Hawaiian upgrades to digEplayer XLP

February 19, 2010

Hawaiian Airlines has signed a new four year contract extension with handheld inflight entertainment provider digEcor, to upgrade the airline’s IFE offering from the digEplayer 5500 to the digEplayer XLP.

digEcor president Brad Heckel commented, “The implementation of the digEplayer XLP is the first step in a longer term strategic partnership between Hawaiian and digEcor. We are dedicated to providing our clients with a robust IFE solution including flexible hardware, low cost content, and revenue generative programmes. These customer benefits are a result of the continuous improvement programmes, such as lean manufacturing and software development, that we have implemented.”

The first phase of the new agreement includes the replacement of approximately half of Hawaiian’s current digEplayer 5500 inventory, with the remaining stock being replaced in phase two. Also, the digEplayer XLPs will be initially offered on longer, premium routes.

Fully committed to revenue sponsored entertainment, the agreement also includes provisions to implement new revenue generative programmes such as shopping and advertising. “Hawaiian has one of the most impressive and well-oiled IFE rental programmes that we have seen in the industry,” Heckel observed. “Currently, the revenue just from the rental programme makes the digEplayer one of the best ancillary revenue programmes that Hawaiian has inflight. The addition of our new programmes will further increase the profitability for Hawaiian.”

digEcor content administrator Jed Thompson noted, “Our close relationship with the studios allows us to pass content cost savings to Hawaiian and our other customers.”

Hawaiian’s vice-president Louis Saint-Cyr added, “The wide range of inflight content choices that we are able to provide our customers through our digEplayer programme is one of the great reasons our customers love our IFE.”