009 in Seattle, Washington, USA.

This much anticipated industry event promises to help senior executives better understand the airborne connectivity market and make more informed decisions to elevate their businesses. Never before has airborne connectivity been covered with this much depth and insight from the leading experts in the field. The two-day workshop will focus on:

Airline programs and trials;
Myths of connectivity;
Value-added applications;
Differences between air-to-ground, Ku-band satellite, and L-band satellite;
In-flight TV;
Applications and content; and
Updates on the latest trends and regulatory activities.

Keynote sessions each day will feature top airlines experienced in airborne connectivity beginning with John Tiliacos from American Airlines on Tuesday morning. Peter Lewalter from Lufthansa German Airlines will discuss “Connectivity – Future Success Story or Disaster?” on Wednesday morning.

“An event specifically focused on airborne connectivity is undoubtedly timely and necessary,” says David Coiley, Co-chair of the WAEA’s Technology Committee, “inflight entertainment is expanding its scope to include communications. The acronym IFE has evolved to IFE&C and the ‘C’ for communications is clearly one that our industry wants and needs to know more about.”

Other speakers include connectivity experts from JetBlue, AirTran, Delta/Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, RAJCO Services Company, H&M Planey Consultants, IMDC, Aircell LLC, Inmarsat, Ltd, Panasonic Avionics Corporation, Thales, ViaSat, Inc., WI-SKY Inflight, Inc., Row 44, Astronics, EMS Technologies, ThinKom, ITS Electronics, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Airbus, Microsoft, AeroMobile, ARINC/SkyBuy, OnAir, Live TV, and CGP Solutions, Ltd.
“The Workshop will build on the connectivity sessions held at our recent WAEA Technology Committee meeting and the Educational Workshop in Kuala Lumpur,” says Rich Salter, Co-chair of the WAEA Technology Committee. “It will be two full days of education with the aim to get everyone up to a level playing field of knowledge, share lessons learned, and chart where the business is headed in the future.”

In addition to this special event focused on connectivity, WAEA’s educational offerings include an entire day dedicated to seminars during the 30th Annual Conference & Exhibition being held 5-8 October 2009 in Palm Springs, California. Attracting hundreds of airlines and vendors involved in IFE&C, the day of education will be followed by three days of Exhibition showcasing many of the telecommunications and connectivity technologies discussed at the Workshop.
“During a time when overall conference attendance is down in all industries, the overwhelming interest in attending the Workshop in Seattle and the Annual Conference later this year is a sign that the IFE&C industry is committed to progress and innovation, ” says Bruce Wardle, WAEA’s Interim Executive Director.

This year’s Conference theme, 30 Years of Innovation, will be evident in education seminars catering to different industry sectors, including updates on airborne connectivity not presented at the Workshop in Seattle. The WAEA received over 40 proposals for education seminars and presentations at the Annual Conference – more than any other year – and the WAEA Education Committee has the difficult task of narrowing them down to just one day of sessions.

“The WAEA is proud to be the resource for knowledge on this cutting-edge, complex technology. The knowledge sharing about connectivity and other topics impacting IFE&C within our industry will translate to a better inflight experience for passengers,” says Wardle. “If you are not at this event or the Annual Conference & Exhibition in October, your company will be left behind in the fastest growing trend this industry has seen.”

Entrance to the Single Focus Workshop: Connectivity is open to WAEA members and non-members. Registration for the Workshop the will be available onsite at the Future of Flight Aviation Center. For information on the Single Focus Workshop: Connectivityor to register for the WAEA 30th Annual Conference and Exhibition, please visitwww.waea.org.

About WAEA
Founded in 1979 as a non-profit organization, The WAEA is the official worldwide network representing nearly 400 airlines and airline suppliers committed to excellence in inflight entertainment and communications and the continual improvement of the airline passenger experience. For more information regarding the WAEA and the IFE and communications industry, please visit www.waea.org.