United Airlines Partners With Panasonic to Enhance the In-Flight Entertainment Experience
United Airlines has partnered with Panasonic Avionics to bring passengers in economy class an elevated in-flight entertainment experience. The airline will be installing approximately 300,000 units of the Astrova in-flight entertainment screens on a select number of new Boeing 787 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
The Panasonic Avionics Astrova IFE screens will be located on the aircraft’s seatbacks and utilize 4K OLED technology, according to Travel Noire, which is a stark contrast to the image quality and contrast ratio of other IFE systems. Astrova also integrates up-to-date Bluetooth technology, allowing for high-fidelity 3D spatial audio. Because of this addition, passengers won’t have to worry about packing another cord for their electronics, as they can easily swap out wired headphones for wireless earbud devices. For passengers who need to ensure that their gadgets are always charged, the Astrova units also contain USB-C ports that provide 100 watts of DC power.
As of right now, Boeing 787 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft are most widely used by United for international journeys. Travel Noire reports that there are plans by the airline to eventually expand the Astroca IFE technology into domestic planes as well. This integration is an initiative under United’s United Next program, which has the ultimate goal of equipping all seats with a seatback display. First-class passengers will have access to the 13-inch displays, while economy-class travelers will have access to the 10-inch IFE monitors.
The partnership with United and Panasonic Avionics will be beneficial not only now but also moving into the future, as there is the potential to upgrade the technology. The IFE system’s architecture contains a removable bar on its sides that allows for the addition of newer technology and updated Bluetooth connectivity or charging stations. This new tech, however, will most likely not be added until 2025.
Roshae Hemmings is an arts and culture magazine journalist from St. Louis, MO. A graduate from the Missouri School of Journalism, Roshae has bylines in the Columbia Missourian, Vox Magazine and 5280 Magazine discussing topics ranging from pop culture, social justice and eat and drink. She is a foodie at heart and enjoys eating food as much as learning about the story behind it. You can reach Roshae via email at [email protected].
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