Astrova, the inflight engagement (IFE) solution from Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic Avionics), has entered service on one of Air Canada’s A321 aircraft.
Canada’s flag carrier is retrofitting Astrova on 19 A321 aircraft. The IFE solution is also being installed on 67 other aircraft in the carrier’s fleet, including 23 new Airbus A220-300, 30 new A321XLR and 14 new Boeing 787-10 aircraft.
With it, passengers flying with Air Canada can enjoy an immersive, home-cinema experience, featuring industry-leading 4K OLED HDR10+ displays alongside premium spatial audio streamed directly to their own wireless headphones using Panasonic Avionics’ Bluetooth technology.
Astrova provides up to 67W of DC power via USB-C at every seat and is available during all phases of flight. This enables fast charging of smartphones, tablets, laptops and other personal electronic devices.
Astrova’s modular design also provides scalability and flexibility. Its patented removable peripheral bar can be hot swapped to unlock new upgrades and features to services such as USB power, Bluetooth technology, and other standards that may change or evolve.
Hernan Abbes, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Panasonic Avionics Corporation, said: “We are delighted to see our award-winning Astrova IFE solution officially take flight for the first time on Air Canada. This debut demonstrates the flexibility and scalability of Astrova across diverse aircraft types, while delivering a truly premium, cinematic experience at every seat.
“With its flexible design and modular approach to upgrades, we are confident that Astrova will enable Air Canada to enhance its brand and increase passenger engagement for many years to come.”
John Moody, Managing Director of Onboard Product at Air Canada, said: “Providing a consistent, premium experience across our diverse fleet is a top priority for Air Canada. The scalability of the Astrova system allows us to seamlessly integrate industry-leading entertainment across all aircraft and all classes of service. We are excited to offer our passengers this exceptional level of high-fidelity video audio, and in-seat power as we continue to modernise our cabin interiors.”
