APEX Experience 7.4 September/October 2017 by Spafax

airline airline passenger passenger

volume volume 7, 7, edition edition 3 3 || june june – – july july 2017 2017

PRESENTS THE 21ST CENTURY

INSIDE INSIDE

the airline passenger experience association the airline passenger experience association

Twentieth Century Fox Film and Fox Networks Group have combined Non-Theatrical operations to create a fully integrated and seamless Sales, Licensing and Servicing infrastructure for the highest quality Inflight Entertainment. This new partnership creates the global leader in content by merging together our strongest brands:

and much more.

Beginning immediately, Fox offers unparalleled variety and diversity to clients across the world.

Contact Info

Julian Levin Julian.Levin@fox.com (310) 369 3423

Tammy Wange Tammy.Wange@fox.com (310) 369 2063

Michael Garrity Mike.Garrity@fox.com (202) 912 6766

airline passenger

volume 7, edition 4 | september â&#x20AC;&#x201C; october 2017

Tracking This and That Keeping tabs on airplanes, trolleys and passenger preferences

Emirates President Tim Clarkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lifetime Achievement official publication of the airline passenger experience association

SERENITY

CONSUMER HEADPHONES BUILT FOR FLIGHT

Conceived by world-renowned designers from Munich, Germany, Serenity S1 headphones expertly balance beautiful product aesthetics with a durable mechanical design. All this, while providing astonishing high deﬁnition sound performance, superior comfort and a suite of innovative features, including our highly-differentiating open-ear™ remote and open-ear touch talk-through features.

SERENITY S1D

SERENITY S1C

SERENITY S1H

• Rich and balanced sound • Patented circuitry for superior NC • Compatible with all NC-jacks

• • • •

• • • • • •

ARINC D1/2 NC jack-enabled

ARINC C1/2 aircraft powered High ﬁdelity, remastered sound Powerful hybrid noise canceling Sensational open-earTM talk-through Passenger control of audio features

Panasonic HD Audio™ compatible High deﬁnition digital sound 3D sound immersion with parametric EQ Powerful hybrid noise canceling VoIP-telephony with adaptive sidetone Natural open-earTM talk-through Passenger control of audio features

SOUNDPORT

THE ONLY JACK YOU’LL EVER NEED FOR AUDIO Imagine an audio jack that operates with all headphone types - including powered and jack-based noise canceling, conventional analog stereo, and Panasonic HD Audio. Well, SoundPort delivers just that, allowing re-wired ARINC-Type A, B, C, and D headphones, and next-gen digital models, to connect to an airplane’s IFEC system via a single, industrial-grade USB Type-C connector.

Back-lit port with the option of magnetic docking

Integrated ﬁrewall for secure streaming of media

30k+ insertions, industrial-grade USB Type-C connector

Electronic detection and enablement of all aviation headphone types, including: • Digital Hi-Res / Panasonic HD AUDIOTM • Powered NC / ARINC Type C1/2 • Jack-enabled NC / ARINC Type D1/2 • Conventional analog stereo / ARINC Type A1/2

To find out more, visit us at Panasonic Stand 955

WWW.SOUNDCHIP.COM SoundPort is compatible only with inﬂight entertainment systems built by Panasonic Avionics Corporation and is covered by US patent no., US9407982 B2. Serenity S1 headphones are manufactured under license by Long Prosper Enterprise, Co. Ltd and are covered by patents US29/538,163, (PRC) 201530312668.5, (EU) 002645234-0001, (UK) 1519219.8, (UK) 1506206.0, (UK) 1503600.7, PCT/EP2013/055954. For further information email: hdaudio@soundchip.com.

AD DIRECTORY

Advertisers’ Directory

volume 7, edition 4 september – october 2017

Airborne Interactive airborne.aero > See page 147 Airbus airbus.com > See page 96 and 97

Donica donica.cn > See page 78

Jaguar Distribution jaguardc.com > See page 173

Smartsky Networks smartskynetworks.com > See pages 4 and 5

Emphasis Video Entertainment emphasis-video.net > See page 176

Kid Systeme kid-systeme.com > See page 120

Sony Pictures Releasing sonypicturesinflight.com > See page 163

Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems astronics.com > See pages 15 and 91

Encore Inflight encoreinflight.com > See page 127

Linstol linstol.com > See page 139

Soundchip soundchip.ch > See pages 8 and 9

Entertainment In Motion skyfilms.com > See page 169

Long Prosper longprosper.com > See page 110

Spafax spafax.com > See pages 118 and 119

Eros Inflight Media erosnow.com > See page 174

Lufthansa Systems lhsystems.com > See page 17

Telefonix telefonixinc.com > See page 67

FeiTan United Systems Technologies fts-aero.com > See page 72

NBC Universal nbcuni.com > See page 165

Thales thalesgroup.com > See page 33

Panasonic Avionics panasonic.aero > See outside back cover

TRT World trtworld.com > See page 179

Paramount Pictures paramount.com > See inside front cover and page 3

Twentieth Century Fox Film foxinflight.com > See front cover ad and page 156

Pascall Electronics pascall.co.uk > See page 135

Viasat viasat.com > See page 28

PaxLife paxlife.aero > See page 35

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Non-Theatrical ebvnt.disney.com > See page 159

Astronics Armstrong Aerospace astronics.com > See page 141 Axinom axinom.com > See page 88 BAE Systems baesystems.com > See page 57 BBC Global News bbc.com > See page 153 Bluebox Aviation Systems blueboxaviation.com > See page 75 Bookmark Content and Communications, A Spafax Group Company bookmarkcontent.com > See infographic Carlisle Interconnect Technologies carlisleit.com > See four-page gatefold

Global Eagle Entertainment globaleagleent.com > See page 47 Global One Media globalonemedia.co.uk > See pages 6 and 7 Gogo gogoair.com > See page 37 HBO hboinflight.com > See page 167 Images In Motion iim.com.sg > See page 105

castLabs castlabs.com > See page 115

IMG Worldwide img.com > See pages 55 and 77

Dawson Media Direct dawsonmd.com > See IFE sponsorship on pages 154–175, and page 50

Inflight Direct inflightdirect.com > See page 142

Deutsche Telekom telekom.com > See bellyband and page 11 Deutsche Welle dw.de > See page 147 digEcor digecor.com > See pages 40 and 41

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Inflight Peripherals ifpl.com > See page 108 Inmarsat inmarsat.com > See pages 43 and 45 Intelsat intelsat.com > See page 31

Penny Black Media pennyblackmedia.com > See page 171 Phitek phitek.com > See page 95 Recaro recaro.com > See page 53 Rockwell Collins rockwellcollins.com > See page 60 Skycast Solutions skycastsolutions.com > See page 145 Skyline IFE skyline-ife.com > See pages 83 and 136

Warner Bros. warnerbros.com > See page 161 West Entertainment westent.com > See page 125 W.L. Gore and Associates gore.com > See page 107 Zodiac Aerospace imsco-us.com > See page 63

IT’S NOT JUST A NETWORK FOR EUROPE IT’S A NETWORK FOR GROWTH The European Aviation Network, the world’s first integrated satellite and air to ground network, is tailor-made for Europe’s busy routes and hubs. Ideal for narrow body aircraft, cost-effective to install and run, EAN is scalable to meet Europe’s growing inflight connectivity demand. High-speed seamless Wi-Fi for flights over Europe gives your passengers a superior inflight experience. By delivering real time messaging and video streaming, it will turn short-haul passengers into long-term customers. Find out more at europeanaviationnetwork.com

CEO’S LETTER

Dear Members, We have exciting news to share as we enter EXPO with APEX, IFSA and AIX in Long Beach.

GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS PAYING DIVIDENDS TO APEX AND IFSA Our work in leading the airline passenger experience and in-flight service arenas has begun paying great dividends. IATA has invited airlines worldwide to attend EXPO, the focal point of in-flight passenger experience encompassing APEX, IFSA, and Aircraft Interiors (AIX). FTE Europe brought 18 airline members to APEX with more anticipated to join at FTE Global. IFSA’s international membership also expanded. The Lufthansa FlyingLab on an Airbus A380 will prelaunch EXPO as we pass the baton from AIX/WTCE in Germany to EXPO where the Crystal Cabin Awards nomination season will begin. While this list appears expansive, other leading organizations are joining this chorus, pointing to APEX and IFSA as the official trade organizations for airline passenger experience and in-flight service, respectively.

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IFSA AND APEX: A LONG-TIME PARTNERSHIP UNITED

PREPARE FOR AN AMAZING EXPO TOGETHER AND MORE

With the approval of both the APEX and IFSA Board of Directors, we are taking steps to further strengthen our partnership through a “United States” model of airline associations, joined together as separate states on a common mission. Under this structure, both IFSA and APEX would fully maintain their respective board of directors, committees, membership and programs. IFSA will continue to be an independent 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association under the wings of APEX. In this “United States” analogy, the leadership of common association management and media would serve as the central government coordinating in service to the strong, independent states. While the US may serve the analogy for the strength of our bond, both associations will continue their strong international presence, focus and growth.

We look forward to seeing you at EXPO in Long Beach and at upcoming events including FTE Global in Las Vegas, IATA WPS in Barcelona, APEX Middle East and Africa in Dubai, FTE Asia in Singapore, IFSA at SIAL in Abu Dhabi, and APEX TECH in Los Angeles. Thank you for being the best part of our association – our members. Please extend a warm welcome to all the new airlines and vendor members joining us this fall as we work together to build the future of the airline industry. Sincere thanks,

Joe Leader

APEX/IFSA Chief Executive Officer

PRESIDENTS’ LETTERS

Dear APEX Members,

Dear IFSA Members,

After years of collective service, I am saddened to share that due to career changes, the Board has had two recent resignations. After four years on the APEX Board, most recently serving as vice-president, Éric Lauzon has moved on to an exciting role within Air Canada’s Government Affairs and Community Relations group. In addition to his role on the Board, Éric also served as the co-chair of the MultiMedia Committee. Additionally, after nearly a year as a director, Ryanne Van Der Eijk has left her KLM position to become the EVP of Customer Service Delivery at Dubai Airports. We thank Ryanne and Éric for their contributions, and wish them luck in their new roles. Visit the Who We Are section on apex.aero to see the current listing of board members. Voting for the 2017–2018 Board of Directors will open 15 August and close 12 September, 2017. Look for e-mails regarding the full slate of candidates in the coming weeks and be sure to contact your voting member to ensure your company has voted. We look forward to announcing the new Board members at EXPO in late September.

The 2017 Conference and Expo is upon us, and the IFSA committees are ensuring our annual EXPO in Long Beach, California, 25–27 September, 2017, will be fruitful and productive for our members! As a members only association, the annual Conference and Expo is specifically designed to provide many benefits including networking opportunities where you are able to meet the decision makers in the onboard services industry face to face and create unique connections for future business opportunities. IFSA’s Annual Social Networking event held on Tuesday, 26 September, will bring Polynesian flavor and flare from chef Sam Choy and networking with more than 250 industry colleagues. Additionally, what was once the Chef’s Competition is now a fine dining Company Demonstration featuring live demos. And finally, the IFSA Compass Awards will celebrate members’ contributions at our inaugural ceremony. This year, we gave away scholarships in excess of $140,000. We thank our members for their ongoing support and contribution. I look forward to seeing each and every one of you in September in Long Beach, California!

Best regards,

Best,

Brian Richardson

APEX President American Airlines

Jane Bernier-Tran

IFSA President

To contact the APEX team, please visit CONNECT.APEX.AERO/ CONTACTUS

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BOARD NEWS

From Your APEX Board The APEX Board of Directors uses this space to inform members about ongoing Board work and decisions. In addition to APEX Association information in the magazine, the Board sends e-mails regularly to update the membership and to be as transparent as possible. Brian Richardson President American Airlines

Juha Järvinen Vice-President Finnair

APEX ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AT EXPO

Dominic Green Secretary Inflight Dublin

Joan Filippini Treasurer

Paramount Pictures

Don’t forget to join your Board members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at EXPO (25–28 September in Long Beach, California). The AGM is scheduled for 15:45–16:45 on Monday, 25 September. This meeting is your opportunity to hear updates from Board members and the committees they chair, as well as to ask questions and give feedback to the association.

2017–2018 ELECTIONS Thank you to everyone who nominated individuals for the APEX Board of Directors! The election takes place 15 August to 12 September, 2017, and the new Board members will assume their roles at the AGM in Long Beach. Linda Celestino Past President

Kevin Bremer Boeing

Etihad Airways

JOIN A COMMITTEE! The Board would like to thank each committee member for their hard work during the last year! As always, we welcome your participation and invite you to apply for one of our various committees at connect.apex.aero/committees.

BECOME AN APEX SPONSOR

Maura Chacko Spafax

Lufthansa Systems

Anton Vidgen Air Canada

experience

Michael Childers

Ingo Wuggetzer Airbus

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APEX events draw company decision-makers from every sector of the passenger experience industry, and they are an excellent way to get the right eyes on your brand. Contact Desiray Young, dyoung@apex.aero, for information on available marketing opportunities throughout the year!

get your paSSengerS out of StIcKy SItuatIonS. IntroducIng the revolutIonary Smarttray® tray-table from aStronIcS. offer your paSSengerS more room and more In-Seat convenIence wIth a buIlt-In ped holder for SmartphoneS and tabletS. the Smarttray® SyStem IS a lIghtweIght, affordable, eaSy-to-InStall way to regaIn tray Space, avoId

fatIgue

the

paSSenger

contact aStronIcS to learn paSSenger-pleaSIng InnovatIon.

more about

experIence. thIS

and

Improve

ASTRONICS ADVANCED ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS | US Office +1.425.881.1700 | Europe Office +41.61.303.8828

www.astronics.com

SOCIAL

APEX in Action Spacecraft launches, educational workshops and connected aircraft tours were just some of the happenings this summer!

See more social photos on Facebook > FACEBOOK.COM/ APEX.AERO

1. The Honeywell team in Seoul, South Korea, for the Connected Aircraft Tour.

3. ViaSat employees watching the launch of ViaSat-2 on the big screen from the company’s headquarters in Carlsbad, California. 4. Norwegian Air takes delivery of two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with Panasonic’s eXO IFE system. 5. French President Emmanuel Macron inside Zodiac Aerospace’s ECOS cabin mock-up at the Paris Air Show.

6. Inmarsat preparing its S EAN satellite on the Ariane 5 for launch from French Guiana.

7. West Entertainment having a summer cookout with industry friends. 8. Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton at Airbus’ Hamburg facility for the final stop of their tour in Germany. 9. Lufthansa Systems interns at the Brand Academy of Lufthansa.

E-mail your photos to 9

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> EDITOR@APEX.AERO

PHOTOS: @INSPIREDBYLUCA (TWITTER); UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA; VIASAT; PANASONIC AVIONICS; ZODIAC AEROSPACE; INMARSAT; WEST ENTERTAINMENT; AIRBUS; LUFTHANSA SYSTEMS

2. Rockwell Collins partners with University of North Dakota students to make unmanned aircraft systems data more secure.

Visit us at APEX Booth # 453 Sept 26 – 28, 2017 Long Beach, CA

Pick and Mix BoardConnect –configure your cabin platform See a movie. In the stratosphere. Listen to music. Check the news. Or go shopping. A world of digital experiences. Easy to access. At 450 miles per hour. Satisfy many demands. With a single platform. Completely flexible. BoardConnect. Wishes come true.

Lufthansa Systems GmbH & Co. KG | Corporate Marketing | Am Prime Parc 1 | 65479 Raunheim info@LHsystems.com | www.LHsystems.com

Can Your Fleet Support the Future of Connectivity?

FlightGearâ&#x201E;˘ ARINC 791 Ka/Ku Universal Installation

Less down time and lower overall cost of ownership 40-50% longer flight time between inspections Simplified upgrade path saving both time and money

Find out more at www.CarlisleIT.com/ARINC791

Can Your Fleet Support the Future of Connectivity? FlightGearâ&#x201E;˘ ARINC 791 Ka/Ku Universal Installation

Less down time and lower overall cost of ownership 40-50% longer flight time between inspections Simplified upgrade path saving both time and money

Find out more at www.CarlisleIT.com/ARINC791

THE AIRLINE INDUSTRYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LARGEST FALL EVENT FOR PASSENGER EXPERIENCE Aircraft Interiors Expo, Long Beach is the only fall event dedicated to the cabin interiors industry. Showcasing a wide range of cabin interior products such as seating, galleys, lighting, lavatories, cabin management systems and passenger services. Making it the perfect opportunity to conduct business and network with key industry decision makers from around the world.

26 -28

Co-located with:

Organised by:

SEPTEMBER 2017

PHOTO: LONG BEACH CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

WELCOME

Up Next: APEX EXPO

Conference delegates will gather at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center from September 25–28 for the passenger experience industry’s largest tradeshow. Co-locating with Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) and International Flight Services Association (IFSA) Conference and Expo, this iteration of APEX EXPO is going to be a California dream come true.

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EXPO Highlights

SUNDAY 24 SEPTEMBER

MONDAY 25 SEPTEMBER

15:00 – 18:30 APEX Registration Online registration sponsored by Airbus

07:30 – 18:00 APEX Registration

17:30 – 19:00 APEX Welcome Reception Join us for appetizers and drinks to kick off EXPO. Say hello to your old friends, connect with colleagues and make some new contacts. You have the rest of the night on your own to continue your conversations and enjoy Long Beach.

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07:45 – 08:45 Continental Breakfast 08:45 – 12:00 General Educational Sessions Education Day kicks off with keynote addresses focusing on the passenger experience from a range of aviation and technology executives all working to improve the industry and experience. Opening video sponsored by Global Eagle

10:30 – 11:00 Networking Break Sponsored by Encore Inflight Limited 12:00 – 13:10 Lunch 13:20 – 15:35 Breakout Educational Sessions Afternoon sessions are divided into specific tracks enabling attendees to learn more about a certain area of interest. Breaks sponsored by Encore Inflight Limited

Schedule is subject to change.

TUESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 07:30 – 18:00 APEX Registration 07:30 – 08:45 Airline Breakfast *Airline members only 09:00 – 18:00 EXPO

PHOTOS: LIM KOK WEE; LONG BEACH CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

15:45 – 16:45 APEX Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is held each year at EXPO for the purpose of receiving the annual reports from officers, directors and committees, and for the transaction of other association business. Meet the new Board of Directors, voted on by members online, prior to EXPO. All APEX members are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in the highly interactive discussion about the future of the industry and the organization. EXPO 2018 preview video sponsored by Skyline IFE, Ltd. 17:45 – 19:15 APEX Awards Ceremony The industry’s best-of-the-best are awarded at this evening awards ceremony. The APEX Awards recognize the best airlines and vendor partners in passenger experience, from ticket purchase to final arrival, and were selected by industry peers and experts. This red-carpet event will include cocktails and light appetizers. Awards ceremony sponsored by Phitek

WEDNESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 08:00 – 18:00 APEX Registration 09:00 – 18:00 EXPO 19:30 – 22:30 APEX Networking Event After building relationships and strengthening partnerships on the EXPO floor, meet your industry colleagues at this can’t-miss global event. Sponsored by SmartSky Networks

THURSDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 08:00 – 15:00 APEX Registration 09:00 – 17:00 EXPO

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Education Day 08:45 – 09:00 WELCOME & INTRODUCTION Welcome to Long Beach and the 2017 EXPO! Get a brief update from APEX leadership on association activity and what’s in store for the largest, most comprehensive EXPO yet. Joe Leader CEO, APEX 09:00 – 09:30 SIMPLY MINT TO BE: HOW JETBLUE SUCCEEDED WITH ITS REFRESHING TAKE ON PREMIUM TRAVEL Robin Hayes, president and CEO of JetBlue, talks about the airline’s refreshing take on premium travel, Mint. Join Robin as he explains why Mint came into being and describes how elements of the customer experience have led to its incredible success. Robin Hayes President and CEO, JetBlue

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president, Sir Tim Clark, will share his expertise surrounding product development and offer insights on how the Middle Eastern values of hospitality, generosity and service to guests are at the core of their product offering worldwide. Sir Tim Clark President, Emirates 10:00 – 10:30 SEAMLESS ACCESS TO CONTENT: CONVERGENCE OF ON-GROUND & IN-THEAIR EXPERIENCES It is no surprise that passengers want their in-flight experience to mirror that on the ground.

The popularity of Netflix’s streaming service and its original content also come as no surprise. Spencer Wang, Netflix, will explain how airlines can offer their passengers an equally enjoyable and seamless experience, taking rights, coverage, bandwidth, cost, technology and demographic variances all into consideration. Spencer Wang Vice-President, Finance and Investor Relations, Netflix 10:30 – 11:00 NETWORKING BREAK Sponsored by Encore Inflight Limited

PHOTOS: LIM KOK WEE

09:30 – 10:00 CONQUERING THE HARD & THE SOFT: EMIRATES’ GLOBAL REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENCE Seemingly ever-evolving technology, increasingly discerning passengers and a robust regulatory environment have challenged airlines to consistently elevate their passenger experience. Airlines are growing their reputations for extraordinary focus on the product, keeping in mind the saying, “Being both soft and strong is a combination very few have mastered.” In this interactive session, Emirates’

Schedule is subject to change.

11:00 – 11:30 BUILDING A BRAND: INSIGHTS ON LEVERAGING PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & SOCIAL CHANNELS Building a reputable brand requires strong marketing and communications, thorough research and focus on the consumer, a skilled and creative team, and an environment that facilitates all of this. Marketing campaigns and product launches like, United’s recent Polaris business class,

raise awareness, excitement and portray innovation. Social media certainly comes with its own benefits and challenges. Explore how social engagement and appearances can instill the brand and reputation you wish to portray. Mark Krolick Vice-President, Marketing, United Airlines

11:30 – 12:00 THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE: HOW ONEWORLD IS ADDING MORE VALUE FOR MEMBER AIRLINES AND CUSTOMERS When the oneworld alliance was born 18 years ago, its founding members made smooth and seamless travel all around the world possible by connecting their networks with a single global customer proposition. Since then, the airline industry and the

marketplace have changed fundamentally. oneworld CEO Rob Gurney will outline how the alliance is grasping the art of the possible by making the most of those changes to enable its carriers to generate more value for themselves and their customers. Rob Gurney CEO, oneworld 12:10 – 13:10 NETWORKING LUNCH

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Education Day future technologies to further enhance revenue per available seat mile. 13:55 – 14:10 NETWORKING BREAK Sponsored by Encore Inflight Limited

13:20 – 15:35 BREAKOUT SESSIONS Afternoon sessions are divided into specific tracks enabling attendees to learn more about a certain area of interest. The tracks are: A. TECHNOLOGY B. CONTENT C. PAXEX D. CATERING & SERVICES Organized by IFSA 13:20 – 13:55 TECHNOLOGY TRACK A1 – TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE IN A UNIFIED DIGITAL EXPERIENCE Explore how investments in digital platforms can improve experiences for travelers and business for involved partners. Learn how Star Alliance was able to overhaul procedures and systems to create synergy across its member airlines. Observations and trends caused by digital disruptions will be highlighted and solutions will be considered. 5 24

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13:20 – 13:55 CONTENT TRACK B1 – CONTENT DELIVERY ECOSYSTEM Today, IFE no longer stands on its own as an isolated niche market, but is joining a broad content delivery ecosystem that integrates all content markets around common standards, specifications and workflows. This session will offer an overview of approved APEX tech standards, their impact on the content community and their practical uses in the aviation industry. 13:20 – 13:55 PAXEX TRACK C1 – AIRCRAFT INTERIORS TO MAXIMIZE AIRLINE PROFITS Leading aircraft interior manufacturers and airlines share new techniques used to maximize profits from every aircraft in the fleet. The session will focus upon lessons pointing toward

14:10 – 14:45 TECHNOLOGY TRACK A2 – FUTURE CONNECTIVITY & DEPLOYMENT ROADMAPS 2.0 This highly interactive session will feature leading connectivity providers on their future plans, three to five years ahead, for third-generation connectivity. Suppliers will present their future outlook outlining projected speed, bandwidth and planned launch date. Providers will also discuss specific areas of interest such as unified reporting and portability in IFE products.

14:10 – 14:45 CONTENT TRACK B2 – AIRLINE ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP ANCILLARY REVENUE: HOW TO MONETIZE THE PASSENGER JOURNEY Explore how various paid advertising campaigns sold by IFE media sales experts to major advertising brands created value for passengers and brought ancillary advertising revenue to airlines by using their digital and out-of-home media channels. Speakers will outline the campaigns’ success and value as well as how these revenue experiences can be leveraged across the entire IFEC and ambient media airline platforms.

Schedule is subject to change.

SPEAKERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Robin Hayes President and CEO JetBlue

Sir Tim Clark President Emirates

PHOTOS: LIM KOK WEE; LONG BEACH CONVENTION AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

Spencer Wang Vice-President, Finance and Investor Relations Netflix

Mark Krolick Vice-President, Marketing United Airlines

Rob Gurney CEO oneworld

14:10 – 14:45 PAXEX TRACK C2 – HOW GLOBAL AIRLINE BRANDS DELIGHT CUSTOMERS & INSPIRE EMPLOYEES Gain in-depth insights into brand execution at the executive, operational and customer level. Learn practical ways to utilize the “6X methodology” of airline eXpectation, eXperience, eXpression, eXternalities, eXecution, and X-factor. 14:45 – 15:00 NETWORKING BREAK Sponsored by Encore Inflight Limited 15:00 – 15:35 TECHNOLOGY TRACK A3 – THE FUTURE OF AIR TRANSPORT: SAFETY, SURVEILLANCE & SECURITY Biometrics offer a unique combination of increased

ease of travel and enhanced security. Industry, government and technology experts will explain what is required for a successful program, what is already being done regarding entry and exit for security, and what’s next. 15:00 – 15:35 CONTENT TRACK B3 – CONTENT IS KING: HOW A FULL LIBRARY CAN LEAD TO HIGHER ROI The accelerating pace of technological change brings its own challenges and opportunities for the movie market. Gain access to statistics that outline user engagement and willingness to spend on an enriched experience. How can this knowledge combined with enhanced technologies be leveraged across production, marketing and distribution strategies? Available content across multiple genres and

languages can simultaneously positively impact the passenger experience and the bottom line of airlines and partners. 15:00 – 15:35 PAXEX TRACK C3 – CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STRATEGIES & INSIGHTS Global airlines are met with a challenge to offer an experience that will satisfy a diverse group of passengers all with different demographic backgrounds, varied levels of affinity and comfort with technology, reasons for traveling, demeanor and more. Join executives as they outline their strategies for defining their passenger experience under their own brand, but also in line with partners.

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APEX EXPO Exhibitors Aerotek Design Labs, LLC

Eagle International Communication Co., Ltd.

Airbus

Emphasis Video Entertainment Ltd.

AirFi

Encore Inflight Ltd.

AirGuide/Pyramid Media Group Inc.

Ensemble Media

ALOFT AeroArchitects Amphenol Phitek Ltd.

Entertainment in Motion Envee Inflight Entertainment Co., Ltd.

APEX Media

Eros International Media Ltd.

Astronics Corporation

Fairdeal Multimedia Pvt. Ltd.

AstroNova

Flame Distribution

AV-Jet International Media Co., Ltd.

Fox Networks Group Content Distribution

Axinom

France 24

B/E Aerospace

FTS Technologies

BBC Worldwide

Future Travel Experience

Betria Interactive, LLC

Gate 23 Entertainment

Bliley Technologies

Global Eagle

Bloomberg Media Distribution

Gogo LLC

Bluebox Aviation Systems

GUE Tech

Bonneville Distribution

Guestlogix

Mills Textiles

Captive Entertainment Inc.

HBO

NBC Universal

SmartSky Networks

CarlisleIT

HMG Aerospace Ltd.

Neutral Digital Ltd.

Smiths Interconnect

castLabs GmbH

IFE Products IFPL (Inflight Peripherals, Ltd.)

NHK Global Media Services, Inc.

Snap Audio

CBS Studios International Century Carnival Movie Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.

IMG Media Ltd.

Cinesky Pictures

Inflight Canada Inc.

Clarus Aero, LLC

Inflight Dublin, Ltd.

Pascall Electronics Ltd./DDC Electronics Ltd.

CMI Media Management

Inflight Media Digital

PaxLife GmbH & Co. KG

Terry Steiner International, Inc.

CNBC

InflightDirect

Penny Black Media

Thales Avionics, Inc.

CoKinetic

Inmarsat Global Ltd.

Pictureworks

The Angelus Corporation

Compulink

Interactive Mobility

Pilot Film and Television Productions Ltd.

The Boeing Company

PXCom

Toca Boca

QEST Quantenelektronische Systeme GmbH

Touch Inflight Solutions, Inc.

Immfly

Concept Development, Inc.

Jaguar Distribution Corp.

Contentino

KID-Systeme GmbH

CPI Radant

Kinai Infotech LLP

Creative Century Entertainment Co. Ltd.

Kontron

Deutsche Telekom AG digEcor Discovery Communications, LLC Disney Studios Motion Pictures Display Interactive DMD Phantom Donica Aviation Engineering Co., Ltd.

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Latécoère

Panasonic Avionics Corporation Paramount Pictures PARPRO

RAI COM Rockwell Collins

Skyline IFE Ltd.

Sony Pictures Releasing SoundChip SA Spafax Stellar Entertainment Telefonix, Inc.

ThinKom Solutions, Inc.

True Blue Power Turner Inflight Services

Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation/Fox Non-Theatrical

SCIS Solutions

ViaSat, Inc.

Scripps Networks

VT Miltope

SIE

Massive

W.L. Gore & Associates

SITAONAIR

Media Carrier GmbH

Warner Bros. Distributing Inc.

Skeye

Media in Motion

West Entertainment

SkyLights

Zodiac Inflight Innovations

Linstol Long Prosper Enterprise Co. Ltd. Lufthansa Systems GmbH & Co. KG

PHOTO: LIM KOK WEE

Adaptive Channel

AIX Expo Exhibitors Acro Aircraft Seating Ltd.

Castello Monte Vibiano Vecchio Srl

HSH Interplan Inc.

SEKISUI SPI

Aeroblaze Laboratory

Cooper Standard Technical Rubber GmbH

InSeat Solutions LLC

SFS intec GmbH

Isovolta Inc.

Shanghai Xinfan Industrial Corporation

Aerofoam Industries Aerospace Technologies Group, Inc.

Denka Co., Ltd. Diab Americas LP

Aeroworks (EUR) bv

Diehl Aircabin Gmbh

Air Electro. Inc.

E-Leather

Aircraft Hardware West

Egret Aviation Co. Ltd.

Aircraft Interiors International

Electro Enterprises Inc.

Aircraft Lighting International

Ellsworth Adhesives

AkzoNobel Specialty Coatings

Enikon Aerospace USA, LLC

Alltec Inc.

Forecast 3D

American Ring

Formia Airline Supplies Ltd.

Astor Manufacturing

Freshorize Ltd.

Aviointeriors SpA

Gerflor

BASF – The Chemical Company

GermFalcon/Dimer

Beadlight Ltd.

ITT Enidine Inc. Kets Technical Textiles

SkyPaxxx

Latitude Aero

SPS (Specialised Products & Services) Aircraft Services LLC

Laurieri SRL

SR Technics Switzerland AG

LIFT by EnCore

Sugatsune America, Inc.

Lonseal Inc.

Supracor

Magee Plastics Company

Tapis Corporation

Mankiewicz Coatings LLC

Tekspan SpA

Mapaero Inc.

THK America Inc.

Mirus Aircraft Seating Ltd. Neotex

TSI Uçak Koltuk Üretimi Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.

Optimares SpA

Vanema

Pankl Aerospace Systems Europe GmbH

Vartan Product Support LLC

Geven SpA

Biolink GmbH

HAECO Cabin Solutions

Safeair Media

Boltaron Inc.

Hanse Aerospace Wirtschaftsdienst GmbH

Schneller LLC

Botany Weaving Mill

Hebmüller SRS Technik GmbH

Wollsdorf Leder Schmidt & Co. GmbH

Season Malaysia Manufacturing

IFSA Expo Exhibitors Adulce Group, LLC (previously S&S) AMI AMKO Group International AUI Fine Foods AVID Products Azusa Corporation Ltd. Beemster Cheese Brown-Forman

Damascus Bakery

HACO

Orvec International

Delyse, Inc.

Intervine

Palm Bay

DFMi

ITW Envopak

PepsiCo

Direct Food Service, Inc.

James Calvetti Meats, Inc.

Revere Packaging

Ecolab

John Horsfall

RMT Global Partners

Eli’s Cheesecake Company

JSY Textile Manufacturer Co., Ltd.

Field Trip Jerky Flying Food Group Food & Beyond

K&W Food Brokerage Services Inc.

France Delices

Laura Chenel & Marin French Cheese

Freshbrew Coffee

Leahy-IFP

GAEC

McGuire & Associates

Global C

Michael J. Devine & Associates, Inc.

Global Inflight Products

Mile High Health, LLC Milton’s Craft Bakers

Clip Ltd.

Gold Awing Leovic Group Ltd.

Conway Import Co., Inc.

GP Concept Labs

Optimum Solutions

Bunzl Caffe Di Artisan Inc. Cambridge Security Seals Campione D’Italia Foods, LLC Celeste Industries Corporation Classic City Bakeries

National Food Group

Sealed Air, Diversey Care Shasta Foodservice Sola Airline Cutlery bv – The Netherlands Sunberry Ltd. The Brand Passport, Inc./Daelmans TransStars Corporation Ltd. Truitt Family Foods Wessco Wilcox Farms

APEX.AERO | V7 E4 |

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CONNECT UP! VIASAT CONNECTS EVERYONE ONBOARD

In-flight Internet

WEB www.viasat.com/airlines EMAIL insidesales@viasat.com PHONE +1 760 476 4755

Onboard Entertainment

Flight Operations

ViaSat connects people to fast, high-quality internet and communications services—even at 35,000 feet. We use the most advanced in-flight internet system coupled with our world-leading, highest-capacity satellite network to enable millions of passengers daily to have the freedom to stream, browse, shop and watch live sports; and connect up with family, friends and colleagues via email and social media —all when in-flight. Simultaneously, our service enables pilots, crew and operations teams to access meaningful data—at 35,000 feet—using ViaSat’s innovative software and mobile app solutions. Our futureproofed technology platform makes us an ideal partner to connect everyone onboard for years to come.

CONTENTS DIGITAL

Harvest Time

volume 7, edition 4 september – october 2017

Autumn is upon us and that means it’s back-to-EXPO season. From VTOL aircraft to voice-control tech, we foraged high and low to bring you the latest PaxEx stories – and a crisp, new design – in anticipation of September’s Long Beach event.

109

Face Value Biometric entry-exit: Is the industry in or out?

IN PROFILE

COLLAGE: ÓSCAR MATAMORA

ILLUSTRATIONS: NICOLÁS VENTURELLI

PHOTO: EMIRATES

FEATURES

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained Aerospace gets a Silicon Valley facelift.

Tracking This and That Keeping tabs on all the moving parts.

102

86 Anton Vidgen

Crisis Mode

Creative Director Air Canada

When does a PR faux pas become a disaster?

100 Christine De Gagné

121

Discovery Channel Letting the IFE interface come to you.

130

Aeromexico’s Road to Asia

Travelers With Hidden Disabilities

The Mexican flag carrier sets its sights far east.

What’s invisible deserves your attention even more.

Cabin Marketing Manager Bombardier

58 Tim Clark President, Emirates

70 Barbara Dalibard CEO, SITA

116 Neil Brooker Global Director Designworks

128 Duncan Abell VP Creative Global Eagle

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CONTENTS DIGITAL

volume 7, edition 4 september – october 2017 12 CEO’s Letter 13 Presidents’ Letters 14 Board News 16 APEX in Action 98 Higher Hospitality Experts share their in-flight services trends.

38 VTOL Vista

Are airlines saying bye to the retail trolley?

46 Better Together

52 Dewy Sleep

An IFE partnership for the books.

Emirates’ pj’s moisturize your skin while you sleep.

48 As It Happens

148 APEX News

Live news programming grows wings.

152 IFSA News LISTINGS 54 Blast From the Past

42 Capacity Booster When redundancy is a good thing.

44 Ask a Smart Speaker Talk your way to better travel.

STANDBYS 32 Director’s Letter 34 Featured Contributors

experience | V7 E4 | 3 APEX.AERO volume 7, edition

Nostalgia-inducing reboots bear fruits.

51 A Seat That Works

56 Bagel B*mbs!

Office ergonomics find their way on board.

JetBlue is on a roll with this in-flight snack.

137

Travelogue: The People You Meet at the Airport

10 Advertisers’ Directory 154 Movie Listings 177 #APEXPOTD

178

Dawn of RON

Infographic: Watch This Space

ILLUSTRATIONS: ALEXANDRE AFFONSO; FRANCISCO OLEA

36 Dumping Duty-Free

PHOTOS: SPACEX; LIFT BY ENCORE; GETTY IMAGES; LIM KOK WEE; COURTESY OF SFO MUSEUM

143 Headlines

These autonomous aircraft are prepping for takeoff.

Seize the inflight opportunity, transform your business.

Keeping up with todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business world demands anytime, anywhere connectivity. Intelsatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Aviation Solutions deliver a guaranteed high-speed broadband connection everywhere airlines fly, so passengers and crew never miss a beat. Enable access across the globe with a network that has the power to increase aircraft efficiency, streamline operations and deploy value-added customer services that not only improve the inflight experience, but transform your business. For more on enhancing inflight connectivity, visit www.intelsat.com/IFC/ap2

DIRECTOR’S LETTER

A New Direction Ventured, Nothing Gained,” on page 64, Valerie Silva delves into the “revolving door” of Silicon Valley, which has drawn a small, but growing cohort of aviation startup incubators and innovation labs acting as a “finger-on-the-pulse” for the likes of JetBlue and Airbus. This issue’s C-Suite profile, on page 58, features none other than EXPO Education Day speaker and longstanding president of Emirates, Sir Tim Clark. In this exclusive interview, he addresses rumors of retirement (false!) and shares what he sees as fundamental shifts in the industry right now. Finally, Ari Magnusson’s “Crisis Mode,” on page 102, addresses one of the defining themes of 2017: the airline PR crisis. Experts weigh in on how to prepare for – or at the very least weather – the storms that can arrive without warning. Some folks say change comes slow or not at all. In aviation, it comes at many speeds and is pretty much guaranteed. Much like our industry, which evolves and improves continually, so too will APEX Media. We hope you like the changes we’ve made so far and are eager to field any questions or receive any feedback you may have on our updated design and editorial direction.

Maryann Simson

APEX Media Director

Contact APEX Media at EDITOR@APEX.AERO

experience

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ILLUSTRATION: MARCELO CÁCERES

It is with great excitement – and admittedly, a healthy dash of apprehension – that I pen my first letter as the director of APEX Media. It’s a huge honor. You’ll no doubt notice, as you browse this issue, that we’ve made some exciting changes to APEX Experience, in look, feel and editorial focus. Each enhancement is designed to increase the value this magazine brings to APEX members, and the airline passenger experience industry at large. The business of connecting with passengers and retaining their loyalty has never before been influenced by so many extrinsic forces. Science, technology, e-commerce, hospitality, ground transportation and even human psychology and politics play largely into what we do, and have the power to disrupt the airline industry at any moment. We turn a blind eye to these forces at our own peril. APEX Media aims to provide you, the reader, with a bigger picture of the industry. We will continue to offer reliable news and information, but also thoughtful analysis of relevant shifts occurring outside our circle of immediate influence. Our new, modernized look and feel reflects this fundamental editorial goal. In these pages, you will encounter plenty of thought-provoking stories, including a Q&A, on page 116, with Neil Brooker, global director of Designworks, who discusses how new tools and processes from the firm’s automotive practice are relevant to aviation, and how auto interiors will more closely resemble premium aircraft suites as we move into a driverless future. In “Nothing

thalesgroup.com

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CUSTOMER SERVICE & SUPPORT Trusted partner providing exceptional service solutions wherever you are

Thales InFlyt Experience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Smart Choice for the Connected Airline. We create connected inflight entertainment and service solutions to enhance passenger engagement and airline operations. In this safety-critical and technology rich environment, Thales has a pedigree and global presence no other provider can match, across aerospace, avionics, satellite networks, connected skies and cyber security. Every day, everywhere, together with our customers Thales delivers. Search: Thalesgroup

MASTHEAD

Featured Contributors

volume 7, edition 4 september – october 2017

APEX Experience Magazine 575 Anton Blvd, Ste 1020 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 +1 714 363 4900

ALEXANDRE AFFONSO is a Brazilian

See Alexandre's work on page 38

illustrator, infographic artist and a fearful flyer, who makes his way to the airport as early as possible to “get used to the idea of flying.” The possibility that flying cars may soon be added to the mix isn’t assuaging his fear, either – it’s a “nightmare,” he says, “taking a problem from the ground to another level.”

JASMIN LEGATOS is a Montreal-

Read Jasmin’s work on page 74 and 109

based writer and editor, who’d gladly embrace the prospect of flying cars to avoid her city’s infamous “pot-holed roads and never-ending construction.” If she could sit next to one person on an airplane, it would be an old crush or an acquaintance: “someone I’m not in contact with over social media, but whose life I’m curious about.”

ÓSCAR MATAMORA is a graphic

See Óscar's work on page 109

designer, illustrator, image collector, and bird and bug watcher. He also enjoys people watching at the airport – although he insists he doesn’t listen in on his fellow travelers’ conversations. If there were one show he’d like to see rebooted, it would be post-apocalyptic anime series Future Boy Conan.

PAUL SILLERS is a London-based

Read Paul’s work on page 48

freelance writer and self-proclaimed airport early bird, who enjoys some pre-flight exploration. His favorite childhood TV show was Tomorrow’s World, which “revealed all the wonderful gizmos and gadgets of the future.” Lucky for him, the BBC show is slated to make a comeback.

Publisher Al St. Germain al.stgermain@spafax.com COVER BY NICOLÁS VENTURELLI AND MARCELO CÁCERES

EDITORIAL

PRODUCTION

Director

Production Director Joelle Irvine

Maryann Simson maryann.simson@apexmedia.aero Managing Editor Caroline Ku caroline.ku@apexmedia.aero Deputy Editor Valerie Silva valerie.silva@apexmedia.aero Digital Editor Kristina Velan kristina.velan@apexmedia.aero News Editor Ari Magnusson Research Assistant Ella Ponomarov Contributors Vanessa Bonneau, Marisa Garcia, Jasmin Legatos, Katie Sehl, Paul Sillers, Howard Slutsken, Jason Steele, Stephanie Taylor, Jordan Yerman

ART Art Director Nicolás Venturelli nicolas.venturelli@apexmedia.aero Graphic Designer Angélica Geisse Contributors Alexandre Affonso, Marcelo Cáceres, Jorge De la Paz, Óscar Matamora, Francisco Olea

FSC-FPO

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Production Manager Felipe Batista Nunes Assistant Copy Editor Deanna Dority Fact Checkers Tara Dupuis Leah Jane Esau Proofreaders Jesse Corbeil Robert Ronald

ADVERTISING Sales Director Steve O’Connor steve.oconnor@apexmedia.aero +44 207 906 2077 Ad Production Manager Mary Shaw mary.shaw@spafax.com Ad Production Coordinator Joanna Forbes joanna.forbes@spafax.com Bookmark Content and Communications, A Spafax Group Company CEO, Bookmark Raymond Girard Senior Vice-President, Product, Bookmark Arjun Basu

SERVICES DIGITAL

Dumping Duty-Free The last of the US Big Three carriers has dropped onboard duty-free. But it’s hardly the end of in-flight retail. BY VALERIE SILVA | ILLUSTRATION BY JORGE DE LA PAZ

United Airlines canceled its onboard duty-free sales in March, following similar decisions by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines in 2015 and 2014, respectively. “We made this decision based on declining sales revenue for both United and Duty Free World,” a spokesperson for United Airlines explains. While American and Delta attributed their decisions to disagreements with vendors, the recent downturn in airline duty-free sales likely contributed to the airlines’ decision to not procure another vendor. According to figures published in a March 2016 report by Duty Free World Council, onboard airline sales declined from 7.3 percent of total global dutyfree and travel retail sales in 2006 to 4.6 percent in 2014. Another study, by m1nd-set Generation, predicts that airline duty-free sales will fall by 1.5 percent each year until 2025. Jettisoning onboard duty-free retail items translates into an approximate 200 pounds in weight savings but also a drop in cabin crew income. United’s flight attendant agreement for 2016–2021, released before its duty-free program was 36

experience | V7 E4 | 3 APEX.AERO volume 7, edition

“We made this decision based on declining sales revenue.” UNITED AIRLINES

dropped, states that flight attendants are to receive a minimum commission of 10 percent of sales revenue collected – what that actually amounted to when sales were low is uncertain. In the year before ceasing duty-free operations, Delta’s flight attendants earned an average of $10 per month from the sales of duty-free goods. One unnamed Delta purser told Frequent Business Traveler that he was “happy” about the move as the compensation was small and the service was more of a disruption than a benefit to passengers. However, what airlines have lost, airports have gained – manyfold. In the same decade-long period in which airline duty-free sales are anticipated to decline, airport sales are expected to rise by 7.1 percent annually, according to m1nd-set. A United spokesperson confirms the airline was “unable to compete with airport duty-free vendors that stock much more merchandise.” And airports are investing billions in the on-the-ground retail experience. Examples include Dallas/Fort Worth International’s addition of six dutyfree retail areas spanning a total of 20,000 square feet and Los Angeles International’s new terminal housing Gucci, Burberry and Hermès, among other luxury brands. Despite forfeits from the US Big Three, onboard duty-free remains attractive in international markets with high retail taxes, like Scandinavia, and rising purchasing powers, like Asia. In these regions, airlines are moving away from the routine airplane trolley to boost ancillary sales. Finnair’s Nordic Sky portal gives passengers access to preorder duty-free shopping on their personal devices, with purchased items being delivered to their seats on the return flight. And Korean Air famously sacrificed 13 seats in the main cabin of its Airbus A380s to make way for a duty-free shop – the carrier hit $168 million in onboard retail last year.

LET’S GO BE YOND SIMPLY CONNECTING AIRCRAFT. Together, we can revolutionize critical crew and maintenance operations to fly smarter and unveil new entertainment options so your passengers travel happier. In fact, we’re already doing it for airlines worldwide. Learn more at APEX booth 502.

Let’s go F A R T H E R

BIG PICTURE

VTOL Vista

Don’t mistake these aircraft for helicopters. They’re quiet, electric and designed with multimodal urban mobility in mind. Taxi rides to the airport and commercial flights to neighboring cities may soon be replaced by a short spin on the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft of the not-too-distant future. BY CAROLINE KU AND VALERIE SILVA | ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXANDRE AFFONSO

In the future, Uber users could request a flying vehicle, shrinking a nearly two-hour drive from San Francisco to San Jose to just 15 minutes. Passengers would travel one to four at a time and take off from “vertiports” atop parking garages and existing helipads. Once deployed in the world’s Top Speed: 200 mph city centers, Elevate could Test Flight: 2020 reduce car traffic, travel ETA: 2023 time, pollution – and the need for drivers, when it eventually becomes autonomous. “Just as skyscrapers allowed cities to use limited land more efficiently, urban air transportation will use 3-D airspace to alleviate transportation congestion on the ground,” the white paper for the concept explains. And although it would seem logical for Uber to develop a VTOL aircraft that could also be driven on the road, Mark Moore, Elevate’s lead engineer, says the company has no intention of doing that.

Uber Elevate

Dubai plans to become the smartest city in the world – with the help of Ehang 184. Trips on the autonomous aerial vehicle will be launched in the city as part of the United Arab Emirates’ goal of making a quarter of passenger journeys driverless by 2030. Created by Chinese Top Speed: 62 mph startup Ehang, the passenger Test Flight: 2016–2017 drone, which is controlled ETA: 2017–2018 through a 4G mobile network, can carry one person and a small suitcase for a maximum of 220 pounds. After entering the vehicle, a passenger can select his or her destination on a 12-inch touchscreen display, then simply press “takeoff.” With a 30-minute maximum battery time, Ehang 184 was designed for short-haul trajectories over dense city centers. “The 184 is evocative of a future we’ve always dreamed of and is primed to alter the very fundamentals of the way we get around,” Ehang founder and CEO Huazhi Hu says.

Ehang 184

experience

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BIG PICTURE

The very first image of Vahana was sketched on a napkin; today, the aircraft from the Airbus Silicon Valley outpost A3 is nearing the test phase for its first prototype. Sanskrit for “that which carries,” Vahana was designed to do exactly that: transport commuters through air corridors above busy urban landscapes. The autonomously piloted aircraft is equipped with cameras, radars and lidar sensors that allow Vahana to maneuver around a multitude of variables, including Top Speed: 140 mph birds, airplanes and Test Flight: Late 2017 drones. “The global ETA: 2020 demand for air taxis is well above 10 billion trips annually,” Zach Lovering, Vahana project lead, says. “Vahana is positioned to make the case for a new generation of aerial vehicles and nurture an ecosystem that will help enable the vertical cities of the future.”

Vahana

Elon Musk’s Tunnel Vision

The Lilium prototype may house two seats, but the four German engineers behind the design have their sights set on a five-seat version that can be used for sky-high ride sharing. The emission-free aircraft has a rigid winged body with Top Speed: 186 mph 12 flaps, each carrying Test Flight: April 2017 three jet engines. The ETA: 2025 flaps are first tilted downward to provide vertical lift, then assume a horizontal position in acceleration mode. “We believe in a world where anybody can fly anywhere, anytime,” Daniel Wiegand, co-founder and chief executive of Lilium, says. And with proposed VTOL journeys that are up to five times faster – but nearly one-tenth of the price – a 55-minute ($55) taxi ride from Midtown Manhattan to JFK could become a five-minute ($6) airborne jaunt.

Lilium

The Tesla co-founder also thinks cities could benefit from 3-D travel, but instead of looking up, Musk is looking down: The Boring Company is his exploration of underground travel – tunnels. He prefers them for their “old-tech” reliability and invulnerability to weather conditions.

APEX.AERO | V7 E4 |

experience

Let digEcor cabin technology delight your passengers

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CONNECTIVIT Y

In anticipation of higher demands for connectivity, Inmarsat has put its spare satellite into action. BY HOWARD SLUTSKEN

I-5 F4 was launched on May 15 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

experience | V7 E4 | 3 APEX.AERO volume 7, edition

Commercial airliners are filled with backups to the backups, all designed to get us to our destinations safely and efficiently. There are multiple autopilots and flight control systems, secondary hydraulic and electrical systems and two engines. The pilot and the co-pilot are even served different meals, so should one of them come down with food poisoning, there is always a backup. Operators of communications satellites face similar demands in maintaining service, which are compounded by the orbital location of their satellites: more than 22,000 miles above the equator. A million things have to go right to get the birds (industry jargon for satellites) into orbit and working for an expected 15-year life span. Boosters, upper stages, solar panels, batteries, transmitters, thrusters and myriad high- and low-tech components are expected to work perfectly every time. Satellites are designed to withstand the extreme temperatures and radiation of space, but components do fail, and when that happens, ground-based technicians may be able to reroute onboard systems or move traffic to other satellites. An advanced communications satellite can cost hundreds of millions of dollars and take years to build, so it can be difficult to recover from a major in-orbit failure. However, just as airlines have extra airplanes, operators sometimes build an additional satellite as a ground-based

spare, or even launch a backup bird that can quickly be pressed into service. But in some cases, the backup is intended to boost capacity rather than to replace a broken part. At the launch and deployment of Inmarsat’s I-5 F4 satellite in May, CEO Rupert Pearce spoke to the company’s decision to launch F4, which was originally intended to be a ground spare for the three-satellite Global Xpress (GX) Ka-band constellation. “We actually think that having in-orbit redundancy is very important competitively. A lot of customers really depend on us, and they want to know that if there’s a problem, there’s an alternative that isn’t three or four years away,” Pearce said. “So when you’re looking to burnish your brand for in-flight connectivity, or you’re a government or you’re in maritime, you want to know the service is going to be there because you depend on it utterly. This fourth satellite is very useful – even if never entered into service in the next 15 years, it would still be valuable.” Since the launch, Inmarsat has announced that F4 will be used to provide additional capacity in high-demand regions, in addition to the launch of a fifth GX satellite, which will be built by Thales Alenia Space. While geosynchronous birds might be out of reach for now, there are concepts in development for robotic servicing technologies that could replace components and refuel in-orbit satellites. Roadside service 22,236 miles up!

PHOTO: SPACEX

Capacity Booster

Beyond purchase thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much more to inflight Wi-Fi. From advanced e-commerce to premium entertainment, targeted advertising to personalised promotions, reliable connectivity unlocks new revenue opportunities. The connected cabin is at the forefront of digital transformation. Consistent, high-speed broadband creates the platform to launch service innovations that drive value and increase margins. Combined with the analytics you need to measure success. So itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just about the Wi-Fi you can sell. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what you do with it that counts. Visit inmarsataviation.com/revenue

SERVICES

Ask a Smart Speaker BY JASON STEELE

In the world of Star Trek, crewmembers aboard the Starship Enterprise could summon virtually any information or even command the ship by voice control merely by starting a sentence with the word “Computer.” And although warp speed remains far outside our grasp, our current voice-control technology is fast approaching a level that, just 30 years ago, was thought to be centuries into the future. Popular voice-control devices and assistants can be useful for calling up news, weather and sports information, as well as making purchases. However, we still appear to be in the infancy of voicecontrolled travel searching and planning. There are three major players in the race to offer voice-controlled search functionality to travelers, and each is making progress. Released in 2011, Apple’s Siri was one of the first voice assistant programs, and even though Apple recently announced the HomePod appliance, which will expand its use, Siri currently lags when it comes to voice-powered flight searches. Most queries merely result in a list of websites, making Siri little more than an

Internet search engine when it comes to travel information. But you can have some fun by asking Siri what aircraft are flying overhead. Google Assistant, which is available on smartphones, smartwatches and Google Home devices, can now search Google Flights, offering comprehensive information on flight schedules, pricing and status. Google Home also has the advantage of linking to a user’s Gmail and Calendar services to aggregate travel information, but its functionality falls short of allowing voice-controlled ticket purchases at this time. Finally, the Amazon Echo, with Alexa, its voice-controlled assistant, is emerging as a leader in voice-powered travel searching. Travelers can select from dozens of “Skills,” which are voicepowered apps created by third-party

“OK Google, how long is the flight from Los Angeles to Addis Ababa?

Google Home, powered by Google Assistant

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Apple HomePod, powered by Siri (above) and Amazon Echo, powered by Alexa (below)

developers. For instance, both Expedia and Kayak now offer Skills that enable you to search flights and check the status of your travel reservations. Korean Air is one of the first airlines to offer an Alexa Skill, which allows travelers to get the status of any Korean Air flight by number or route. Even more advanced is the UK’s Virgin Holidays app, through which you can search for a holiday package, then receive a link directing you to the booking page. Finally, Spafax’s Skill for its entertainment personalization platform Profile allows travelers to ask Alexa about the movies that will be on their next flight, and what languages they will be available in. The era of voice-controlled travel searches has begun, but there is still plenty of progress to look forward to.

PHOTOS: APPLE, AMAZON, GOOGLE

Wondering how long the flight to Addis Ababa is? These new home devices might have the answer.

Innovation is in our DNA. For over 25 years, we’ve been at the forefront of aviation connectivity. The majority of the world’s airlines already fly with Inmarsat on board. Now, with the world’s only global, high-speed Wi-Fi for both cabin and cockpit, we’ve made the connected aircraft a reality. Seamless Wi-Fi powered by GX Aviation transforms passenger experience, with SwiftBroadband-Safety revolutionising flight safety and operations. And with our scalable networks, we’ll always be ready for the connected aircraft’s next evolution. Find out more at inmarsataviation.com/dna

ENTERTAINMENT

Better Together The merger of the nontheatrical operations of 20th Century Fox and Fox Networks Group means more content, more innovation and more support for airline entertainment divisions. BY MARYANN SIMSON

In September 2015, the National Geographic Society and 21st Century Fox reached an agreement to expand an 18-year partnership, creating a new content distribution entity called National Geographic Partners, a joint venture that is 73 percent owned by Fox and 27 percent by National Geographic. Since that time, Fox and National Geographic have jointly owned and operated the properties of National Geographic channels, a combination of domestic and international cable television programs, reaching more than 500 million households and millions more airline passengers. Now, two years later, the merger of the non-theatrical operations of 20th Century Fox and Fox Networks Group brings tens of thousands of titles from Fox Films, BlueSky Studios, Fox Television and the National Geographic library, and new content from Baby TV, Fox Life and more, in a vast and comprehensive catalog of passenger entertainment for airlines. Set for an official debut at APEX EXPO 2017 in Long Beach, California, the new entity is structured to enable integrated sales, licensing and end-to-end service infrastructure,

500+

The number of grants given by the National Geographic Society to explorers, educators and storytellers each year. 46

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The merger brings together tens of thousands of titles from documentary miniseries to Hollywood movies.

but has implications beyond merely broadening in-flight entertainment (IFE) choices. “We can now offer co-branding and development of branded channels on board that are affordable to airlines. This is a significant change for our company, which is dynamic, fluid and flexible,” Julian Levin, executive vice-president, Digital Exhibition and Non-Theatrical Sales and Distribution at Fox, says. “We have just closed a deal with an airline that is exclusively taking Fox content, so we now have enough branding and enough channels to satisfy an

1.8 billion

The number of subscribers – across 50 local languages – that Fox media properties reach every day. airline’s full content requirements.” Furthermore, 21st Century Fox and Fox Networks Group will continue to push significant resources into an internal innovation group dedicated to exploring the next incarnation of IFE, such as 180-degree virtual reality (VR) content, which they are testing with French in-flight VR startup SkyLights. The captive audience airlines and film studios once had in airline passengers has drastically diminished due to mobile devices, in-flight connectivity and other mobile digital disruptions. By standing together, pooling assets, tinkering with tech and owning more of both the airline and consumer relationship, Fox’s non-theatrical operations are transitioning in step. “Businesses used to get together and say, ‘Let’s do this,’ and engineers would then say, ‘OK, let’s build it.’ So, technology would follow the business. But now, business follows the technology; technology is driving the business,” Levin says.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Nobody wants to be the bearer of bad news – but let’s face it, the headlines aren’t too cheery these days. That doesn’t mean passengers fancy a news fix any less. In fact, airlines are noting increased appetite for real-time headlines. American Airlines, for example, launched live television on long-haul international routes in 2015, and currently offers CNN International, BBC and CNBC via live satellite broadcast. Brian Richardson, the airline’s senior manager of Aircraft Interior, Entertainment and Wi-Fi, claims it has been very popular: “Usage can increase depending on world events. We saw large spikes during the presidential debates and US election results.” Similar enthusiasm for live news prompted Emirates to equip 130 aircraft with live TV news using the Panasonic Global Communications Services system. “It’s extremely popular with customers who dip in and out of news channels. Naturally, big news stories generate more viewers who watch for longer,” an Emirates spokesperson says. The airline also carries live text news on its in-flight entertainment system, ice TV Live, which is updated throughout the flight by BBC News and Reuters. “We’ve seen an increase in the number of airlines taking BBC World News, so passengers have access to live news on demand, just as they’d have at home or in a hotel,” Zina Neophytou, VP of Out of Home, BBC Worldwide, says.

Passengers craving live news on board will be happy to hear that airlines are getting better at being the messenger. BY PAUL SILLERS

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“Delivering cross-platform news has become integral; that’s how our audience consumes news.” ZINA NEOPHYTOU, BBC WORLDWIDE PHOTO: BBC WORLDWIDE

As It Happens

Live news reaches passengers at altitude via the airwaves, unlike recorded daily news segments, which are transmitted to unconnected aircraft on the ground via Wi-Fi, an onboard cellular network, satellite or, on older systems, via USB. “We receive Ku-band programming from the broadcast partner through our steerable antenna and into our receiver. Programming is distributed over an Ethernet bus to each seat,” Scott Easterling, director of Business Development Connectivity and TV at Thales, explains. Although in-flight live news is increasing in popularity, passengers are coming to it in different ways. They may get a whiff of a breaking story via onboard Wi-Fi – perhaps on social media – then tune in to a live

ENTERTAINMENT

Airlines are noticing an increased appetite for real-time news on board.

The Airline Edit Live news programming that makes it on board is generally impartial and unedited – and that’s how passengers like it. However, news that may cause passengers distress, Zina Neophytou, BBC Worldwide, says, is an exception: “Airlines are permitted to omit air crashes, terrorist attacks at airports and hijacks from a news package, as long as they adhere to BBC editorial consent.”

news channel. “Delivering cross-platform news has become an integral part of what we do, because that’s how our audience consumes news,” Neophytou says. “They want to be connected wherever they are, want to interact and be part of the story. No single screen is dominant. Audiences might access Facebook and Twitter to see what others are saying around the story, so social media works in harmony with television.” Easterling agrees: “Consumers are adapting to a world where multiple screens are accessed simultaneously. Should [passengers] learn of a breaking event, they can tune in to live news, or, while watching live television, they can visit other websites to get additional information.”

One may assume that this multichannel, multiscreen arrangement leaves no place for non-digital news platforms. But Emirates sees a future for print: “We offer a significant newspaper product on the ground and in the air. We even print versions of local or national newspapers from around the world in Dubai for distribution in our premium lounges,” the airline spokesperson says. A good example of this is the Sydney Morning Herald, which Emirates prints at Dubai International Airport at the same time as in Australia. “The demand from customers to read a newspaper shouldn’t be underestimated,” the spokesperson says. “We still see significant pickup of our paper product both on board and on the ground.” APEX.AERO | V7 E4 |

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42% 68% 18% 50%

Watch This Space Satellites of all kinds are being shot into space for observation, navigation and communications. Inside, we look at the recent and soon-to-be-launched satellites starring in the world of in-flight connectivity. BY CAROLINE KU AND KATIE SEHL INFOGRAPHIC BY NICOLĂ S VENTURELLI

SPONSORED BY

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This infographic aims to illustrate recent (2013 and forward) and relevant launches for in-flight connectivity, with an emphasis on APEX Association member companies. All data was gathered from publicly available resources and is accurate as of August 2017.

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Inmarsat’s Global Xpress trio of satellites entered service at the end of 2015. Since then, an additional satellite was added to boost capacity, and in the near future, a fifth very high throughput satellite (VHTS) will join the constellation.

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Eutelsat manages a fleet of 39 geostationary satellites including Eutelsat 172B, which was launched to bring coverage over Asia Pacific, from Alaska to Australia.

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The global in-ﬂight connetivity network is expanding with the help of these satellites.

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COMFORT

A Seat That Works Economy seating takes office chair ergonomics for a spin.

PHOTOS: PEARSONLLOYD; LIFT BY ENCORE

BY CAROLINE KU

When PearsonLloyd studied aircraft seating, its designers, who are adept at solving problems related to office chairs and workspaces, noted that existing economy seats were heavy, antiquated structures that offer little comfort. So the London studio came up with an improved model that uses lighter materials (carbon fiber), minimalist features (an in-frame literature pocket) and increased personal space (an underseat water bottle holder) – details that have found their way into LIFT by EnCore’s Tourist Class Seating for Boeing 737 aircraft. “We partnered with PearsonLloyd because they have a lot of experience with furniture and seating products,” Elijah Dobrusin, VP of Strategy and Development, LIFT by EnCore, says. “We wanted to bring in an expert that had really great outside perspective, and they really challenged us to think about the seat differently.” LIFT by EnCore had already swiveled into discussions with Herman Miller, a company

known for its stylish, ergonomic office chairs, and which, in its white paper “Everyone Deserves a Good Chair,” defines a “good chair” as one with adequate back support for “the human spine and the muscular/skeletal system ... [the] two areas most vulnerable to the stresses of sitting.” “There are a lot of very comfortable seats that are rigid plastic or bent plywood and they’re very ergonomic and comfortable without the cushion,” Dobrusin says. Research from Boeing, which collaborated with LIFT by EnCore on seats for the 737 and 787 Dreamliner, also confirmed back support as the backbone of comfort. The result is firmer seats that lean on structure over padding. “We took great care to form the seat pan so that it was as comfortable as possible for the shape of your thighs and backside,” Luke Pearson, director at PearsonLloyd, says. The “cradle” created by the waterfall edge on the front of the seat, and the contoured seat surface and seatback were derived from office chair ergonomics.

The contoured surfaces of office chairs inspired LIFT by EnCore’s approach to economy seating.

“Aircraft seating ergonomics, historically, has been driven by crash testing and weight, and not actually by comfort for the user,” Pearson says. “Our view is slightly different. We think there’s a huge amount that can be done in these relatively short pitches to make these environments feel better for the passenger, but also work better. And I think it comes out of our furniture heritage.”

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Dewy Sleep Kelp! It's the secret ingredient in Emirates’ first-class pajamas, which hydrate your skin while you sleep.

Although moisturizing pajamas seem like a no-brainer in the low-humidity environment of an airplane cabin, passengers flying first class with Emirates on overnight long-haul flights are the first to receive a sleepsuit of this kind. Matrix, the company behind the product, spent a year developing a cosmetotextile – wearable skin care – with billions of patented Hydra Active microcapsules that gradually release liquefied sea kelp through normal wear.

Humidity levels in the aircraft cabin drop to less than 20%. The average level in a home is between 30% and 60%.

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The microcapsule technology is applied to the textile by being padded onto the fabric after the garment is complete. Dave English, a chemist and the head of Research and Innovation at Matrix, describes the microcapsules as hardwalled spheres containing a sea kelp solution. They are relatively robust yet break under compression or friction, releasing some of the moisture. The sleepsuit, made of a cotton-polyester-spandex blend, isn’t greasy to the touch, and continues to moisturize for at least 10 washes, making this a product Emirates hopes passengers will take home. Emirates chose sea kelp for its skin-benefiting vitamins A, B1, C and E, plus zinc, calcium and copper. Not only does sea kelp deliver these nutrients, it also acts as a conditioner, providing a layer that protects and rejuvenates the skin.

English points out that there’s a link between drinking water and moisturizing the skin. “To keep the water inside, you need to have a good lipid layer, and the sea kelp can help reinforce the maintenance of the water levels within the body,” he says. And when hydrated, the skin can better perform its tasks of detoxing and renewing. “The body and skin repairs itself when it sleeps,” English says. “A good rest period on a plane when you’re relatively tranquil can be seen as luxury time for the skin if you feed it well, giving it good hydration and nutrients.”

A single sleepsuit contains billions of microcapsules containing sea kelp, a natural source of vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D and E, as well as minerals, antioxidants and essential amino acids.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; EMIRATES

BY VANESSA BONNEAU

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ENTERTAINMENT

Blast From the Past Classic TV shows get another run for their legacy in reboots. BY JORDAN YERMAN

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Full House (above) aired between 1987 and 1995, and was revived by Netflix in 2016 as Fuller House (below).

story engine (a divorced woman raises her two teen daughters) that it failed to speak to a new generation of women who had long since come to terms with whatever issues were relevant in the 1970s.” While brand-new shows can take time to find their audiences even in the on-demand era, revivals have an audience ready and waiting. “My experience in talking to people in their twenties and thirties is that these ’90s shows are the ones Gen Xers grew up on and have fond memories of,” Guerdat says. “They’re a built-in brand for producers trying to cut through the clutter of the overcrowded TV landscape.” And Dally adds that with millennials, who are now hitting their thirties and traveling more than ever, “The ease of selecting familiarity … is particularly relevant up in the air, where time is limited.” Streaming services are also on the quest for familiarity as TV networks explore new ways to keep their audiences glued to the tube. In this case, bringing back a classic will at ANDREW GUERDAT, DISNEY least get people talking around the watercooler again, even if the revival itself misses the mark. That relevance is a currency for any content distributor, be it a TV network, streaming service or in-flight entertainment provider. And passengers can be sure that airlines will bank on it. “It can be difficult for new and unfamiliar ideas to cut through into the mainstream,” Dally says, “which is why producers and broadcasters often fall back on reinventing ideas that they know have proved popular in the past.”

“They’re a built-in brand for producers trying to cut through the clutter of the overcrowded TV landscape.”

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES, NETFLIX

What’s old is new again: Revivals of classic TV shows are all the rage. Netflix has been leading the revival charge in its goal to dominate smaller screens. Besides resurrecting the Tanners in Fuller House, the streaming service has brought back Gilmore Girls; Bill Nye, the Science Guy; and The Magic School Bus. “Nostalgia. It’s a very powerful emotion. Older viewers love revisiting the shows and characters they engaged with when they were younger,” says Anna Dally, corporate communications manager at Viacom International Media Networks, which is remaking Rocko’s Modern Life and Hey Arnold!, two classic Nickelodeon TV shows from the 1990s. But nostalgia doesn’t guarantee success, says Andrew Guerdat, creator of the ‘90s sitcom Herman’s Head and writer for classic shows such as Boy Meets World and Head of the Class: A remake’s core story must be as strong now as it was then. “Years ago, I was asked to produce a Spanish-language revival of One Day at a Time for Telemundo, prior to the current Netflix revival,” he says. “The show was unsuccessful, I think, because the original had such a weak

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CATERING

Bagel B*mbs! BY CAROLINE KU

New Yorkers love bagels. JetBlue is “New York’s hometown airline.” And nothing says “welcome home” like serving warm bagels just before arrival on the LAX–JFK red-eye. Bada bing, bada boom. JetBlue, known for its NYC-repping Saxon + Parole menu, Brooklyn Roasting Company coffee and Hayward and Hopper amenity kits in its Mint premium cabin, most recently partnered with Milk Bar, the Momofuku outpost and bakery known for its quirky take on desserts – and bagels. “It’s different from the traditional breakfast sandwich or wrap that you can get anywhere,” says Ryan Soule, manager of Product Development, Onboard Experience, JetBlue. 56

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Foodies have described Milk Bar’s Bagel Bombs as the doughnut hole of bagels. The ones offered on JetBlue are filled with bacon scallion cream cheese and topped with “everything” bagel spice. (For obvious reasons, they were renamed Bagel Rounds.) Introduced to the world in 2011, Bagel Bombs were loved for their grab-andgo quality. Since then, the trend has snowballed: Fellow New York City-based Bantam Bagels’ cream cheese-stuffed balls topped with herbs, seeds or spices scored distribution at Starbucks across the US after a 2015 episode of Shark Tank. Shortly after, Delta Air Lines began serving them on morning flights departing from LaGuardia Airport. About 64 Milk Bar Bagel Rounds are ordered each day for Mint passengers on eastbound red-eyes. The quantity is small, but Soule says passengers are delighted by the complimentary breakfast treat. “We’re offering something unique from a really cool restaurant group in New York

“We’re offering something unique from a really cool restaurant group in NYC.” RYAN SOULE, JETBLUE

City.” The Bagel Round comes with Milk Bar’s HardBody green juice – pressed from cucumber, celery, kale, spinach, lemon and apples – and one of its signature Compost, Cornflake or Confetti cookies, all served in a JetBlue takeaway bag. “For some passengers, they’re begging for every moment of sleep they can get on a flight,” Soule says. “To wake someone up, an hour and a half before arrival for a meal, just doesn’t make sense. So we thought, ‘Why can’t we put it in a cool takeaway bag, so passengers can decide whether they want to eat there or later?’”

PHOTO: MILK BAR

JetBlue serves up a breakfast item that says New York City all around.

JetBlue’s Bagel Rounds are doughy balls filled with bacon scallion cream cheese, topped with “everything” bagel spice.

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PHOTOS: EMIRATES

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Tim Clark President of Emirates

Emirates’ Tim Clark continues to go the distance to make the world a smaller place. BY HOWARD SLUTSKEN

umors have been circulating of late that Tim Clark, president of Emirates, may be considering the “R” word: retirement. Not so, Clark says. “We’re lucky to have a strong management team in place with many potential candidates to take over when I choose to leave. However, for now, I’m still here and enjoying what I do.” Clark has shepherded Emirates since 1985, when he joined the nascent airline as head of Airline Planning. He’s been president since 2003, and led the airline’s remarkable growth from a single route into the mega-carrier it is today, with more than 150 destinations worldwide and more than 230 widebody aircraft. With a strategy of connecting travelers through the airline’s massive hub in Dubai, Emirates has focused its fleet on two aircraft types – the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777. These wide-body aircraft are the cornerstone of the airline’s global growth. “We’re able to connect city pairs, which may have in the past required multiple stops, such as Cairo to Auckland. Ultra long-range aircraft have made the world a smaller place,” Clark says. Emirates is the world’s largest operator of both the A380 and 777. It placed a 150-aircraft order for Boeing’s updated 777-8X and 777-9X in 2013, and

continues to bring new A380s into its Emirates’ fleet is fleet, which will soon have more than 100 focused on two of the supersized airplanes. aircraft types: the 777 (left) and the This year, Emirates received the World’s A380 (above). Best Inflight Entertainment award for the thirteenth consecutive time at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. ”It’s an important element of our overall product, and we intend to continue investing in the latest technologies to offer our passengers the best entertainment,” he says. Emirates began investing in in-flight entertainment many years ago, and Clark recognizes that connectivity is becoming a key element of the passenger experience. “Internet connectivity has become a commodity. Customers expect it everywhere. It’s only going to improve, enabling higher speeds.” >

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PHOTOS: EMIRATES

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Clark is characteristically blunt when it comes to the criticism aimed at his decision to make the A380 the flagship of the airline, and his creation of an onboard shower spa for first-class passengers. “I’m not the slightest interested in what people think about what I do and don’t do. In the end, I do it because it’s the right thing to do, and my instinct was telling me to put showers in the dead area of the A380,” he said in an interview with Skift. “If I had listened to everybody who told me it was nuts to do this, we would be [operating] four airplanes. The whole Emirates business model has been a complete destabilizer, a disruptor to the aviation world.” As far as Emirates having the lion’s share of the worldwide fleet of A380s, Clark believes the aircraft is perfectly suited to handle the limitation of available

slots at major airports. At last November’s World Travel Market, Clark said, “I try to argue very hard to all my competitors, if you want to challenge us, go buy the A380 – it’s the best thing for you to do. But seriously, when you look at the constraints that we’re all facing in this business, it has to be that. After all, the third runway at Heathrow, assuming it gets built, is [not until] 2026, if you’re lucky. That’s 10 years out. What are we going to do in the next 10 years?” While Emirates has disrupted the traditional model of the long-distance carrier, Clark sees the industry in the throes of the next major disruption, driven by digital platforms, direct airline-topassenger interaction and ancillary services. “Customers value different things. We want to allow them to customize their travel experience by purchasing directly through our own platforms. Some passengers may choose to buy a seat in business but don’t want to pay for chauffeur-drive or lounge access. Others may want to travel in economy but want lounge access and fast-track at the airport. It’s not one-size-fits-all anymore: We’re unbundling our products to adopt an à la carte approach.” >

“We’re unbundling our products to adopt an à la carte approach.”

A first-class shower spa on board an Emirates A380.

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Tim Clark at the opening of the Emirates lounge at Glasgow Airport in 2014 (left). Emirates’ unveiled an updated lounge for the A380 this year (below).

Tim Clark will be receiving the CEO Lifetime Achievement Award at APEX EXPO in Long Beach, California, this year.

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PHOTOS: EMIRATES

Low-cost, long-haul carriers like Norwegian Air Shuttle, Scoot and AirAsia X are also having an impact on established airlines, something that Clark anticipated in the late 1990s. However, he’s cautious about the success of that model, given the current state of global aeropolitics, and what he perceives as a move away from liberalism and multinational trade activities. “If you get back into an aeropolitical framework, which is fairly predetermined in its thinking, then the likes of the low-cost, longhaul will fail, because they won’t get the access that they need. But, believe me, with … the price points I looked at all those years ago, using an A380 with 850 seats and an A340-600, it seemed to me that once you get into the incipient demand that will be tapped with these kind of price points, then it would suddenly explode,” he said at the World Travel Market.

“Being part of the Emirates story and building one of the best airlines in the world is what I’m most proud of.”

Although Emirates has seen a huge reduction in profit this year, Clark is pragmatic about the impact of oil prices and the economic slowdown in the Gulf. “We’ve just got to tough it out,” he said to the Financial Times in June. “The business model is essentially a sound business model, but at the moment it’s challenged – for no reasons of our own, purely for geopolitical and socioeconomic reasons.” And while Clark plans to keep his focus on the future of the airline, he takes a moment to look back: “I’ve been with Emirates since the very beginning. I have so many great memories; it would be difficult to pick one. From our first flight back in 1985 to our first A380 in 2008, the list of milestones is endless. I think that being part of the Emirates story and building one of the best airlines in the world is what I’m most proud of.”

ZODIAC INFLIGHT INNOVATIONS ZODIAC AEROSYSTEMS Connected Cabin Division

PHOTOS: EMBRAER, A3, GETTY IMAGES

SILICON VALLEY

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained Aerospace heavyweights join Silicon Valley consumer tech giants in place and pace. BY VALERIE SILVA

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Airline Passenger Experience Association

SILICON VALLEY

wenty-five miles north on Route 101 sits San Francisco and roughly the same distance in the opposite direction stands San Jose: If you work at JetBlue’s venture capital arm, saying you are at the epicenter of global tech innovation is no exaggeration – it’s fact. “It completely makes sense for us to park ourselves here: literally and physically in the middle of Silicon Valley. It couldn’t be any more centrally located to innovation in the world,” Bonny Simi, president of JetBlue Technology Ventures, says. “We just sit here and wait, and people are coming through our doors.”

HERE AND NOW JetBlue Technology Ventures stuck its claim in the Valley February last year, becoming the first air travel provider to set up shop in the area. Presence on the manufacturing side is slightly more robust, but is still in the early stages. A3, Airbus’ Silicon Valley innovation lab, was announced fully operational last January, and Brazilian aerospace conglomerate Embraer joined the club early this summer with its own facility. The aviation cohort is growing, but, with the exception of Lockheed Martin, which has been in the region for more than 50 years, is still fairly young compared with the automotive industry. Mercedes-Benz established an R&D

“It’s clear to everybody that it’s not just about what you do, but where you are.” ANTONIO CAMPELLO, EMBRAER

facility in the area in 1995, and Tesla was founded in the early aughts by a group of Valley engineers. Ford, Honda and Renault entered the scene within the decade. There are, however, benefits to arriving late to a party. For one, aviation factions are equipped with insight into carmakers’ early missteps. “If you were the head of GM or Ford five years ago, the conversations in the boardroom had absolutely nothing to do with ride-hailing services,” Simi says. “When they heard about those things, they thought to themselves, ‘Those are crazy ideas that will have no impact on us. Isn’t that funny? Isn’t that stupid?’” But, of course, five years later, Uber, Lyft, Didi and others have completely transformed the business. “What does that mean for aviation? What will happen to airlines in 10 years, 20 years or 50 years? Will they still exist? How will our core business of being an airline change?” Simi deliberates. Her hope: JetBlue’s frontrow seat to the startup bubble will keep it ahead of the curve. “I don’t see us being blindsided.” >

There are 12,700 to 15,600 active startups in the Valley.

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Embraer, the latest aviation company to make the move out West, is also banking on the hope that the density of innovation in Silicon Valley will ensure its success. “It’s clear to everybody that it’s not just about what you do, but where you are,” Antonio Campello, VP of Innovation and Business Excellence at Embraer, says. “When we looked at the US, we said, ‘Where is the temperature high in terms of innovation?’ Then we looked at venture capital – the flow of money – to see where the money goes. We found out the West Coast and East Coast were the main points.” Embraer plans to establish a Boston outpost by the end of the year, covering its bases in both extremities.

IN THE VALLEY OF TECH The acceleration of technology in the aerospace industry is inextricably tied to the shift from defense to consumer electronics as its main driver. “The overall trend of democratization in various industries has primed consumers to demand and expect new products and services in all aspects of their lives – and that includes aerospace. Access to large new markets is a powerful driver for the pace of technological acceleration,” Rodin Lyasoff, CEO of A3, says. “Consumer demand puts pressure on regulators,

“I don’t see us being blindsided.” BONNY SIMI, JETBLUE TECHNOLOGY VENTURES

A3’s modular cabin concept is inspired by cargo containers (above). A prototype of a multipurpose space in a Transpose capsule (left).

experience | V7 E4 | 3 APEX.AERO volume 7, edition

PHOTOS: A3

resulting in even greater opportunities. The demand for autonomous systems in cars and in drones has galvanized regulators around the world to be more progressive.” Growing interest in the air mobility industry from the likes of Google, Microsoft and other bigwig tech companies is throwing the confluence of aerospace and consumer electronics into startling relief. Amazon’s fleet of Boeing aircraft, Google’s voicecontrolled flight search, airlines’ Facebook chatbots and Microsoft’s partnership with air transport communications company SITA point to big tech’s intent on permeating the aero space. >

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When asked to comment on whether disruption can be achieved “from the inside” – as Airbus, Embraer and JetBlue aspire – or is best begot from external actors, Microsoft’s managing director of Worldwide Travel and Hospitality, Greg Jones says, “I truly see the digital transformation of the airline industry as being a partnership between the industry and technology leaders.”

FORWARD THINKING

JetBlue Technology Venture’s headquarters in Silicon Valley (above). A3’s on-demand helicopter service, Voom, is available in São Paulo (below).

“You act on the nearterm opportunities without committing to an overly architected vision.” RODIN LYASOFF, A3

gold-bonus-points, superstar person, your journey is not as pleasant as it could be,” she says. She envisions a journey that will begin with travelers being picked up at their homes by autonomous vehicles that will have already factored in traffic. Travelers will then breeze through smart airports, with security and bag screening going off without a hitch. In flight, the experience will be personalized, and upon landing, a car will be waiting to bring them to where they need to go. Be it vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, electropropulsion vehicles or other forms of multimodal transport, short-haul travel is primed to be the biggest form of disruption, Simi and Campello agree. >

experience | V7 E4 | 3 APEX.AERO volume 7, edition

PHOTOS: JETBLUE, A3

Consumer-centricity is apparent in each of A3’s projects, which aim to “raise all boats” – that is, for all classes. Vahana, the company’s autonomous air taxi, which is maturing to full-size flight test stage, is designed to alleviate urban traffic for commuters. In the coming months, Voom, A3’s on-demand helicopter service, currently available in São Paulo, Brazil, will be expanded to other cities worldwide. And finally, Transpose, A3’s reconfigurable modular cabin, can be transformed into anything from a pop-up restaurant or collaborative workspace to a family play area or exercise zone. Simi similarly foresees a future that “will bring convenience and joy back” to travel for the masses. “Unless you are a high-status,

SILICON VALLEY

Made in California: Startup Edition 30SecondsToFly: Travel management software that helps business travelers book a trip using a virtual assistant on Facebook Messenger, Slack, Skype or SMS. FLYR: An airfare and seat-availability predictor that analyzes industry data using artificial intelligence. LocusLabs: A geolocation platform that features up-to-date indoor mapping data. LoungeBuddy: An app that enables all travelers – regardless of cabin class – to purchase access to airport lounges. In addition to its Silicon Valley and upcoming Boston outposts, Embraer has an R&D center in Melbourne, Florida.

Mozio: An airport transfer booking engine that aggregates various types of ground transport, including shuttles, taxis, trains, limos and

PHOTO: EMBRAER

But when it comes to the long-haul journey, “People will still go to the airport as we know it today and fly an airline, as we know them today, for long, long, long into the future,” Simi says. “There is no major disruption that is going to put all major airlines out of business.” And even if there were, Lyasoff warns, it’s best not to fall into the trap of over-architecting the future. “When it comes to developing products for future markets, the key governing term is ‘uncertainty.’ There are a lot of unknowns, so we don’t want to be too specific in our predictions,” he says. For instance, when it comes to the emerging trend of self-driving vehicles, Lyasoff says, “We don’t necessarily want to start a fully autonomous ridesharing service today, but we can guess the cars will need sensors and vision processing technology. So, we see the companies that make these components actually committing to real products today. And that’s logical. You act on the near-term opportunities without committing to an overly architected vision.”

public transport. Unicobag: A mishandled baggage tracking and delivery service for airlines and passengers.

Nonetheless, the mandate to disrupt the travel industry by committing to what Simi and Lyasoff call “moon shots” is at the root of why aerospace ventured into the Valley in the first place. “Over several decades, Silicon Valley has developed the tools and the mindset to make long bets, and to be effective in an uncertain business environment. This is reflected in the financial instruments for venture capital firms, which made the Valley famous,” Lyasoff says. “But it also breeds a work culture that values agility and is comfortable with change. Our teams execute fast, and adapt even faster. This is what we need when we are building the future.”

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Q&A

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PHOTO: SITA

Easy, every step of the way

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Q&A

Barbara Dalibard CEO SITA

Barbara has been in the industry for more than 25 years, and has a strong track record and passion for innovation and collaboration. She joined SITA in 2016 from the French national railway company SNCF, a Fortune 500 company, where she served as CEO of SNCF Voyageurs.

You’ve been CEO at SITA for just over a year. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned in that time? The past year has been thrilling and intense. What is clear is that over the next 20 years, the digital transformation will have profound effects, some of which we can predict, others that will surprise us along the way. One thing we do know today is that cybersecurity must be on top of every airline’s and airport’s – in fact, every CEO’s – agenda. How important is IT to the overall passenger experience? More than ever, IT underpins the passenger experience. One-third of all searches on the web are travel-related, so from the moment someone decides to book a flight, technology plays its part. We live in a fully connected world, and the airline industry is a highly connected industry that uses mission-critical systems 24/7. Airports, too, are becoming increasingly connected and complex as a result. You came to SITA after several years at SNCF rail. Does the rail industry face similar IT challenges to aviation? The main similarity is the increasing demands of the highly connected traveler. Passengers are used to

“From the moment someone decides to book a flight, technology plays its part.” sophisticated technologies and on-demand services – from Netflix to Siri and Alexa – in their everyday lives. Both air and rail providers must have secure, stable and fast communication networks. The challenge is to deliver these services while managing legacy systems and dealing with multiple communications providers around the world. How will autonomous machines shape the airport of the future? We see robotics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things taking care of repetitive or labor-intensive tasks, freeing up people to provide services that require a personal or face-to-face interaction. Machines – such as SITA’s prototypes for baggage (Leo) and passenger processing (KATE) – will provide flexibility to manage peaks in passenger traffic.

But the autonomous machine that may have the biggest impact on airports could be autonomous vehicles. Some forecasters are predicting millions of self-driving cars on the road by 2020, with one in four being self-driving by 2030. In many airports, car parks are a major source of income, and this could be threatened if travelers choose to send their cars home after arriving at the airport. At some airports, reduced need for car parks could release muchneeded space for terminal development. In the longer term, demand for short-haul flights might reduce if people choose to travel in an autonomous vehicle. What’s one aspect of air travel that will see the biggest improvements in the near future? I believe it will be the integration of biometric technology into the journey. The technology is available, but implementation requires collaboration between multiple stakeholders – airlines, ground handlers, airports and various government agencies. There is scope to do much more, and leading airlines and airports are exploring the possibilities. What is encouraging is that passenger satisfaction rates are boosted by 10 percent when biometrics are used at ID checks.

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TRACKING

Post-Flight

Visa Holders

TRA CK ING

Mobile Devices

Search History

THIS AND THAT Trolleys

Passenger Profiles

Incidents of lost and mishandled baggage are dropping with the introduction of evermoreprecise tracking technology. But passengersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; belongings arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only things being traced from beginning to end.

Airplanes APEX.AERO | V7 E4 |

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TRACKING

Search History Here’s a scenario: A mother heads to an airline website and searches for economy-class seats on a flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) departing September 1 for her family of four. According to online marketing firm Vizury, she is likely among the 90 percent of users who take up to 27 days to complete the funnel – from browsing airfares to actually purchasing a ticket. In that time, the mother can search for the same flight on an airfare aggregator, get bogged down at work and forget, or see a fare alert on a competitor’s website and opt to book that instead. But each airline she consulted can still gather a couple of things from her visit to its website: She wants to go somewhere, at a certain time, place, price and with a specific number of people. The airline has everything it needs to create a personalized ad campaign that follows her around the web. This is called retargeting, and it’s one way marketers are using information collected by web browsers to close the sales cycle. When a user leaves a website, a cookie sends a message to the website’s retargeting platform to start rolling out ad spots. Using this method, Vizury client Virgin

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Targeted advertising is reminding airfare window shoppers to make the purchase. BY JASMIN LEGATOS

Australia saw a sixtyfold return on its investment. Retargeting isn’t actually new – it dates back to 1998, but only in the past few years has it been used across multiple devices. According to a Google study, 41 percent of millennials use a smartphone to shop for flights, while Facebook says 85 percent of respondents in a recent study used mobile devices to plan a trip, with 64 percent of respondents having planned across multiple platforms. Until last year, Google would only allow retargeting based on a user’s activity on a given device. Now, however, as long as a user is signed in to his or her Google account, an advertiser can create a targeted ad campaign that moves from desktop to smartphone to tablet, tracking a specific customer’s path to conversion.

This thinking is also behind Facebook’s dynamic ads for travel. With this tool, marketers can create personalized adverts that run across Facebook, Instagram and other apps, and mobile websites through its Audience Network. How granular can these ads get? Let’s say an airline only has single seats available on its LAX–FCO flight leaving September 1. It might not make sense to target the family of four. Rather, the airline can display its ads to people who indicated they were traveling alone. Delta Air Lines and Cathay Pacific were two early adopters of Facebook’s dynamic ads for travel. Cathay reported 16 times more booking volume compared with previous campaigns it ran using Facebook’s ad platform. And though competitors might want to use the information collected through another airline’s website to advertise their own LAX–FCO route, Facebook says that’s not happening – at least not yet.

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TRACKING

Mobile Devices If giving up some relatively innocuous data meant shorter check-in queues, fewer bottlenecks at security and a better end-to-end experience at the airport, would you do it? Many of you just might. Except you already have – and it’s been nearly a decade. In 2011, the New York Times ran a story about a trial being conducted at Copenhagen Airport. SITA installed multiple receivers throughout the airport that could track travelers based on the Wi-Fi signal-emitting smartphones that they carried. At the time, an estimated 20 percent of travelers percolating through the airport were armed with such devices. Today, most major airports in the world are using some sort of Wi-Fi, beacon or Bluetooth tracking technology – and nearly all flyers are equipped with a device that can be monitored, whether they know it or not. A recent survey by travel research specialists m1nd-set shows that 88 percent of business travelers bring their smartphones on trips, while 85 percent of travelers on personal vacations do. And these devices are being recorded and time-stamped at specific points in the journey, using a unique identifier called a media access control (MAC) address. Companies like Blip Systems, SITA and Pointr, which are behind such technologies, insist tracking

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Travelers equipped with smartphones are throwing a lifeline to airports looking to streamline their operations. BY VALERIE SILVA

is harmless, designed to provide a real-time picture of where travelers congregate, how much time they spend at checkpoints and where congestion is likely to occur. Aggregating this type of data could yield everything from improved airport design and live queue time boards to more strategic dissemination of resources and better planning for high-traffic holiday periods. “To understand and improve individual areas of airport operations,” Christian Carstens, marketing manager of Blip Systems, explains, “it is important to understand that each area influences another.” Of course, profitability for airport and airline investors is also in the offing. Knowing where passengers linger and where they gather speed is tantamount to knowing what

retail and service strategies work and which do not – crucial, given that half of airport revenue comes from a combination of retail and parking, Carstens says. “The less time passengers spend in airport processes, the more they will enjoy … the concession area.” No matter the benefits touted by airports, the thought of being “tracked” is sure to give rise to privacy concerns, which was the case in November 2015, when Dublin Airport (DUB), one of the users of Blip Systems’ technology, came under fire for monitoring passengers’ movement without informing them. Although DUB insists that it had “no information whatsoever in relation to the mobile device’s owner” and Blip Systems confirms that “MAC addresses do not link to any individual user data,” privacy advocates maintain that tracking technology risks linking mobile device users to their digital lives, which are arguably more “personal” than their day-to-day reality.

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Visa Holders The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimates 629,000 people – 1.25 percent of visitors to the US – overstayed their visas in 2016. Among the tactics being explored by the agency to better identify who’s crossing the country’s borders are using biometric checkpoints and collecting social media credentials. The DHS has displayed interest in visitors’ social media profiles as early as 2010, but has as of late considered taking its getting-toknow-you strategy further. Then Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly told Congress earlier this year that his agency wanted to require some refugees and visa applicants to divulge their social media passwords. A similar policy was floated – and sunk – during the Obama administration, and its current fate is unknown. However, gathering a visa holder’s Twitter details won’t be much use if that information can’t be retrieved. The DHS Office of Inspector General found the IT systems used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be profoundly fragmented. A single system search can require up to

Twitter handles and Facebook profiles may be how the DHS keeps watch on overstayers. BY JORDAN YERMAN

40 different passwords, which has led to significant delays in information processing. The result: a backlog of more than 1.2 million visa overstay cases, of which 40 percent per year turn out to be false alarms. Meanwhile, US borders do not capture firsthand data on who is leaving – the DHS relies on thirdparty information such as airline passenger manifests for that. Scouring a visa holder’s Facebook selfies would only extend this inefficiency. In his assessment, DHS Inspector General John Roth notes, “ICE must equip its personnel with the

tools and training they require for the vital work of tracking visitors who overstay their visas. Timely identification, tracking and adjudication of potential visa overstays is critical to ICE’s public safety and national security mission.” To that end, a biometriccomparison pilot project has been deployed at Atlanta’s HartsfieldJackson International Airport (ATL), testing the capacity to match fingerprints, facial scans and iris scans of those departing ATL to those who have previously arrived. Besides working with fragmented systems, the actual collection of biometric data still remains too slow for widespread use. The goal of deploying biometric exit scans at 20 airports by 2016 has since been downgraded to at least one airport by 2018.

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TRACKING

Passenger Profiles Airline crewmembers may dread hearing the following words from a dissatisfied frequent flyer: “Do you know who I am?” However, carriers are now deploying technologies that can help them immediately identify passengers by name, elite status and even connecting gate. American Airlines is a pioneer in this field, having become the first airline to deploy mobile tablets containing passenger information to all of its flight attendants in 2012. Today, American’s flight attendants use the Samsung Galaxy Note 3. According to Ross Feinstein, a spokesperson for American Airlines, “The tablets provide them with a variety of tools, including a seat map with customer information.” The seat map enables flight attendants to identify customers by name and AAdvantage status, and verify whether they have preordered a meal. And even for economy passengers, flight attendants use the tablets for credit card transactions when selling snacks, meals and alcoholic beverages. The mobile app also

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Armed with passenger data, crewmembers can tailor their services to the individual, down to wishing him or her happy birthday. BY JASON STEELE

helps them provide connecting gate information to passengers. Another innovator in this area is SITAONAIR, which uses in-flight connectivity with customer relationship management practices. Its CrewTab application helps airlines deliver personalized service by allowing cabin crew to access passengers’ profiles, preferences and frequent-flyer status. CrewTab also connects to SITA’s Departure Control Services, which automates check-in, boarding and load planning. According to Dominique El Bez, vice-president of Strategy, SITAONAIR, CrewTab

can even inform flight attendants of a passenger’s birthday, so crew can “surprise and delight” the individual with a celebratory gift. Around 3,000 crewmembers from 11 airlines are currently using CrewTab. After testing an improved Guest Services Tool on 75 routes, Delta Air Lines is now deploying it for all flight attendants with SkyPro devices. The tool enables crewmembers to address customers by name, know their Medallion status, and even know whether they’ve suffered a past service disruption. As these in-flight tools become available to more flight crews, more passengers will become confident that flight attendants truly do know who they are.

TRACKING

Airplanes The tragic, unsolved disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, and the two-year search for the black boxes from Air France Flight 447 have accelerated the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the airline industry’s adoption of new standards for position reporting. Starting in 2018, airlines will be responsible for tracking aircraft every 15 minutes, and by 2021, the standard will include minute-by-minute autonomous tracking of aircraft in distress. While satellite-based flight tracking has been available for years, recent advances in technology have created new efficient and costeffective solutions. Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband-Safety service, for example, leverages the company’s long-established L-band satellite network to add position reporting to a high-speed IP-based cockpit communications link. Panasonic Avionics, which also offers worldwide satellite tracking through its Global Communications and FlightLink services, will immediately meet the ICAO requirements. And Rockwell Collins’ ARINC MultiLink merges aircraft position data from multiple sources, providing seamless flight tracking. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), regarded as the next generation

An airplane can be challenging to locate, but with new flight-tracking standards and technology finally catching up, aircraft could be just a set of coordinates away. BY HOWARD SLUTSKEN

of flight-tracking technology, is already replacing or augmenting traditional air traffic control radar services around the world. It promises to deliver a host of resources to and from the cockpit, including communication with other airplanes. Aireon – a partnership of air navigation service providers, including Nav Canada, Italy’s Enav, Denmark’s Navair and the Irish Aviation Authority – has begun testing ADS-B payloads on partner Iridium’s NEXT satellites. The company expects to fully deploy its constellation of 66 satellites by mid-2018, providing global flighttracking coverage.

Popular tracking app Flightradar24 is also planning to jump into space next year. “We’re working on a number of exciting projects with the goal of providing global ADS-B coverage,” says Ian Petchenik, Flightradar24’s director of Communications. Flightradar24 currently has over 16,000 volunteer-hosted, ground-based ADS-B receivers. More than two million daily users, from individuals to airlines, track 150,000 flights per day. “Anyone interested in a flight is a user of our service,” Petchenik says. By mid-2018, Flightradar24 hopes to orbit a nanosatellitebased service in cooperation with GomSpace’s Aerial and Maritime division. Each about the size of two loaves of bread, the satellites will initially cover the airspace from 37°N to 37°S latitude. Until now, over-water position reporting has been an inexact science, but with the arrival of space-based ADS-B, it’s becoming well within reach.

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TRACKING

Trolleys KLM and Air Canada were among the first to adopt radio frequency identification (RFID) for tracking trolleys in the 1990s: KLM’s process required each trolley to be rolled past an RFID reader within six inches, and improving on that, Air Canada adopted an RFID trolley tag that could be read within 300 feet. RFID tracking means fewer misplaced trolleys, wasted meals and unnecessary trips between aircraft, airports and kitchens. It’s even used to identify meals for passengers with dietary requirements or special orders in the first-class cabin. Gategroup CTO Simon de Montfort Walker says that although his catering company is using RFID to identify and track trolleys, the technology is generally being applied to more securitysensitive areas such as duty-free carts, which could include highvalue items like pearl necklaces or quartz watches. “With boutique and preorder environments, and anything that has a tax implication, we track better the opening and closing of those carts so that we can understand that they are being used in the appropriate way,” de Montfort Walker explains. Smart trolleys with special sensors

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Trolley tracking gets a push from RFID technology. BY MARISA GARCIA

and locking mechanisms ensure that every action is accounted for, reducing the likelihood of loss and theft. “We’re [also] moving to trolleys which are not manually sealed but are opened with a staff card … It gives us a digital record of access and use,” he adds. LSG Group has plans to integrate RFID technology into its trolleys too, but for now, is using a QR code system, called SkyTrack, introduced by its subsidiary SkylogistiX, which tracks trolleys with handheld scanners or smartphones. The launch was conducted with Thomas Cook Group leisure carrier Condor. SkyTrack gives airlines an accurate count of trolleys in their fleet, as well as their exact location. The system can be accessed

through the cloud, or be part of an enterprise resource planning inventory management system, the latter of which LSG Group has chosen to use. “This can have a big financial impact for airlines with access to predictive forecasting and an overall benefit of driving down equipment spend,” Kay Wichmann, managing director of SkylogistiX, says. “IATA studies and our first experiences have shown that the overall trolley fleet can be reduced by approximately two to four percent, and that annual replenishment costs can be cut by up to 50 percent.” But de Montfort Walker insists that managing a fleet of trolleys is as much about the carts themselves as it is about their contents: “While each trolley has a serial number … we’ve got to be sure that we have equipment balance between the stations.” Maintaining the trolley balancing act on aircraft and at in-flight catering hubs, he explains, ensures there are enough trays and cutlery on every flight.

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APEX #825 Imagination takes flight.

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SPANISH

TRACKING

Post-Flight KLM has found a way to keep in touch with passengers even after they land. In addition to using Facebook Messenger to provide booking confirmations and boarding passes, KLM has introduced a service that lets users send an emoji anywhere, anytime – in exchange for immediate directions to a point of interest. A pizza slice emoji, for example, will prompt the route to a local Italian restaurant, a cash emoji will get you to the closest ATM and a yellow cab will help you hail a ride upon arrival. If travelers agree to share their location, KLM bots will send them suggestions for local services generated using the Google Places algorithm. The suggested locations are based on a combination of relevance and distance. Don’t like the suggestion KLM comes up with the first time around? Send the same emoji again and the bot will come up with a different option. In his presentation, “A Human Approach Supported by Technology,” at this year’s APEX MultiMedia Market, Christiaan van de Koppel, social commerce manager for KLM, said

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KLM makes use of a universal language – emojis – to keep the conversation going. BY STEPHANIE TAYLOR

there is certainly the possibility to monetize the service, but the carrier doesn’t have plans to do so just yet. KLM has come up with a use for pretty much every emoji – barring facial expressions. And even if it can’t provide practical information, the bot responds intelligently. The best response, according to Karlijn Vogel-Meijer, KLM’s social media manager, is generated by the red heart, but if you don’t mind expletives, try sending the poo emoji instead. Vogel-Meijer says the company receives 100,000 mentions every week across its social media

channels, which are passed on to the airline’s 250 social media service agents. Since 16,000 of these mentions are questions that require responses, the use of artificially intelligent bots is an obvious and cost-effective solution. KLM began using Facebook Messenger in March 2015, and has already clocked up more than one million unique visitors. “Offering the emoji service was a logical next step,” Vogel-Meijer says. “It keeps the conversation with KLM relevant throughout the entire customer journey.” Although a closed API and high volume of requests means the emoji service still hasn’t made its way onto WhatsApp, the airline has hinted that may be its “new” next step.

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Q&A

Anton Vidgen CREATIVE DIRECTOR AIR CANADA

Anton leads the creative direction for Air Canada’s food and beverage offerings, lounges, in-flight entertainment, publications, and retail and lifestyle products as part of the company’s goal to position the airline as an iconic Canadian brand.

What’s a typical workday for you? I work across the marketing organization to provide creative direction for the customer experience. It may mean working on a new in-flight entertainment strategy or defining a new approach to our business-class meals. It’s rewarding to work with many colleagues on initiatives that elevate our customer experience. What makes the Air Canada brand stand out? We’re proud of our employees, who are the bedrock of our customer experience. While we’re thrilled Air Canada is celebrating its 80th birthday this year, we’re also very excited about what the future holds for the airline. In February, we introduced a new brand identity, including a striking livery featuring our trademark rondelle, as well as modern crew uniforms. We feel that thoughtful, well-considered design can enhance customer experience. We also continue to invest in improved aircraft such as the Boeing 787, which we recently received, and the 737 MAX, which will be delivered later this year.

“APEX is committed to improving the airline passenger experience, which is essentially what I do every day.” What do you bring to the APEX Board? APEX is committed to improving the airline passenger experience, which is essentially what I do every day. It’s incredibly motivating to collaborate with a group of like-minded people who are bullish about the value aviation delivers to the world. Why is creativity important in our business? A creative approach to customer service can lead to innovation, which typically benefits the customer. If you can pump out improvements for customers –

provided you have a top flight operation to deliver it – you’ve got a tremendous competitive advantage. Which part of the passenger experience is ripe for improvement? There’s an aspect of the customer experience that is rather elusive but can be incredibly valuable if managed well and that’s the emotional experience. For example, if research suggests that infrequent leisure flyers experience anxiety during the pre-flight phase, a solution might be to provide them with the appropriate baggage information to lessen their anxiety. These solutions are not always easy to implement, but I think more airlines should be attuned to the emotional experience of their customers. What should airlines provide to all passengers? Every customer should be treated with care and class on every journey. Whether it’s the Four Seasons’ “Golden Rule” or Disney’s “Common Purpose,” reminding ourselves that we are in the customer service business is crucial to success.

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AEROMEXICO

Aeromexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Road to Asia Aeromexico plays with a full deck of services when it comes to winning and maintaining the loyalty of its Japanese, Chinese and South Korean passengers.

PHOTO: AEROMEXICO

BY MARYANN SIMSON

APEX.AERO | V7 E4 |

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AEROMEXICO

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Seoul is the latest Asian destination in Aeromexico’s route network.

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PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

exico’s Ministry of Tourism has reported a remarkable increase in tourists from Japan, South Korea and China. Figures suggest Chinese visitor numbers alone rose 30 percent between 2015 and 2016. On the other hand, Mexico’s middle class is also finding its way to Asia, discovering the region’s vast cultural experiences. But the leisure travel market is not the main driver of Aeromexico’s flights to Asia – it’s business travel. Mexico’s relatively cheap labor, good infrastructure and proximity to the US make it an attractive location for Asian companies to settle in, and bolster the need for the country’s flag carrier's service between the regions. “There’s a lot of Asian investment in Mexico,” Andrés Castañeda, Aeromexico’s SVP, Marketing and E-Commerce, explains. “There are huge manufacturing plants ... Kia Motors in the north … Toyota and other carmakers have large plants, and there are many other investments as well,” including South Korea's LG, Samsung and Posco. >

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AEROMEXICO

Aeromexico started twice-weekly flights to Shanghai in 2008.

ASIAN FUSION Serving authentic regional cuisine on both outbound and inbound trips to Asia is one of the ways Aeromexico caters to its Asian passengers. “The food offering is incredibly important, especially when you’re on the aircraft for 12 hours or more,” Ojeda says. “We always try to design the Asian menus as close as possible to what you would get in Asia. Doing this with Asian caterers is very easy because they know the product and the ingredients required. Doing it in Mexico is the hard part.”

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Aeromexico Flights to Asia Seoul

Tokyo

Shanghai Tijuana

Tokyo via Tijuana

Monterrey

2006: twice weekly 2016: daily

Shanghai via Tijuana 2008: twice weekly 2016: three-times weekly

Seoul via Monterrey 2017: four-times weekly

11.44 million international tourists visited Mexico in 2016, an increase of 9.9% from the year before.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

TOUCHING DOWN IN ASIA The flag carrier's first flight to Asia – Mexico City to Tokyo Narita via Tijuana – touched down in 2006, becoming a daily service in 2016. In 2008, a twice-weekly flight between Shanghai and Mexico City, connecting through Tijuana, was added. In February 2016, this route was bumped up to three-times weekly. And with Aeromexico’s third route in Asia, a direct, four-times-weekly service to Seoul announced in January, the airline hopes to maintain its position as the only Latin American airline offering direct flights to that continent. Though Asian passengers have the option to fly with other carriers that connect to Mexico through major American cities, many select Aeromexico instead, for its easy connections to remote areas where outsourced manufacturing takes place. “Competition is always good for airlines and passengers,” Antonio Fernandez Ojeda, vice-president of Product Design and Service Standards for Aeromexico, says. “We are watching closely as ANA [All Nippon Airways] and Korean Air come in. We believe this competition will continue to increase, but our best option is to continue specializing our crews and making sure our team understands what Asian passengers expect from an international airline like Aeromexico.”

AEROMEXICO

PHOTO: AEROMEXICO

Did You Know? Koreans do not use wooden or bamboo chopsticks, as people do in most other Asian countries; they use metal ones. So, Aeromexico had to source these specifically for their Korean passengers. Many believe that in ancient times, Korean royalty tested their food for poison with silver chopsticks, which would change color if something was amiss. Others think the fact that Koreans use a spoon to eat rice, simply makes it possible to use slippier metal chopsticks for everything else.

Feedback from passengers in the early days of the Tokyo Narita service suggested that in-flight menus offering Japanese dishes on Mexican outbound legs could be more authentic. Chalking this problem up to cultural differences, the airline looked for a Japanese chef who could speak Spanish and was familiar with local ingredients. If the chef had already learned to source ingredients for traditional Asian recipes in Mexico, and had experience training Mexican staff to prepare those recipes, the chef would be worth his or her weight in gold. “What we found out back then was that Japanese chefs with [experience] in Mexico could bridge the translation gap,” Castañeda says. “For example, Japanese cooking requires edamame. In Japan, you find that under one name, but in Mexico, you have to ask for something else, or go to a specific distributor.”

Aeromexico works with Mexico-based chefs specializing in Asian cuisine to recreate authentic meals with local ingredients.

The Japanese chef who kicked off this program 10 years ago was Kazu Kumoto, a native of Kumamoto, Japan, who settled in Mexico in the late 1960s. Today, chefs from Edo Kobayashi’s Rokai Group (a chain of seven of the most famous Japanese eateries in Mexico), are helping to create the airline’s Japanese menus, source ingredients, train staff and ensure consistent quality. For Aeromexico’s Shanghai route, a similar program is in effect. And for the newest Mexico–Seoul flights, Aeromexico consulted chef Jung A Oh from Mexico’s Korean Cultural Center, who prepares cuisine for numerous Korean cultural events and VIP visits to the country. >

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AEROMEXICO

LANGUAGE BRIDGES, NOT BARRIERS

TO ASIA AND BEYOND In the last two years, Aeromexico has added 12 new international destinations, for a total of 45. The airline, a dedicated Boeing customer, is making good progress with a major fleet renewal that will soon see more 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliners. Central to its 2017 international consolidation strategy, Aeromexico will continue strengthening its global route network this year with a goal to increase South and Central

In 2006, Aeromexico flew its first flight to Asia – Tokyo via Tijuana.

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American flights by 15 percent, European flights by 30 percent, Canadian by 150 percent and Asian by 120 percent. According to Ojeda, Aeromexico will continue working hard to keep passengers loyal to the brand. He’s also confident that the recently launched Joint Cooperation Agreement with Delta Air Lines – which has a 49 percent stake in Aeromexico – will serve as a catalyst for growth in North America and improve cross-border connections, while also providing a great learning resource for its Asian market research teams going forward. “Now, with Delta and the alliance we have, we will learn a lot from them, as they have many flights to Asia and within Asia,” Ojeda says. “We will keep working to make our service better for our Asian passengers, and keep innovating. That’s what we need to do.”

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES; AEROMEXICO

Arguably, even more important than food when looking to help Asian passengers feel at home on board, is communication. Aeromexico offers more than half its in-flight entertainment catalog with Japanese, Chinese and Korean subtitles. Wi-Fi login portals and user interfaces are likewise adaptable for Chinese and Japanese (with Korean set to launch in September), as are booking sites. And perhaps the biggest indication of the airline’s commitment to language accessibility for Asian passengers is the fact that every flight departing Mexico for an Asian destination has a dedicated interpreter in tow. “We always have one or two translators on board,” Castañeda explains. “They don’t have any other service tasks, just translating for passengers. Our crews in Mexico do not speak Chinese, Japanese or Korean – it would be impossible to find such people – so we work with translators from those countries. Also, in Mexico [on the ground], we are providing connection and airport assistance in Japanese, Chinese and Korean.”

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TRENDS

HIGHER HOSPITALITY INSIDE: EXPERTS IN FOOD, WINE, BAR AND WELLNESS DISH OUT IN-FLIGHT SERVICE TRENDS

RICHARD BL AIS

The Culinary Jedi American chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television personality Richard Blais is best known as the winner of Top Chef All-Stars, a recurring judge on Top Chef and Master Chef, and as a Food Network regular. Although he experiments with daring techniques and ingredients on air, his new cookbook, So Good: 100 Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours, shows how he cooks when the cameras aren’t running.

MARC PLUMRIDGE

The Flying Barman If Virgin Atlantic is known for its cocktails, that’s largely because of its official mixologist Marc Plumridge, who has traveled around the world coming up with innovative drinks and teaching passengers how to make their own on board. As advocacy director of Bacardi’s Northern European division, he represents a wide array of brands, including Grey Goose, Bombay Sapphire, Martini and Dewar’s, as well as Bacardi.

MICHAEL JORDAN

The Wine Connoisseur One of only 15 people in the world to hold both Master Sommelier and Certified Wine Educator diplomas, Michael Jordan works across Jackson Family Wines’ entire portfolio, which includes 56 wineries in the US, France, Chile, South Africa, Australia and more. Jordan, who previously served as the global manager of Wine for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide, has credited his love for wine to a bottle of 1961 Musigny, which he tasted during a Christmas dinner with his mother – at just nine years old.

LIZ TERRY

The Wellness Whisperer Hospitality and wellness expert Liz Terry is the CEO of Leisure Media, where she began working 34 years ago – two years after the company was established. Leisure Media publishes a wide variety of magazines – covering topics ranging from spa to sport – distributed in more than 100 countries. The recipient of an MBE for her service to the publishing industry, Terry has participated in several Global Wellness Summits, where she’s shared her predictions about responsive environments and living structures.

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TRENDS

Woops, looks like your copy of the in-flight services trends guide, Higher Hospitality, is missing! Luckily, you can also find it online at apex.aero/higher-hospitality.

HIGHER HOSPITALITY READY-FOR-TAKEOFF TRENDS FROM EXPERTS IN FOOD, WINE, BAR AND WELLNESS

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Q&A

Christine De Gagné CABIN MARKETING MANAGER BOMBARDIER

Christine has more than a decade of aviation experience and has held various positions at Bombardier, from electrical engineer to customer account manager. She is currently responsible for defining the cabin market requirements for the C Series, CRJ Series and Q Series. Christine is a member of the International Aviation Womens Association and a mentor for the Women in Aerospace organization.

What makes Bombardier’s aircraft unique? There is so much heart and soul in Bombardier’s products. I know the people who design, build and sell them, and how passionate they are about revolutionizing air travel. Today, Bombardier’s aircraft are improving air travel by providing more capacity and increasing connectivity between small cities and large hubs. Is marketing to the end user a strategy for Bombardier? Since the C Series entered into service, passenger feedback has been extremely positive. I have witnessed amazing stories on social media, and I am very proud that the C Series cabin is delivering on its promises. What’s the biggest challenge for airframers right now? Technology is evolving much faster than we can certify it. How can airframers improve the airline industry as a whole? Airframers are the pioneers of innovation and have the power to influence and introduce new technology. Increasing collaboration with airlines and suppliers

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“Collaboration with airlines and suppliers from the early stages of development will benefit the industry as a whole.”

from the early stages of aircraft development will definitely benefit the industry as a whole. Did you choose the airline industry or did it choose you? The aerospace industry chose me. I was looking for a summer internship while doing my bachelor’s degree. At the time, my mother was working at the Joseph-Armand Bombardier museum and introduced me to someone who was working for the aerospace division. I have been in love with airplanes ever since the day I stepped

into Bombardier’s manufacturing facility as a summer intern in the Aircraft Systems Simulation department. Tell us about your involvement with Women in Aerospace. Women can have a significant impact in the aerospace industry. Having evolved for over a decade in this male-dominated industry, I understand the importance of building a strong network to support professional development and growth. I hope to mentor the next generation of women who wish to leave their mark in this fascinating world of aviation. What’s the most overlooked aspect in the airline industry? Economy-class comfort. What’s the career path you considered, but never followed? I would have liked to be a lawyer; I like to argue about what I believe is right. What will air travel look like in the future? More C Series aircraft to connect people around the world!

Q&A

LOCATION:

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NOW LISTENING TO:

“Something Just Like This” – The Chainsmokers and Coldplay FAVORITE AIRPORT:

CDG. I love to see my initials on the bag tags. FAVORITE AIRCRAFT:

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PASSPORT STAMP YOU WISH YOU HAD:

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHRISTINE DE GAGNE

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FAVORITE SOCIAL NETWORK:

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CRI

PUBLIC REL ATIONS

SI S MO D E HOW AN AIRLINE RESPONDS WHEN THINGS GO WRONG G CAN DETERMINE WHETHER AN INCIDENT IS SHRUGGED OFF OR TURNED INTO A PUBLIC L IC RELATIONS E L A N CRISIS. S I S. BY ARI MAGNUSSON

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Airline Passenger Experience Association

PUBLIC REL ATIONS

hen United Airlines gate agents stopped two girls from boarding a flight in March because of their attire, #leggingsgate went viral. But this was just a prelude to a much bigger public relations crisis that would break two weeks later – one that saw the routine logistical procedure of bumping passengers on overbooked flights metastasize into a full-blown crisis, whereby the public saw United’s image in the media spiral out of control. On the other side of the Atlantic, British Airways suffered widespread negative press coverage when an IT contractor accidently pulled the wrong plug at one of the airline’s data centers, also pulling the plug on the travel plans of some 75,000 travelers. It’s fair to say that the airline PR crisis has become one of the defining themes of 2017. But where does an airline gaff stop and a PR nightmare begin? Shashank Nigam, founder and CEO of airline marketing strategy firm SimpliFlying, believes the problem stems from airlines acting as

“WHEN AN AIRLINE ACTS HUMAN, THEY STAND OUT AND CONNECT ON A DEEPER LEVEL WITH THEIR CUSTOMERS.” SHASHANK NIGAM, SIMPLIFLYING

faceless corporate entities. “When an airline acts human, they stand out and connect on a deeper level with their customers,” he says. Twelve days after footage of a United passenger being dragged out of his seat was posted on social media, American Airlines got caught in its own incident. A video released online showed a flight attendant aggressively snatching a stroller from a passenger. Yet, it didn’t cause anywhere near the same level of harm as the United incident. Nigam says that’s because there was one key difference: The fallout was contained because the CEO of American Airlines received a press statement on his desk for approval within seven minutes of the video going viral and it was released on Twitter within 20 minutes. “That statement communicated clearly, not just as an apology, but what was being done to address the situation, which was to upgrade the lady to first class for the rest of her journey. That is the type of process that can prevent a crisis from getting out of hand,” Nigam says. >

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PUBLIC REL ATIONS

United’s CEO, Oscar Munoz, on the other hand, didn’t react to the viral video footage until 17 hours after it had been posted. When he did apologize, it was after the Chicago Tribune had already picked up on the story, says Richard Levick, chairman and CEO of Levick, a strategic communications and public affairs firm: “How can it be that in this digital age, the early warning system for executives and airlines is traditional media? That system has to be digital and social media.” “I think it’s so helpful for other airlines to look at this and realize that even if you’ve got a great leader like Oscar Munoz … you can make a series of tragic errors that compound a problem and turn what was a small inconvenience into a global problem that seriously threatens your most significant expansion market,” Levick notes. In the case of United Airlines, which had been pursuing expansion in China for 30 years, the fact that the passenger being dragged was Chinese put the airline’s reputation in the market in jeopardy: 200 million people in China viewed the video that day.

“THAT TOP-DOWN COMMUNICATION MODEL WE GREW UP WITH – IT WAS A MONOLOGUE. NOW IT’S A DIALOGUE.” RICHARD LEVICK, LEVICK

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But in an age where anything can be live streamed, is social media making it easier for airlines to repair their reputations? Levick thinks so, but only once airlines understand how the information revolution is changing things. “That top-down communication model that we grew up with, that model that we’ve all existed with for 70 years, where you controlled the advertising, the public relations, political funding and lobbying, and really controlled the message – it was a monologue. Now it’s a dialogue,” he says. “Airlines are going to have to treat their customers as customers and they’re going to have to build allies who will say good things about them.” A case in point is when film director Kevin Smith unleashed a Twitter tirade against Southwest Airlines in 2010 when he was removed from his flight because of his size. “Wanna tell me I’m too wide for the sky?” Smith posted on his Twitter account, which had 1.64 million followers at the time. The situation had the makings of a classic PR disaster were it not for the airline’s response: Southwest tweeted replies to Smith, including requests to communicate via direct messages, and wrote a blog post explaining the situation while explicitly apologizing. The situation played out in real time across the web, leading to a mass debate and social media users who came out in defense of the airline. “[Southwest’s] followers came to the rescue of the brand,” Nigam says. >

PUBLIC PR REL ATIONS

“THE AIRLINES THAT WIN ARE THE ONES THAT RECOGNIZE THAT EXTERNALITIES ARE TO BE DEALT WITH WHOLEHEARTEDLY RATHER THAN BE AVOIDED.” SHASHANK NIGAM, SIMPLIFLYING

But is the criticism directed toward airlines justified or is it part of a wider malaise in modern society? It’s a mix of both, Levick argues. “I think the challenge for companies is that there’s not the level of peacetime trust that used to exist. There’s no question that there are shorter fuses. Air travel has obviously become much less comfortable these last 20 years,” he says, explaining that other external factors such as 9/11 and increased air travel security have dramatically changed the experience of flying. Add the laptop bans for US and UK flights departing from certain airports in Muslim-majority countries, the Trump administration’s travel ban and Qatar’s diplomatic crisis that imposed flying restrictions on Qatar Airways and others – Nigam says 2017 has been an unpredictable year for

“THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT AN AIRLINE WILL HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL CRISIS SUCH AS DRAMATIC DELAYS OR OVERBOOKING SITUATIONS.” RICHARD LEVICK, LEVICK

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the airline industry. “All of these impact airlines and their customers directly. The airlines that win are the ones that recognize that externalities are to be dealt with wholeheartedly rather than be avoided,” he says. “With the electronics ban, airlines dealt with it very differently. You had the likes of Emirates, which started bubble wrapping laptops within a couple of days and checking them into the cargo hold in very sturdy branded boxes, whereas other airlines struggled because they did not know how to react.” Levick argues that airlines that give people what they want are the ones that have been able to turn customers into allies. “When airlines do that, they build their trust bank, and as a result, customers, bloggers, social media and shareholders are willing to forgive their errors,” he says. “There is an absolute certainty that an airline will have a fundamental crisis such as dramatic delays or overbooking situations. If people have a high trust bank, feel that the airline really cares, that will provide a prophylactic that no airline could afford to be without.”

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SOLUTIONS

S OLU TION S

ROUNDTABLE

Face Value

THE PANEL John Wagner

Deputy Assistant Commissioner, US Customs and Border Protection

Sean Farrell

Airlines and airports are mulling over the possibility of biometrics in hopes of streamlining operations. But are travelers ready to volunteer their most personal data? BY JASMIN LEGATOS | COLLAGES BY Ã&#x201C;SCAR MATAMORA

Head of Portfolio Management, Government Solutions, SITA

Jay Stanley

Senior Policy Analyst, Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, American Civil Liberties Union

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ROUNDTABLE

resident Donald Trump’s original executive order barring foreign nationals from seven Muslimmajority countries from entering the United States dominated headlines in 2017. Though the travel ban received the bulk of the attention, section 7 of the order, which called for “expedited completion of the Biometric Entry-Exit Tracking System,” by comparison, flew under the radar. But a biometric exit system has the potential to completely upend the travel experience for both foreigners and US citizens at American airports – some say for the better and others, for the worse. Its proponents claim it will improve border security and minimize documentation for travelers to show at the airport, while critics worry about privacy implications and the risk of putting a computer in charge of verifying someone’s identity.

BIOMETRIC EXIT: A BRIEF HISTORY Many governments use outgoing border control to determine who is entering and exiting the country. Until recently, that’s not how it worked in the US. “Airports in the United States weren’t designed to accommodate an exit process,” explains John Wagner, deputy assistant commissioner at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “In some ways, we’re trying to replicate a lot of what the rest of the world has been doing for many years, but we are trying to do it in an automated fashion that will be quick and efficient.”

Instead of setting up checkpoints that take up valuable airport real estate, automatic processing using biometric technology could be applied at any point in the traveler’s journey, be it at check-in or at the gate. For CBP, facial biometrics is the way forward. It’s cost-effective, and thanks to the advent of e-passports, there is already a stockpile of images government agencies can use to determine a person’s identity, Wagner says. In a smartphoneobsessed world, it’s also the least intrusive.

“Airports in the United States weren’t designed to accommodate an exit process.” JOHN WAGNER, US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

CBP’s facial recognition initiative was also touted by APEX CEO Joe Leader as being a better alternative to Trump’s electronic ban, which if expanded, he said, would “damage personal freedoms integral to international air travel.” The US has been collecting international visitors’ fingerprints and facial scans since the mid-1990s, explains Sean Farrell, head of Portfolio Management, Government Solutions, SITA, which provides IT and communication solutions, including selfservice kiosks, to many of the world’s airports. Capturing outbound biometrics that can be matched to the data collected upon entry allows the US government to determine whether visitors have overstayed their visas, he adds. >

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ROUNDTABLE

“It’s about becoming a document-free process.” SEAN FARRELL, SITA

Trump’s executive order isn’t the first time a biometric entry-exit tracking system has been mandated. It was first signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996, and was a key suggestion in the 9/11 Commission’s 2004 report. Congress has passed seven different laws requiring entryexit screenings, but high cost, inadequate technology and airlines’ refusal to collect and process biometric data from travelers leaving the US resulted in delay after delay. Such impediments seem to have fallen to the wayside: Congress has pledged $1 billion toward entry-exit over the next 10 years; the technology has made great strides since the idea was first legislated more than two decades ago; and airlines are getting on board. Automated facial recognition technology at passport control is already in use at Tokyo’s Haneda and Narita international airports, and trials are underway at other airports around the world, including Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, and Brisbane Airport in Australia. SITA is also working on end-to-end processing at Hamad International Airport, where biometric data is captured at security and then verified at boarding.

THE FUTURE IS NOW In June, CBP partnered with SITA and JetBlue to offer travelers flying between Boston’s Logan and Aruba’s Queen Beatrix international airports the opportunity to try biometric boarding. Passengers get their photo snapped at the boarding gate, and seconds later, without having to show their boarding pass or passport, receive confirmation to board. Simple, right? What’s actually happening behind the scenes is more complex. For every flight, CBP

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ROUNDTABLE

culls images from the flight manifest provided by the airline, passports, visas, immigration papers or photos already in its database. When a passenger has his or her photo taken, the facial recognition algorithm matches the live photo with what’s in the database and returns a yay or nay to proceed with boarding. Delta Air Lines also launched some biometric trials in the summer. Sky Miles members at Reagan National Airport were able to access the Sky Club lounge, check a bag and board their flight using fingerprints as ID. And similar to the JetBlue experiment, in partnership with CBP, travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson and John F.

“You will ... drop off your bags, look into a camera or have your irises scanned ... It’s going to be more self-service.” SEAN FARRELL, SITA

Kennedy international airports were able to pass through facial recognition gates before gaining access to the boarding area. Pointing to the JetBlue and Delta examples, Farrell and Wagner explain that biometric processing can permeate the entire passenger experience. “It’s about becoming a document-free process,” Farrell says. “As this type of technology becomes more ubiquitous, you will have this experience throughout the entire airport. You will walk into the airport, drop

off your bags, look into a camera or have your irises scanned. You will do the same at security and at boarding. It’s going to be a lot more self-service, which passengers generally like; it’s going to be much simpler and faster.”

SURVEILLANCE STATE Under the entry-exit legislation, only foreign nationals are subject to biometric screening. But to identify foreign nationals, American citizens would have to provide their biometrics, too. The biometric data of American citizens would be discarded, Wagner says, while the data of foreign nationals, which CBP has no legal obligation to discard, could be kept for future reference. But this explanation hasn’t assuaged the worries of privacy advocates. “We’re just skeptical that these applications are going to remain confined to the uses they are being talked about today,” Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst with the Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), says. Though Stanley agrees that every country has the right to know who is crossing its borders, the ACLU worries that biometric identification will normalize powerful surveillance technologies. He can envision face templates being collected to track a person’s movement beyond the airport. Best practices, in his opinion, would mean discarding – and not repurposing – unnecessary data. >

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ROUNDTABLE MRO

Before facial recognition can facilitate existing airport processes, Wagner says, there are privacy issues that need to be worked out. He asserts that CBP works closely with a privacy officer to ensure the collection, storage and sharing of data is consistent with legislation. However, Stanley thinks biometric processing has its flaws: “It seems like a silly use of technology with a high error rate.” He points to studies that find facial recognition technologies that are not blind to racial bias. According to a report from Georgetown University’s Center on Privacy and Technology, AfricanAmericans, women and younger subjects are more likely to be falsely rejected by biometric systems than older Caucasian males. The report also revealed that some algorithms contain biases based on where they were developed. For example, a facial recognition algorithm devised in East Asia might better identify East Asians over Caucasians.

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“It seems like a silly use of technology with a high error rate.” JAY STANLEY, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

Facial recognition software isn’t perfect, but it is extremely accurate, Farrell says. “You would see about a 97 percent success rate of matching a person’s live biometrics [the photo snapped on-site] against their previously captured biometrics in a database … It’s more accurate than trying to verify someone against their passport given the use of fraudulent documents.” Wagner adds, “At the end of the day, it’s a human being that’s going to be using other factors, or the totality

of the situation, to make a [decision]. Really the technology just advises us: ‘Does the algorithm think the person is the person in the document?’”

WHERE NEXT? Over the next 18 months, Farrell thinks we’ll start to see active proofs of concept come into play. It’s clearly the direction that all airports, not just those in the United States, are headed. New terminals are being built with biometric technology in mind. At Singapore’s Changi Airport, Terminal 4, which is expected to open at the end of 2017, will be equipped with multiple biometric capabilities, from iris scanning to facial recognition to fingerprinting. Farrell warns, however, that for biometric technology to fulfill its potential, it can’t be an afterthought to an existing process. It would be redundant, he says, to scan a barcode at boarding and also have your facial biometrics captured. “That would just make the process longer, not simpler.”

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Q&A

NOW WATCHING:

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Thinking, Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman ANY WORDS OF WISDOM?

Follow your passions and success will follow.

THE FUTURE OF FLIGHT WILL BE:

PHOTOS: DESIGNWORKS

More digitalized

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Q&A

Neil Brooker

GLOBAL DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PARTNERING, CREATIVE CONSULTING AND OPERATIONS DESIGNWORKS, A BMW GROUP COMPANY

Neil is responsible for fostering Designworks’ relationships, developing consulting opportunities and leading operations. Prior to joining the company, he was the general manager of Frog Design’s Austin studio. Neil graduated from the University of Southampton, England, with a bachelor’s degree in business and economics, and earned a master’s in business administration from the University of Southern California.

What commercial aviation projects have you been working on? We are bringing new tools and processes from our automotive practice into our aviation interiors projects. For one airline client, we were able to quickly create a full-size interior business-class seat by using rapid prototyping. This allowed us to understand the space and layout of the environment before we went too deep into the concept. We then layered a VR experience on top of the model to quickly conceive and adapt the features of the seat environment. What do the automotive and aviation industries share? Long product development cycles and the need to meet strict regulatory requirements have always been common in both industries. But as we move toward

Natural materials used in BMW’s i Inside Future concept add warmth to “cool” technology.

greater connectivity and autonomous driving, we are seeing even more convergence. Passenger expectations for connectivity are impacting both the aviation and automotive industries and heightening the need to integrate personal devices on board. As we move toward fully autonomous vehicles, we are thinking more about what passengers are doing when they are not driving. This becomes very much about defining the future passenger experience and what passengers are doing in the car, similar to what we see in other forms of transportation, such as air travel. What technologies should the aircraft interiors industry watch out for? Connectivity can be a significant enabler and differentiator, if applied to the right opportunities. Designworks was recently asked to innovate around the connected cabin experience and look holistically at how airline connectivity can provide a better experience, not only for the passengers, but also for the crew and maintenance teams. For passengers, though, connectivity has to be relevant and desired. Personalization through mobile devices, augmented reality, beacon technology or simply better infrastructure is providing seamlessly connected journeys. We are experimenting to see how health and wellness can be improved in a smart cabin environment. It is also interesting to

see how innovation in adjacent mobility industries on the ground might affect the aviation industry as vehicles become autonomous, drone technology becomes available and new forms of travel, like Hyperloop, are imagined. What are some material and design trends for interior spaces? As we found in a recent rebranding project with Delta, new color, trim materials and configurations offer the chance to differentiate between classes and services of travel and create more multidimensional and rich expressions. As explained in the BMW i Inside Future concept, we see a persistent trend in the “warming of technology” through natural materials. By encasing technology in natural woods, fibers or even preserved reindeer moss, we are responding to a desire for warm, human, inviting spaces.

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SKYfi club – Your mobile theatre Staying in touch and streaming content via smartphones, tablets and laptops are now top wishes for air travellers. And SKYfi is one of the most advanced and cost-effective ways to meet these demands – for satisfied passengers who keep coming back. Plus, SKYfi club lets you create personalised entertainment and information programmes streamed directly to passengers’ devices – for the ultimate in in-flight customisation.

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IFE

Discovery Channel Connectivity is enabling IFE interfaces to evolve more frequently, giving passengers new content to explore and a refreshed experience every time they fly. BY CAROLINE KU | ILLUSTRATIONS BY NICOLĂ S VENTURELLI

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eaktor has been experimenting with Finnair’s in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) platforms since 2013, designing a system optimized to evolve over time. “Our goal was to open up the ecosystem, a path, which would allow Finnair more freedom in creating better services for its customers over the long term,” wrote Aapo Kojo, senior consultant at Reaktor, on the company’s blog in 2015. That was the year the airline launched its Nordic Sky IFEC platforms and introduced Wi-Fi on its first Airbus A350 XWB aircraft. Like many other IFE systems, the Nordic Sky entertainment portal features movies, music, route maps, airplane camera views and a snacks and drinks menu. The airline’s Wi-Fi portal, which won an APEX Award for Best In-Flight Connectivity Innovation last year, enables passengers to browse the Internet, preorder duty-free goods, shop and book tours or ground transportation. But these features aren’t the breakthrough innovation that Kojo describes in his blog post; it was running the node.js platform on the in-flight server that gave Finnair end-toend control of its IFE services – that was the “big moment in aviation.”

“To build very good user experiences, one should treat IFE systems as a digital service that undergoes constant evolution, the way modern applications, web services and other software work,” says Konsta Hansson, general manager, Reaktor. “Most IFE systems flying today have been developed as one-off entertainment boxes that never change. They quickly become obsolete when compared to the rest of the world and how software develops.” Squarish seatback screens with graphical user interfaces that comply with ancient aspect ratios, and have visible pixels and touch screens that respond seconds later, still exist on older aircraft. Dominique Giannoni, CEO of Thales Inflyt Experience, recalls encountering one: “It was like it was frozen in the ’90s.” These IFE interfaces are updated every five years, he says, maybe longer – eons for passengers who are used to receiving app or operating system updates on their own devices every week. “Until now, the in-seat system has been very static – very different from daily life where everything is [always] moving,” Giannoni says. “We need to have infrastructure that enables quick-change technology.” >

“Until now, the in-seat system has been very static.” DOMINIQUE GIANNONI, THALES INFLYT EXPERIENCE

Challenges Passengers Face With plans to extend Finnair’s IFEC platforms beyond the cabin, Reaktor is evisioning passengers’ journeys from start to finish, and some of the questions they might pose along the way.

Pre-flight

Airport

How do I check-in? Do I need an extra bag? How can I get a businessclass upgrade?

Where is my boarding pass? Do I need to queue to check-in? Where is my gate? How much time to boarding?

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Flight

How long is the flight? Can I get something to eat? Can I buy anything? What is the destination like?

Transfer Where does my connecting flight leave from? How do I get to the new gate?

Arrival

Destination

Where do I pick up my bag? How do I get into the city?

How do I check-in for the return flight?

SOURCE: Reaktor

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IFE

NAVIGATING THE IFE

DEREK ELLIS, MASSIVE

Massive worked with Qantas on its latest IFE interface, which uses a “content-first” design approach and multiple discovery methods to support different user types.

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next screen presents passengers with the entertainment menu, so they can decide whether to launch into a two-hour film or catch a 20-minute episode before their meal arrives. Better navigation and UX is also a payoff for airlines, some of which spend an estimated $20 million per year on content. “They have such amazing content, but often it can be hidden or missed,” says Derek Ellis, co-founder and chief creative officer at Massive, a studio specializing in digital video platforms, that has worked with Qantas and IAG group low-cost carrier Level. “Our job as user interface designers is to put that content in front of the user.” His company recently redesigned a 10-year-old IFE system, using its current catalog. Emphasis was placed on presentation and discovery strategies, and the results were remarkable: Net Promoter Scores soared, passengers thought there was much more content and they were able to find what they wanted faster – “All because we changed how the content is presented and grouped,” Ellis says. >

PHOTO: MASSIVE

“They have such amazing content but often it can be missed.”

At first sight, a new IFE interface can spur excitement and a sense of discovery in a passenger, but these optimistic feelings can quickly dissolve into confusion when key information is buried deep in the navigation menu, and further into disappointment when the user experience (UX) falls flat. “Depending on the interface, you might make five or 10 steps more before you finally get to the movie,” Giannoni says. “During this time, psychologically, your frustration is building because you know you have a fixed time on the aircraft.” The flashy carousels and animations of popcorn popping that play before a movie aren’t helping either. They only delay users from the instant gratification they’ve come to expect. “These are visual effects,” Michael Holler, senior consultant, Reaktor, says. “They give no information to the user and they take up time.” For this reason, Finnair’s Nordic Sky is built with a low navigational hierarchy. The estimated time of arrival and the status of the journey are displayed on the home screen without requiring any action from the passenger. “We made the conscious decision that the first screen tells people about the status of their flight, where they are, what’s happening, information that’s relevant to them, so they can plan their stay on the aircraft,” Hansson says. The

IFE

“IFE systems should undergo constant evolution.” KONSTA HANSSON, REAKTOR

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MULTIPLE USERS, ONE IFE SYSTEM One of the challenges of designing an IFE interface is the broad user base, which can be as diverse as the world’s population. Many airlines have attempted to overcome this by addressing language barriers, taking a step toward personalization with multilingual interfaces. But Ellis says there should also be consistent behaviors that enable passengers to quickly learn a system, regardless of their language, abilities or technical competence. Massive Interactive, which also works with BBC, Deutsche Telekom, Foxtel and Lionsgate, is already seeing these elements in consumer video entertainment services. This is where Ellis sees connectivity coming into play. For instance, on long-haul flights, a session-based strategy in the IFE system could track what a passenger watches or “favorites,” and make recommendations, provide a list of recently viewed items, group and bring certain functions to the forefront, culminating in the feeling of personalized technology. Hansson agrees that the next wave of improvements to IFE systems will come in the form of connected solutions.

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PHOTO: FINNAIR

Navigation with low hierarchy, such as showing the flight status on the home screen, is essential for a pleasant UX.

Reaktor is exploring opportunities in syncing passengers’ mobile devices with the seatback system, similar to what Singapore Airlines has achieved with its companion app, and also how the IFE platform can be extended beyond the cabin. “We’ve also been playing with moods,” Holler says, explaining that they’re experimenting with how UX could react to the type of content passengers are in the mood for. “Am I just passing time? Do I want to be entertained, work or just watch something before I fall asleep?” Combined with data analytics, chatbots and artificial intelligence, personalized technology could help establish one-on-one relationships with passengers through the IFE system, especially as buy-on-board and duty-free shopping services are integrated with the IFE system and passengers interact more with an airline through the seatback screen or their own devices than through face time with flight crew. “Good UX design can provide a system that positively contributes to the airline’s brand experience, customer loyalty and overall passenger enjoyment of each flight,” Ellis says. “A well-crafted UX strategy and UI enable passengers to find and play content easily and support an airline’s overall customer experience strategy by providing a positive branded experience. This assists in building brand affinity and return customers.”

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Q&A

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Beyond our expectations

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Q&A

Duncan Abell VP CREATIVE GLOBAL EAGLE

Duncan oversees the Creative teams at Global Eagle. He provides a holistic approach to presenting, promoting and adding value to the in-flight entertainment experience. He understands the importance of differentiation in graphical user interfaces, safety videos, magazines, websites, applications and IFE branding, and how these can influence the passenger experience, and in turn, a customer’s decision-making process. Faster connectivity means embedded IFE systems might no longer be a sustainable option. What are your thoughts? It will be interesting to have this conversation in 15 years to see which twists and turns occur. Bandwidth and coverage will increase and no doubt become cheaper. However, the weight of content is also increasing. With VR, UHD and 8K all in the pipeline, the business model for pure pipe to the plane without on-demand onboard servers could be financially crippling. The likelihood is that other satellite orbit options will be introduced and the blend of entertainment use cases for passengers will evolve. From flights of one hour to 16 hours and beyond, the goal for Global Eagle is to provide services across all devices and on a personalized basis. Ultimately, this will match the financial investment demands of the airline, as a hybrid blend of seatback, streaming and mobile options make up the cabin space. Is the idea of personalized PaxEx and IFE bearing fruit? We are benefiting from the insights gathered from our Crystal Cabin Awardwinning Airtime portal data. As this product continues to mature, we will be delivering more personalized content and targeted advertising. Our roadmap for

“From flights of one to 16 hours, the goal is to provide services across all devices on a personalized basis.” the travel experience will combine not just the entertainment consumption habits of individuals, but also make the most of airline traffic data. This will provide a unique data viewpoint, which can tailor how the airline communicates directly with every traveler. How important is data in shaping Global Eagle’s digital products? Data is the backbone of the future. Global Eagle is investing heavily on capturing airline and traveler information, so that we can better serve, inform and suggest ways to improve the future traveler experience. The data will provide insight on a more granular level, which in turn will offer greater opportunity to be more personalized, relevant and targeted in communication with the traveler.

The main challenges are the volume of data and security. Addressing volume, we are already adopting scalable architectural infrastructure. Tackling data security is of paramount importance and is being followed on a case-by-case and region-by-region basis, as technology and the personal sharing of information go global. How is Global Eagle emerging from the legal and financial turmoil that hit the company last year? Last year was a growth and consolidation period, which galvanized the direction of the company, while addressing the financial complexities of bringing together numerous companies. Jeff Leddy’s succession to Dave Davis as CEO has provided fresh direction and continuation of growth across Global Eagle’s strong base offering. What immediate change would you make to improve the passenger experience? More space, fewer seats, greater pitch – which are financially impractical. So, more realistically, every aircraft, irrespective of flight length, to be equipped with connectivity and an onboard streaming server, powered by a CDN [content delivery network] holding the widest choice of aggregated content for the travel experience.

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ACCESSIBILIT Y

Travelers With Hidden Disabilities Some disabilities are immediately perceptible. Others lie beneath the surface, but require the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attention nonetheless.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

BY KATIE SEHL

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ACCESSIBILIT Y

he airline industry has codes for everything. More than 100 passenger type codes, 33 meal codes and innumerable fare codes are routinely whisked into the alphabet soup of airline operations. But despite the high level of codified nuance, travelers with disabilities are typically painted with a broad brush, designated by only three letters: PRM, Passenger With Reduced Mobility. For those with hidden disabilities, having this designation can feel like playing Wheel of Fortune. If you’re a hearing-impaired traveler who’s missed a flight because of an unheard gate-change announcement, or arrived at an airport to find staff waiting with an unneeded wheelchair, you’re probably thinking, “Buy a vowel.” The word “disability” often conjures up wheelchair pictograms, crutches, walkers and concepts associated with physical disabilities, but in fact, up to 80 percent are hidden, or not immediately apparent. When measured against the estimated one billion people with disabilities, that amounts to roughly 800 million, or one in every six people dealing with an invisible disability.

“PRM” is the airline code for a passenger with reduced mobility.

“With a hidden disability, people tend to look at you as being too fussy.” DAVE COUTTIE, TRAVELER

Hidden disabilities encompass a broad category, including cognitive impairments such as autism, dementia and attention deficit disorder; psychological disabilities such as anxiety-related issues, posttraumatic stress disorder and depression; sensory impairments that affect seeing, breathing and hearing; and other disabilities such as celiac disease, chronic pain, diabetes or fibromyalgia, among others. Some hidden disabilities, such as Crohn’s disease or chronic fatigue syndrome, may require reduced mobility services at times, and others never.

PARALYMPIC STRIDES The overstimulating and often stressful airport experience can be tantamount to an Olympic obstacle course for travelers with hidden disabilities. Lengthy queues, crowds, flashy signs, funky fragrances, stressful security checks and long distances are among the stressors that can have a severe impact. Making an airport accessible for every disability has its challenges, but a number of airport operators have taken up the torch. And it’s no coincidence that these accessibility initiatives tend to coincide with a city’s bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, where the convergence of public awareness, advocacy groups, government investment and regulatory bodies might fast-track needed improvements. >

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assistance, which makes creating an infrastructure that enables travelers to be independent just as important. The CAA recommends safeguarding quiet areas to allow those with sensory or stress-related impairments to unwind. Providing a shortcut around the retail area, or a “fragrance-free” pathway, like the one introduced by Vancouver International Airport, go a long way to helping travelers with asthma, respiratory issues and sensory-related disabilities. London Gatwick Airport is seeking to invest in two sensory rooms for people seeking relief from overstimulation. Familiarization days at airports, test flights and additional resources that allow travelers to prepare for their trip help to further reduce anxiety, and are particularly helpful for families traveling with children with autism who are uneasy about purchasing airline tickets that may not get used. Technology can empower, and just as easily disempower, travelers with disabilities. San Francisco International tested a beacon-powered smartphone app to help visually impaired travelers navigate airports. In addition to its text-to-speech-friendly website, Narita International Airport offers a voicecontrolled concierge app, NariCo, to help travelers navigate the airport and make the most of its facilities, along with a speech-to-speech translation app, NariTra. Meanwhile, with self-service check-in and bag-drop kiosks replacing agents at airports globally, the need for braille keyboards is paramount. >

One in six people has a hidden disability.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

In the wake of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, airports in the United Kingdom developed more nuanced approaches for travelers with hidden disabilities. Last summer, London Heathrow Airport claimed the mantle of the world’s first dementiafriendly airport, creating a training center for frontline staff, including a 1,050member special assistance team called “Dementia Friends.” Inspired by Parasport teams deployed during the Paralympics, Senior Trained Additional Assistance Role teams were educated to better serve travelers with hidden disabilities, with a special focus on dementia, autism and visual and hearing impairments. Brisbane Airport in Australia launched a similar program this summer. Since hidden disabilities are, by definition, hidden, finding travelers who may need special assistance can be tricky. New guidelines introduced by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) last December recommend that airports provide travelers with the option of wearing a lanyard or bracelet – an approach that’s been adopted by London Southend Airport and Birmingham Airport. Not everyone, however, wants to call attention to his or her disability or rely on

ACCESSIBILIT Y

More Than Meets the Eye Awareness is key to

SERVICE SPECTRUMS Having a disability that isn’t immediately apparent to others comes with certain stigmas. “With a hidden disability, people tend to look at you as being too fussy, which can lead to them being less accommodating,” shares Dave Couttie, a Fort Worth-based traveler who experiences severe claustrophobia when he flies. On one flight from Panama to Toronto, he found himself short of breath. “I couldn’t breathe, panicked and had to take extra anxiety medication,” he says. “If I could have, I would have jumped.” On a different trip, Couttie had a much more positive experience when a flight attendant offered him an extra drink and talked to him to keep his mind off the flight. But asking for extra assistance isn’t always easy. “Help is a hard thing for a guy to ask for in what many people would consider to be simple flight,” Couttie says. Offering the wrong kind of help, such as a wheelchair for someone who doesn’t require one, can cause embarrassment or guilt, and be a deterrent for someone asking for future assistance. As Joseph Magliano, professor of Cognitive and Instructional Psychology and director of the Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy at Northern Illinois University, explains in Psychology Today, “When someone who ‘looks normal’ claims to have a disability and requests special accommodations, observers might question whether a real disability is involved.” As a result, “Some people with invisible disabilities might be willing

to conceal their conditions and forego accommodations,” which can lead to bad experiences. The promise of a personalized in-flight experience has the potential to break down these barriers. Panasonic Avionics’ in-flight entertainment and connectivity solution, NEXT, allows travelers to sync accessibility settings from their smart devices directly to the embedded seatback screen via the companion app. “Anything from language preferences, closed captions, font size and color preferences can be read across automatically without the passenger having to disclose to their surrounding area that they need the special setup,” says Jon Norris, Panasonic Avionics’ senior director, Corporate Sales and Marketing. “The system will just take care of it.” >

promoting services for people with invisible disabilities and reducing stigma. These are some of the most common hidden disabilities.

• Autism • Psychiatric disabilities: examples include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder • Traumatic brain injury • Epilepsy • Diabetes • Chronic fatigue syndrome • Cystic fibrosis • Attention deficit disorder or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) • Learning disabilities

Hidden disabilities encompass everything from autism to celiac disease.

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The system also offers the functionality to take this a step further. Using the companion app, passengers can opt to share information about their disability with the airline. “It would allow passengers to make the crew aware of their disability without having to draw attention to themselves,” Norris says. “The airline could then prompt the crew with the recommended approach, for example, or with particular things to take into account.” If a passenger syncs an app that notifies crew when hydration levels are low, a flight attendant could even be notified to bring the individual a glass of water. Inspired by biometric technology Ford is developing for automobiles, researchers at Delft University of Technology and Zodiac Aerospace have

collaborated on a project that holds similar potential. Called Flightbeat, the system uses seat sensors to read passenger heart rate data and discreetly monitor well-being. If the system detects someone is unwell, flight attendants can be notified. This type of solution would be helpful for travelers with physiological disabilities or cognitive impairments that can lead to high levels of stress and anxiety. Flying has made the world more accessible, but if you’re a person with a hidden disability, getting to that family reunion, or embarking on a business trip or even personal vacation can feel less reachable. For Couttie, the pressure he feels when flying makes him think twice before booking a flight. “It reduces the distance I’m willing to go and how often I travel,” he says. Indeed, people with disabilities travel 33 percent less than the general public. Broadening understanding of disabilities to include a wider spectrum of impairments is an opportunity to expand everyone’s horizons.

“It would allow passengers to make the crew aware of their disability without having to draw attention to themselves.” JON NORRIS PANASONIC AVIONICS

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

People with disabilities travel 33% less than the general public.

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TRAVELOGUE

The People You Meet at the Airport If you take the time to notice your fellow travelers, this is whom you may encounter. BY KRISTINA VELAN | ILLUSTRATIONS BY FRANCISCO OLEA

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TRAVELOGUE

THE THREE-COURSE-MEAL DINER If a flight is long enough that it’s likely you’ll get hungry, chances are food will be available on the airplane, either as part of a complimentary meal service or for purchase. So I find it impressive when travelers take the time to dine at the airport. I’ve watched as these travelers peruse the menu, lingering over the selection of appetizers, main courses and desserts. When the food arrives, they’re in no hurry to chow everything down. They slowly guide the dangling strands of cheese harnessed onto tortilla chips from their nacho appetizer like upside-down anchors into their mouths while diving into deep conversation with a couple sitting at the next table – all while maintaining a carefree state. One of the only times I sat down for a meal at an airport restaurant was when my 6 p.m. flight from Montreal to Los Angeles was postponed by several hours. I was disappointed that I wouldn’t make it to La La Land for a late dinner date, but excited to experience what it was like to be a sit-down airport diner. The calmness and fullness I felt while boarding was foreign, but satisfying.

THE DUTY-FREE SHOPPER

lthough I like to think of myself as an efficient person, my family and friends comment on my recurrent tardiness. I’m usually five to 10 minutes late, but it’s because I can almost always find a way to make more of my time by squeezing in an errand, stopping by the dry cleaner on the way to the restaurant or fitting in a yoga class hours before leaving on a work trip. I seem to have inherited this from my mom, who, when I was eight years old, planned a family road trip across Europe that lasted less than three weeks and spanned 10 cities in six countries Because I aim to arrive at the airport just on time – if I’m checking my luggage, that’s about 10 to 15 minutes before the bag-drop cut-off – I’m puzzled when my traveling companions suggest leaving for the airport three to four hours before the scheduled departure. Even an occasional traveler would end up spending weeks of their life at airports if they showed up that early to every flight. Many prefer arriving early to avoid anxiety, but being trapped in the terminal, ruminating about all the things I could have crossed off multiple to-do lists, is what triggers my anxiety. As a frequent traveler, I’ve come to observe the habits of other people in the airport, which generally fit into one or more of the following categories.

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When I spot travelers leisurely flipping through magazines and reading dust jackets at airport bookstores, or sampling perfume after perfume, I imagine Michael Scott from The Office calling out, “Time is money, people!” Think about how many e-mails they could have responded to during those 20 minutes, or how many calories they could have burned on a pre-trip jog or a brisk walk around the terminal. >

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TRAVELOGUE

Stocking up at the airport duty-free shop seems a little inconvenient. I’ve seen travelers carrying armloads of regulation transparent bags, containing lipstick sets, bottles of liquor, cases of cigarettes and oddly shaped souvenirs. I’m just as eager to benefit from a deal as the next discount shopper, but the possibility that such purchases would slow me down during my travels has dissuaded me from doing the same. Granted, if I ever had any extra room in my checked baggage, my opinion concerning duty-free shopping sprees might differ.

THE SWEATY STRESSER Earlier this year, I was in the security line at Montreal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, en route to Berlin for APEX MultiMedia Market, when I witnessed something that almost knocked my socks off, before I even removed my shoes! A man in a suit, a sweat and a panic pounced ahead of me, spewing something about missing his flight. I stepped aside, smiling calmly at him and finding solace in the fact that I had a full 20 minutes before boarding for my flight began. Then, I caught a glimpse of his boarding pass. His flight was boarding after mine! I stared at him in disbelief. These travelers are the ones who diligently follow the “arrive at the airport three hours before your departure time” rule and still worry about missing their flight. They rush to their gate only to be there 15, 30, 45 minutes early, unperturbed. I am secretly jealous of them. They are free from torturous thoughts like, “You could have unloaded the dishwasher before you left” and “You’re wasting time; go sample some perfume!” They sit in relaxed silence, charging their devices, which, by the way, they could probably also do on the airplane.

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THE EXTREMELY EFFICIENT, SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC TRAVELER So who am I? All of these personas combined, moving in fast-forward. It begins with an online check-in (including window seat selection), followed by a possible stop by the bag-drop and hop through the Nexus security and/or customs line using a digital boarding pass, of course. Then, I grab a granola bar, pack of gum and the latest issue of Vogue or the Economist, depending on my mood. If I can, I’ll sniff a couple of fragrances at the duty-free shop on the way to pick up a coffee or a matcha green tea latte. On the very rare occasion that I have 15 minutes to spare, I’ll contemplate whether there’s time to get a massage. The first boarding call is the signal to head to the gate, but not before a visit to the water bottle refill and human body empty stations. Fact: You can easily fit a pre-flight bathroom trip in between the first and final boarding call. At the gate, I’ll catch my breath until the boarding line dwindles to the last few stragglers, feeling a sense of triumph that I ticked off all of the items on my airport to-do list. I once read that if you’ve never missed a flight, you’ve spent too much time at airports. Believe it or not, I have yet to miss a single one, despite hearing my name called over the loud speaker more than twice. Perhaps I should cut it even closer next time.

NEWS

Headlines

Top news stories from the airline and passenger experience industries.

PHOTO: EASYJET

HARD BREXIT, HARDER LANDING? The threat of a hard Brexit has the executives of Europe’s second-biggest low-cost carrier preparing for the worst. EasyJet announced on July 14 plans to set up a new airline headquartered in Vienna so it can continue operating intra-European flights after the United Kingdom leaves the 28-member state bloc in 2019, should the UK and EU fail to agree to a new deal to replace the European

Common Aviation Area (ECAA). Following talks with transport secretary Chris Grayling in August, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said, “We believe the French and the German airlines, in particular, are actively negotiating against any favorable deal.” In February, Lufthansa’s CEO, Carsten Spohr, said he would oppose any post-Brexit attempts by easyJet or British Airways to reenter the ECAA.

“We believe the French and German airlines are actively negotiating against any favorable deal.” MICHAEL O’LEARY, RYANAIR

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NEWS

FREE-FOR-ALL IN-FLIGHT WI-FI Surveys over the past couple of years have consistently shown voracious appetite among passengers for connectivity at 35,000 feet. Can airlines lure more bandwidth-hungry travelers to fly with them by expanding their offers of free in-flight Wi-Fi? Emirates has extended its free in-flight Wi-Fi service to all passengers, albeit with strings attached. The airline’s Skywards Platinum and Gold members now have access to free, unlimited Wi-Fi during flight, regardless of their class of travel. However, economy-class passengers and non-Skywards members are limited to 20 MB of free data consumed within the first two hours after logging in. In June, Japan Airlines began offering free, unlimited in-flight Wi-Fi to all passengers on domestic routes. The Gogo Ku-band customer previously charged $3.50 for 30 minutes of connectivity or $4.50 for the duration of a flight. But it isn’t just full-service carriers that are expanding their free connectivity offerings. A spokesperson for Norwegian Air said the airline is planning to offer complimentary in-flight connectivity to passengers on transatlantic flights on both its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and MAX 8 aircraft within a year. The low-cost carrier signed a five-year deal with Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE) to continue providing onboard Wi-Fi, live television and in-flight entertainment on its fleet of 117 Boeing 737NGs. A statement by GEE confirmed the deal includes options to equip additional 737 aircraft on transatlantic routes, but did not mention whether this also applies to Norwegian’s Dreamliner fleet.

FASTER CONNECTIVITY: INMARSAT EAN Inmarsat launched its satellite for the European Aviation Network (EAN) aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana on June 28. However, the following week, ViaSat, Eutelsat and Panasonic lodged a complaint with the European Court of Justice, pursuing a ban on the continent-wide service. The litigants argue the S-band radio spectrum license that Inmarsat obtained in 2009 is meant for rural satellite broadband, and not the air-to-ground connectivity infrastructure that will deliver most of the EAN’s bandwidth. Inmarsat’s CEO, Rupert Pearce, has dismissed the claim.

El Al unveiled the cabin interiors for its upcoming fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners in mid-June. The Israeli flag carrier worked with PriestmanGoode to update its livery and brand identity across its newly designed business, premium economy and economy interiors. The 16 Boeing 787s are being linefit with Panasonic Avionics’ eX3 in-flight entertainment system with 12-, 13- and 16-inch high-definition seatback monitors in the aircraft’s economy, premium economy and business cabins, respectively. 144

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PHOTOS: EMIRATES; PRIESTMANGOODE

EL AL GETS A MAKEOVER WITH PRIESTMANGOODE

Skycast Solutions Fuels the Tablet Revolution with the Latest in Portable IFE. The most capable low cost portable IFE device is powered by Windows and flying high on Alaska Airlines.

Alaska needed a portable IFE solution that met the quickly changing demands of their customers and one that would integrate seamlessly with their connected cabin. They looked to Skycast, together with Microsoft, to develop a cutting edge device that packed robust capabilities along with a stunning entertainment experience.

Over 10,000 TrayVu8 devices are flying every day to rave reviews from passengers and flight attendants alike.

Sophisticated user-interface including multi-tasking. Seamless Wi-Fi integration with onboard server or internet connection. Early window movies, TV, Xbox® games, music, maps, and much more. Complete program management available.

“The user experience is awesome and so easy and intuitive. This is truly the best inflight entertainment system we have ever used.” ~ John Lisicich, Long Time Alaska Frequent Flyer Proud Partners with:

The TabCaddyTM PED holder product line provides a range of solutions for personal devices!

TabCaddy™ Hard Card

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skycastsolutions.com | 1-855-487-2988 © Skycast Solutions, Inc. TabCaddy™ product line is exclusively distributed by Skycast Solutions, Inc. Patents Pending. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

NEWS

For more PaxEx news, subscribe to APEX.AERO/ NEWSLETTER

Recaro continued its busy year, securing two major aircraft seat orders in July. Shandong Airlines signed a deal for 6,000 seats to be linefit on its upcoming fleet of 34 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. This includes Recaro’s BL3530 economyclass seat and CL4400 business-class seat. One week later, Delta Air Lines signed for 5,600 Recaro CL3710 economy-class seats on its fleet of Airbus A350-900s. The seating manufacturer forecasts sales exceeding €500 million (589 million USD) for 2018. To support its growing business, Recaro will open a €13.5-million (15.75-million USD) logistics center at its headquarters in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, and expand its production site in Qingdao, China, which manufactured 10,000 seats in 2016 and is expected to double that figure this year.

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UNITED TESTS SOLUTION FOR OVERSOLD FLIGHTS United Airlines is testing a platform aimed at putting an end to the involuntary bumping of passengers. Partnering with Volantio, an Atlanta-based aviation technology startup, United will send e-mails with subject lines such as “Are You Flexible With Your Travels to Los Angeles?” up to five days before flying. Travelers will be offered up to $250 in travel vouchers in return for adapting their itineraries.

Air India’s decision to switch to an all-vegetarian menu in economy class on domestic flights unleashed raw emotions among some Indian travelers. The state-owned flag carrier, which is currently up for sale, said the decision was part of an effort to cut costs and reduce food waste. Opponents voiced disapproval on social media, describing the move as discriminatory against non-Hindu meat-eating minorities.

PHOTOS: RECARO; BOEING

RECARO LANDS A BIG ORDER FROM CHINA

Application development specialists for in-flight entertainment and communications systems. Our software is installed on hundreds of aircraft and used by thousands of passengers every day in every corner of the world all in their own languages. Applications we have developed allow passengers to view their location on the map, watch on-demand video & audio, play games, go shopping, reserve a hotel, car or just browse for information all from 30,000ft. Established in 1998 with development facilities in Chichester, UK and Lake Forest, CA and a team of over 40 experienced developers we provide unrivalled expertise in the IFEC industry.

Apex 1-2 Hor.indd 1

2014-09-22 4:47 PM

The spirit of competition Let your passengers discover the interesting games, contests and sports celebrated around the world with Need to Compete. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just one of the many fascinating documentaries that DW Transtel has to offer.

Deutsche Welle | 53110 Bonn | Germany ife @ dw.com

dw.com

APEX Events

APEX MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

5–6 November 2017 Dubai, UAE

APEX TECH

APEX ASIA

23–24 January 2018 Los Angeles, US

13–14 March 2018 Shanghai, China

#APEXTECH

#APEXAsia

#APEXMIDDLEEAST

Tweeting from one of our upcoming events? Be sure to use the designated hashtag so other members can join the conversation!

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APEX MULTIMEDIA MARKET

23–25 April 2018 Paris, France #APEXMarket

APEX MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

5–6 November 2017 Dubai, UAE #APEXMiddleEast

• Discover how one of the largest aviation markets in the world continues to emerge as leaders in the global travel market, with takeaways from sessions featuring the latest products and services tailored for both the region and world. • Gain insights from Middle Eastern airlines on how they are leveraging PaxEx market trends and featuring the latest in luxury, considering service,

cabin design, innovations and more in order to exceed passenger expectations. • Explore strategies in building an entertainment product and view the vast range of available content including that applicable for the growing region. What does it mean for audiences, airlines and IFE suppliers? Define your IFEC strategy considering aircraft, region and other criteria.

APEX TECH

23–24 January 2018 Los Angeles, US #APEXTECH

• APEX TECH provides the industry and its members with information, guidance, analysis and trend reporting on technology issues critical to the aviation industry. • Following success in June 2017, experience more innovations from TECH startups. What new developments are being dreamed up? Select entrepreneurs will showcase

creations that are sure to have an impact on the travel and hospitality industries. • Airline personnel, technology experts and government representatives outline the latest issues affecting the aviation industry and how APEX is working to prepare members for new or revised requirements and regulations.

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APEX ASIA

13–14 March 2018 Shanghai, China #APEXAsia

• With the rapid development of the airline industry in Asia, airlines look at passenger experience to strengthen brand image and enhance passenger satisfaction. Get an overview of how the airline industry is exploring how the region’s airlines tap into the ever-growing travel market, offer superior products and services targeted for specific customers and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

• Regional economic growth, liberalization and deregulation, new, efficient airplanes and new business models have been cited as factors for such growth and demand. Given this, how are regional airlines meeting this demand? How are others capitalizing on this market? How are issues of security and censorship being addressed and tackled?

• Learn specifically how and why Asia-Pacific carriers are leveraging ventures with low-cost counterparts to keep up with increasing demand while maintaining airline profitability.

APEX MULTIMEDIA MARKET

23–25 April 2018 Paris, France #APEXMarket

• This intimate and productive setting for all airline content needs includes the best in TV, short subject, movies, games, GUIs, apps and audio.

• APEX is all about community, so whether this is your first event or you are a lifelong member, you will make and strengthen key industry relationships.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

• Attendees can expect to meet with nearly 60 distributors. Airlines have the choice to visit leisurely or have a crafted, structured schedule created.

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The Most Influential PaxEx Honor: The APEX Awards Considered the most relevant and prestigious industry recognition, the APEX Awards, which are voted on by your peers, recognize industry-leading members who provide innovative solutions throughout the passenger journey. HONORING INNOVATION WITH THE APEX COOL AWARD

The APEX Awards will be presented in the following categories on Monday, 25 September, in Long Beach, California:

• Best Original Audio • Best Original Video • Best Cabin Innovation • Best Passenger Comfort Innovation • Best Personalization Innovation • Best Video Curation

PHOTO: EMIRATES

• Best Inflight Entertainment Innovation • Best Inflight Connectivity Innovation

APEX is also proud to honor Sir Tim Clark with the CEO Lifetime Achievement Award and Pierre Schuberth for the Outstanding Contribution Award. A warm thank you to Phitek, the official sponsor of the APEX Award ceremony.

Innovation will be honored on the APEX EXPO show floor in Long Beach, California, with the APEX Cool Award! Created to recognize the innovative spirit showcased each year at APEX EXPO, the APEX Cool Award is presented to the exhibitor with the most trendsetting, original and cool product or service, as voted upon by attending members. Examples could include inventive ways to speed up the check-in process, a customizable in-flight experience, state-of-the art entertainment and more. If you’re impressed by an APEX exhibitor, make it known! Voting will take place on-site at APEX EXPO via paper ballot. Each registered company will receive 10 ballots, which will be available at the registration desk beginning on Sunday, 24 September. The exhibitor with the most votes will win. Each exhibiting company will be included in the ballot. Exhibitors may include their showcased products and services. Completed ballots are due at the registration desk by 16:00 on Wednesday, 27 September, to be counted. The winner and finalists will be announced and showcased in Thursday morning’s EXPO Daily Experience, so attendees can check out the winner’s and finalists’ booths all day on Thursday.

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IFSA

Live! Behind the Galley IFSA Hosts Live Demonstrations

notable celebrity chef Sam Choy along with executive chefs Christian Hallowell and Matthew Farrell with Gate Gourmet, for a live cooking demonstration of chef Choyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous poke during our annual networking event Tuesday, September 26! Members will get a chance to join more than 250 industry leaders for a night filled with Polynesian cuisine, entertainment, networking, and did we mention poke? This event will be sponsored by Gate Gourmet.

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IFSA companies will take the stage with a series of live demonstrations at the 2017 Conference and Expo. The association will put a new spin on its notable chef showcase at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Conference and EXPO in Long Beach, California, with its new Company Demonstration Program. This program will allow IFSA member companies to demonstrate their products, host a speaker or showcase their chefs in a fully interactive kitchen. From pasta to Belgian waffles, and other notable dishes, to talented chefs and unique products, the spotlight will be on six IFSA members, which will have 90 minutes to set up a demonstration of their choice and clean up, all in front of a live audience. This unique event will celebrate the onboard catering industry, while bringing on the heat for our chefs on the Expo floor. Along with this live Company Demonstration, IFSA will feature

6 x 60’ or 7 x 50’

• • • • •

Please visit the BBC Worldwide stand #719 at the Apex Expo 2017 in Long Beach

w w w.bbcworldwidesales.com Email: outofhome.sales@bbc.com

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APEX EXPO 2017 stand #719

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Because we’ve covered the story from every angle.

We’ve never taken sides in any war, revolution or election.

We’ve reported the facts whatever the obstacles.

And we always champion the truth.

We’ve always asked the difficult questions.

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What to look for in the months ahead

Coming Attractions W

77 Heartbreaks

Director: Herman Yau Cast: Charlene Choi, Pakho Chau, Michelle Wai, Anthony Wong

DISTRIBUTOR: EMPHASIS VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT LTD. CONTACT: GRACE LAU * EXCLUDING CHINA

W w

American Made

Director: Doug Liman Cast: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Jesse Plemons Based on the incredible true story of Barry Seal, a drug smuggler and pilot who was recruited by the CIA in the 1980s to carry out one of the largest covert operations in US history. DISTRIBUTOR: NBCUNIVERSAL CONTACT: CYNTHIA KLAR

Director: David Leitch Cast: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Sofia Boutella When Agent Lorraine Broughton is sent alone into Berlin to retrieve a priceless dossier from within the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief David Percival to navigate her way through a deadly game of spies.

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Back to Burgundy

Director: Cédric Klapisch Cast: François Civil, Ana Girardot, Pio Marmaï, María Valverde Jean has spent the last decade traveling around the world, cutting ties with his family and hometown in Burgundy. When he is called home to be with his terminally ill father, he is reunited with his sister, Juliette, and brother, Jérémie. Together, they learn the craft of winemaking while deciding the future of the family vineyard.

DISTRIBUTOR: PARAMOUNT PICTURES CONTACT: JOAN FILIPPINI

DISTRIBUTOR: NBCUNIVERSAL CONTACT: CYNTHIA KLAR

DISTRIBUTOR: PENNY BLACK MEDIA CONTACT: CATHIE TROTTA

* WORLDWIDE, EXCLUDING US AND CANADA

* NORTH AMERICA

* EXCLUDING US

DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CODES

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Atomic Blonde

N: NORTH AMERICA

I: OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA

W: WORLDWIDE

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF EMPHASIS VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT LTD.; © DAVID JAMES/UNIVERSAL PICTURES; © JONATHAN PRIME/FOCUS FEATURES; COURTESY OF PENNY BLACK MEDIA

When Eva suddenly ends their 10-year relationship, Adam is shocked until he discovers from reading her private journal that the breakup was a culmination of 77 heartbreaks. He’s determined to win her back, but faces the hurdles of a drunken affair and the secret contained in the journal’s missing last page.

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PHOTOS: © 2017 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; COURTESY OF CINESKY PICTURES; © 2017 WARNER BROS. ENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; © JULIE VRABELOVA; © 2017 EMBANKMENT FILMS; © 2017 DISNEY/PIXAR

DMD delivers much more than you think.

To find out more contact the global DMD Digital team digital@dawsonmd.com / dawsonmd.com/digital

Battle of the Sexes

Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris Cast: Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Elisabeth Shue, Alan Cumming, Sarah Silverman The electrifying 1973 tennis match between current women’s champion Billie Jean King and ex-men’s champion Bobby Riggs was billed as the “Battle of the Sexes” and became the mostwatched, televised sports event of all time. The match also sparked a global conversation on gender equality, spurring on the feminist movement.

Birth of the Dragon

Director: George Nolfi Cast: Philip Ng, Yu Xia, Billy Magnussen, Terry Chen In 1965 San Francisco, Bruce Lee challenges Shaolin monk and kung fu master Wong Jack Man to a martial arts fight. But the master has been sent from China to stop Lee, leading to an epic showdown with the very legacy of the Chinese kung fu tradition at stake. DISTRIBUTOR: CINESKY PICTURES CONTACT: MARK HORTON

Blade Runner 2049

Director: Denis Villeneuve Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis A new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. DISTRIBUTOR: WARNER BROS. CONTACT: JEFF CRAWFORD * EXCLUDING CANADA

DISTRIBUTOR: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONTACT: JULIAN LEVIN

Borg/McEnroe

Director: Janus Metz Cast: Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf, Stellan Skarsgård, Tuva Novotny A film about one of the world’s greatest tennis icons, Björn Borg, and his rivalry with the young and talented John McEnroe. It’s a story of two men who became legends and the price they had to pay in their legendary duel at the Wimbledon tournament in the 1980s. DISTRIBUTOR: ENCORE INFLIGHT LTD. CONTACT: EDWIN CHEUNG * EXCLUDING SCANDINAVIA AND FRANCE

Breathe

Director: Andy Serkis Cast: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy Robin has his whole life ahead of him when he is paralyzed by polio. Against all advice, his wife, Diana, brings him home, where her devotion, intimacy and determination transcend his disability and set him free. Refusing to be imprisoned by his suffering, they also transform the lives of others with their humor and lust for life. DISTRIBUTOR: JAGUAR DISTRIBUTION CORP. CONTACT: FRANCE CAPOR

DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CODES

N: NORTH AMERICA

Coco

Director: Lee Unkrich Cast: Gael García Bernal, Anthony Gonzalez, Benjamin Bratt, Renée Victor Despite his family’s baffling generationsold ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming a musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning Land of the Dead. When he meets trickster Hector, they set off on a journey to unlock the story behind Miguel’s family history. DISTRIBUTOR: DISNEY STUDIOS NON-THEATRICAL CONTACT: MARTIN SANSING

I: OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA

W: WORLDWIDE

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Location: “WorLd of content” / Booth #810 / 713

FOX Wide Lead

WoriLndcontent er kingsman: the golden circle

goodbye christopher robin

the mountain between us

murder on the orient express

ferdinand

the greatest showman For More InForMatIon contact:

JULIAN LEVIN • EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT • (310) 369-3423 • JULIAN.LEVIN@FOX.COM TAMMY WANGE • VICE PRESIDENT • (310) 369-2063 • TAMMY.WANGE@FOX.COM MIkE GARRITY • ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR • (202) 912-6766 • MIkE.GARRITY@FOX.COM

www.nontheatrical.fox

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The Dark Tower

Director: Nikolaj Arcel Cast: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Taylor, Claudia Kim, Fran Kranz, Abbey Lee

To find out more contact the global DMD Digital team digital@dawsonmd.com / dawsonmd.com/digital

Dealer/Healer

Director: Lawrence Lau Cast: Sean Lau, Gordon Lam, Jiang Yiyan, Louis Koo

Locked in an eternal battle with Walter O’Dim, also known as the Man in Black, the last gunslinger, Roland Deschain, is determined to prevent O’Dim from toppling the Dark Tower, which holds the universe together. With the fate of the worlds at stake, good and evil will collide in the ultimate battle.

As the leader of the famous gang “The 13 Tsz Wan Shan,” Chen lost his family, lovers and brothers, and ended up imprisoned for drug abuse and trafficking. When released, he devotes himself to saving his lost fellows. Now a respected leader, Chen is asked to solve the most difficult situations between evil and good.

DISTRIBUTOR: SONY PICTURES RELEASING CONTACT: RANA MATTHES

DISTRIBUTOR: EMPHASIS VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT LTD. CONTACT: GRACE LAU

Descendants 2

Director: Kenny Ortega Cast: Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Mitchell Hope, Booboo Stewart, Sofia Carson, Brenna D’Amico When the pressure to be royally perfect becomes too much for Mal, she returns to her rotten roots on the Isle of the Lost, where her archenemy, Uma, has declared herself queen. Uma stirs up her pirate gang to break the barrier between the Isle of the Lost and Auradon, and unleash all the villains imprisoned on the Isle. DISTRIBUTOR: DISNEY STUDIOS NON-THEATRICAL CONTACT: MARTIN SANSING

* EXCLUDING CHINA

The Emoji Movie

Director: Tony Leondis Cast: T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Steven Wright, Jennifer Coolidge

The Exes

Director: Maurice Barthélémy Cast: Jean-Paul Rouve, Arnaud Ducret, Patrick Chesnais, Judith El Zein

Textopolis is a bustling city where emojis live. In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except Gene – who has multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal,” Gene enlists the help of his friends, all while embarking on an epic “app-venture” to save their world before it’s deleted forever.

In Paris, the city of love, five very different people – including a psychoanalyst promoting his book on being a happy ex, a cab driver finding comfort in his ex’s dog and a judge who still has feelings for his ex-wife – cross paths while dealing with breakups, exes and new love interests. Love indeed works in mysterious ways.

DISTRIBUTOR: SONY PICTURES RELEASING CONTACT: RANA MATTHES

DISTRIBUTOR: ENCORE INFLIGHT LTD. CONTACT: EDWIN CHEUNG

A Fantastic Woman

Director: Sebastián Lelio Cast: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes Marina, a waitress and singer, and Orlando, an older man, are in love and planning for the future. After Orlando suddenly falls ill and dies, Marina is forced to confront his family and society, and show them who she is: complex, strong, forthright and fantastic. DISTRIBUTOR: SONY PICTURES RELEASING CONTACT: RANA MATTHES * AUSTRALIA, BAHAMAS, BERMUDA, FRENCH POLYNESIA, NEW ZEALAND, SABA, ST. EUSTATIUS, ST. KITTS-NEVIS, ST. MAARTEN, US, WALLIS ISLAND AND FUTUNA ISLAND

* EXCLUDING FRANCE, DOM-TOM (REUNION, FRENCH GUIANA, GUADELOUPE, MARTINIQUE, FRENCH POLYNESIA, FUTUNA ISLAND, WALLIS ISLAND, MAYOTTE, NEW CALEDONIA, SAINT-PIERRE AND MIQUELON), MONACO AND ANDORRA

DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CODES

N: NORTH AMERICA

I: OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA

W: WORLDWIDE

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Like... superb tablet and browser games, for inflight and airside.

DMD delivers much more than you think.

Final Portrait

Director: Stanley Tucci Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Armie Hammer, Clémence Poésy, Tony Shalhoub, Sylvie Testud Paris, 1964. Renowned artist Alberto Giacometti bumps into his old friend James Lord and begs him to sit for a portrait. Lord agrees, but as the painting goes on for weeks, he realizes his life has been hijacked by this erratic genius. Veering between frustration and joy, Lord ultimately sees logic in the artist’s chaotic mind. DISTRIBUTOR: JAGUAR DISTRIBUTION CORP. CONTACT: FRANCE CAPOR

Director: Richard Loncraine Cast: Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie, Joanna Lumley When “Lady” Sandra Abbott discovers her husband is having an affair with her best friend, she seeks refuge with her estranged, older sister, Bif, an outspoken, serial-dating free spirit. The two couldn’t be more different. Bif drags her along to her dance class, where Sandra gradually finds her feet – and romance. DISTRIBUTOR: JAGUAR DISTRIBUTION CORP. CONTACT: FRANCE CAPOR

For Your Own Good

Director: Carlos Therón Cast: José Coronado, Roberto Álamo, Javier Cámara A father’s worst nightmare is the day he meets his daughter’s boyfriend, and that day has come for Arturo, Poli and Chus. Their daughters have decided to throw away their futures on three loathsome guys. The only way to get rid of them is to join forces and do whatever it takes, come hell or high water. This is war!

Finding Your Feet

From the Ashes

Director: Michael Bonfiglio The film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling stories about what is at stake for America’s economy, health and climate. DISTRIBUTOR: FNG NON-THEATRICAL LICENSING, LLC CONTACT: MICHAEL GARRITY

DISTRIBUTOR: ENCORE INFLIGHT LTD. CONTACT: EDWIN CHEUNG

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Flatliners

Director: Niels Arden Oplev Cast: Ellen Page, Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons Five medical students embark on a daring experiment to stop their hearts for short periods of time, triggering neardeath experiences. As the investigation becomes more perilous, they are forced to confront the sins of their pasts, as well as contend with the paranormal consequences of trespassing to the other side. DISTRIBUTOR: SONY PICTURES RELEASING CONTACT: RANA MATTHES

Fun Mom Dinner

Director: Alethea Jones Cast: Toni Collette, Molly Shannon, Katie Aselton, Bridget Everett, Adam Scott, Adam Levine Four moms, whose only common ground is their kids’ preschool class, arrange a dinner to dine, gossip and bond without worrying about their kids and husbands for the night. Starting off rather dull, the evening turns unforgettable, and these seemingly different women realize they have more in common than motherhood. DISTRIBUTOR: PENNY BLACK MEDIA CONTACT: CATHIE TROTTA

* EXCLUDING NORTH AMERICA, LATIN AMERICA AND SPAIN

DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CODES

N: NORTH AMERICA

I: OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA

W: WORLDWIDE

To find out more contact the global DMD Digital team digital@dawsonmd.com / dawsonmd.com/digital

FLY AWAY WITH DISNEY

AVAILABLE SOON

Contact: Martin.Sansing@Disney.com nt.disney.com

Like... our global IFE content service for movies, TV and audio.

DMD delivers much more than you think.

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A Ghost Story

Girls Trip

Goodbye Christopher Robin W

Director: David Lowery Cast: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Brea Grant, Kesha

Director: Malcolm D. Lee Cast: Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah

A ghost returns to his suburban home to console his bereft wife, only to find he has become unstuck in time, and forced to watch passively the life he knew and woman he loves slowly slip away. Increasingly unmoored, the ghost embarks on a cosmic journey, confronting life’s ineffable questions and the enormity of existence.

When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered and there’s enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush. DISTRIBUTOR: NBCUNIVERSAL CONTACT: CYNTHIA KLAR

DISTRIBUTOR: ENTERTAINMENT IN MOTION CONTACT: LYNDA HARRISS

Director: Simon Curtis Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Will Tilston, Margot Robbie, Kelly Macdonald Goodbye Christopher Robin gives a rare glimpse into the relationship between beloved children’s author A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired the magical world of Winnie the Pooh. Swept up in the international success of the books; the enchanting tales bringing hope and comfort to England after the First World War.

Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS W

Directors: Sebastian Junger, Nick Quested Pulling from nearly 1,000 hours of visceral footage, filmmakers Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested chronicled Syria’s descent into the unbridled chaos that allowed the rise of the Islamic State.

The Hero

Director: Brett Haley Cast: Sam Elliott, Laura Prepon, Krysten Ritter, Nick Offerman An aging actor confronts mortality in a beautifully poignant celebration of life and the legacies we leave behind. DISTRIBUTOR: TERRY STEINER INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: NADJA RUTKOWSKI * US AND CANADA

DISTRIBUTOR: FNG NON-THEATRICAL LICENSING, LLC CONTACT: MICHAEL GARRITY

The Hitman’s Bodyguard W

Director: Patrick Hughes Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Gary Oldman The world’s top protection agent is called upon to guard the life of his mortal enemy, one of the world’s most notorious hitmen. The relentless bodyguard and manipulative assassin have been on the opposite end of the bullet for years and are thrown together for a wildly outrageous 24 hours. DISTRIBUTOR: PARAMOUNT PICTURES CONTACT: JOAN FILIPPINI  * EXCLUDING US

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DISTRIBUTOR: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONTACT: JULIAN LEVIN

BLADE RUNNER 2049

GEOSTORM

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Home Again

Director: Hallie Meyers-Shyer Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Lake Bell, Michael Sheen, Candice Bergen, Nat Wolff Newly single mom Alice meets three aspiring filmmakers needing a place to live in Los Angeles. She lets the guys stay in her guesthouse temporarily, but the arrangement unfolds in unexpected ways. Alice’s unlikely new family and new romance come to a crashing halt when her ex-husband shows up, suitcase in hand.

In Search of Fellini

Director: Taron Lexton Cast: Maria Bello, Ksenia Solo, Mary Lynn Rajskub A shy small-town Ohio girl who loves movies but dislikes reality discovers the delightfully bizarre films of Federico Fellini and sets off on a strange, beautiful journey across Italy to find him. DISTRIBUTOR: ENTERTAINMENT IN MOTION CONTACT: LYNDA HARRISS

Director: Andrés Muschietti Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Lieberher, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard When children begin to disappear in the town of Derry, Maine, a group of young kids are faced with their biggest fears when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise, whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries. DISTRIBUTOR: WARNER BROS. CONTACT: JEFF CRAWFORD

DISTRIBUTOR: CINESKY PICTURES CONTACT: MARK HORTON

Killing Hasselhoff

Director: Darren Grant Cast: David Hasselhoff, Ken Jeong, Jon Lovitz, Rhys Darby, Justin Bieber, Melanie Brown In debt to a loan shark, a struggling nightclub owner resorts to desperate measures as he tries to win a high-stakes betting pool by killing off celebrity David Hasselhoff, with hilarious results. DISTRIBUTOR: CINESKY PICTURES CONTACT: MARK HORTON

The King’s Case Note

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Director: Moon Hyun-sung Cast: Lee Sun-kyun, Ahn Jae-hong

Director: Matthew Vaughn Cast: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Halle Berry, Sir Elton John

King Yejong is a competent ruler who likes to take matters, such as solving cases, into his own hands. He gives Yi-Seo, who is in charge of historical records, a hard time because he is not so bright. When a strange rumor spreads in Hanyang, King Yejong and Yi-Seo try to uncover the truth together. DISTRIBUTOR: EMPHASIS VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT LTD. CONTACT: GRACE LAU

When an attack on the Kingsman headquarters by nefarious criminal mastermind Poppy takes place, Eggsy, Merlin and Roxy are forced to work together with Statesman, Kingsman’s American counterpart, to save the world. DISTRIBUTOR: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONTACT: JULIAN LEVIN

* EXCLUDING KOREA

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CINESKY PICTURES; © AMBI DISTRIBUTION; © 2017 WARNER BROS. ENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; COURTESY OF CINESKY PICTURES; COURTESY OF EMPHASIS VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT LTD.; © 2017 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Director: Charlie Bean Cast: Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Fred Armisen, Abbi Jacobson, Olivia Munn, Kumail Nanjiani The battle for Ninjago City calls to action young Lloyd and his friends. Led by kung fu master Wu, they must defeat evil warlord Garmadon, who also happens to be Lloyd’s dad. Pitting mech against mech and father against son, the showdown will test the undisciplined team of modern-day ninjas’ true power.

The Leisure Seeker

Director: Paolo Virzì Cast: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland A runaway couple, going on an unforgettable journey in the faithful old RV they call the Leisure Seeker, are traveling from Boston to the Ernest Hemingway Home in Key West. They recapture their passion for life and their love for each other on a road trip that provides revelation and surprise right up to the very end. DISTRIBUTOR: SONY PICTURES RELEASING CONTACT: RANA MATTHES

Logan Lucky

Director: Steven Soderbergh Cast: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Hilary Swank, Seth MacFarlane, Katie Holmes Trying to reverse a family curse, brothers Jimmy and Clyde Logan set out to execute an elaborate robbery during the legendary Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. DISTRIBUTOR: TERRY STEINER INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: NADJA RUTKOWSKI * EXCLUDING US

* US ONLY

DISTRIBUTOR: WARNER BROS. CONTACT: JEFF CRAWFORD * EXCLUDING AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, NEW GUINEA AND FIJI

Madame

Marie-Francine (50 Is the New 30)

Memoirs of a Murderer

Director: Valérie Lemercier Cast: Valérie Lemercier, Patrick Timsit, Denis Podalydès

Director: Yu Irie Cast: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Hideaki Ito, Kaho, Shuhei Nomura

At 50 years old, Marie-Francine finds herself single and unemployed. She has no choice but to return home to her parents. An endearing, wacky character, Marie-Francine – a good egg and a rebel – takes her misadventures philosophically, showing life can indeed begin again at 50!

A man who claims to be a serial killer announces he has published a memoir about the murders he committed. With his good looks and charismatic smile, he becomes a media sensation and gains the sympathy of the public with his confession. However, no one knows it’s just the beginning of his unfathomable master plan.

DISTRIBUTOR: O’BRIEN INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: JACQUELINE BRIENS

DISTRIBUTOR: EMPHASIS VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT LTD. CONTACT: GRACE LAU

* EXCLUDING FRANCE, SWITZERLAND AND BENELUX

* EXCLUDING JAPAN

Director: Amanda Sthers Cast: Toni Collette, Harvey Keitel, Rossy de Palma, Michael Smiley Anne and Bob prepare a luxurious dinner for their wealthy friends. Needing one more guest to fill the table, Anne insists her maid, Maria, disguise herself as a Spanish noblewoman. During dinner, a British art broker is taken with Maria’s unique charm, leading Anne on a mission to destroy this most unexpected love affair. DISTRIBUTOR: PENNY BLACK MEDIA CONTACT: CATHIE TROTTA

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PHOTOS: © 2017 WARNER BROS. ENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES; ©2017 INCARCERATED INDUSTRIES INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; COURTESY OF PENNY BLACK MEDIA; COURTESY OF O’BRIEN INTERNATIONAL; COURTESY OF EMPHASIS VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT LTD.

The Lego Ninjago Movie

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Mother!

Director: Darren Aronofsky Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, Ed Harris

Mission Pays Basque (La Parisienne) W

Director: Ludovic Bernard Cast: Élodie Fontan, Florent Peyre

Sibylle, a Parisian girl, desperately needs to land a new job, which she hopes to obtain by buying a hardware store to turn into a supermarket. But the store is located in the Basque Country. Sibylle knows it won’t be easy, as the Basques don’t intend to let a Parisian boss them around.

A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. DISTRIBUTOR: PARAMOUNT PICTURES CONTACT: JOAN FILIPPINI

DISTRIBUTOR: O’BRIEN INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: JACQUELINE BRIENS * EXCLUDING FRANCE, CHINA AND BELGIUM

Munna Michael

Director: Sabbir Khan Cast: Tiger Shroff, Nidhhi Agerwal, Nawazuddin Siddiqui A story of three protagonists who experience friendship, love and betrayal in their passion for the glittering world of dance. DISTRIBUTOR: EROS INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LTD. CONTACT: PRASHANT GAONKAR

Director: Emmanuelle Cuau Cast: Virginie Efira, Gilbert Melki A single mother struggles to make ends meet and gets tangled in a web of lies and crimes to protect her two sons. DISTRIBUTOR: SKYLINE CONTACT: RICHARD BARSBY/LORRAINE LEECH

experience | V7 E4 | 3 APEX.AERO volume 7, edition

On Chesil Beach

Director: Dominic Cooke Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle, AnneMarie Duff, Emily Watson, Samuel West Set in England in 1962, a touching tale of two young lovers, Edward and Florence, and how their unexpressed misunderstandings and fears shape the rest of their lives.

* SHIPS AND TRAINS

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Not on My Watch

DISTRIBUTOR: JAGUAR DISTRIBUTION CORP. CONTACT: FRANCE CAPOR

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NEW & RETURNING HBO ORIGINAL SERIES

ROOM 104

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

THE DEUCE

VICE PRINCIPALS

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On Wings of Eagles

Overdrive

Directors: Stephen Shin, Michael Parker Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Bruce Locke, Shawn Dou, Simon Twu

Director: Antonio Negret Cast: Scott Eastwood, Ana de Armas, Freddie Thorp, Gaia Weiss

In the sequel to the epic true story in Chariots of Fire, after a record-breaking win in the 1924 Summer Olympics, Scottish runner Eric Liddell returns to serve as a missionary in China, the country of his birth. When the Japanese invade in 1931, he refuses to leave and finds himself using his running skills to survive in a POW camp.

Andrew and Garrett Foster are known for being the best car thieves in the world. In Marseille, they steal a rare 1937 Bugatti from local mafia boss Jacomo Morier. Morier decides to use the brothers’ talents against his longtime enemy, Max Klemp. They accept, but have devised a much more daring plan.

DISTRIBUTOR: CINESKY PICTURES CONTACT: MARK HORTON * EXCLUDING CHINA

DISTRIBUTOR: SKEYE CONTACT: ISABELLE BÉGIN

Paddington 2

Director: Paul King Cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins, Brendan Gleeson, Hugh Bonneville, Julie Walters Paddington, now happily settled with the Brown family and a popular member of the local community, picks up a series of odd jobs to buy the perfect present for his aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday, only for the gift to be stolen. DISTRIBUTOR: PENNY BLACK MEDIA CONTACT: CATHIE TROTTA

* EXCLUDING US, CANADA, UK, GERMANY, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, JAPAN AND RUSSIA

The Party

Director: Sally Potter Cast: Kristin Scott Thomas, Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Timothy Spall Janet is hosting a small gathering of friends to celebrate a major promotion. One by one, revelations emerge that shatter everyone’s assumptions of love and loyalty and their most cherished beliefs. DISTRIBUTOR: JAGUAR DISTRIBUTION CORP. CONTACT: FRANCE CAPOR

Un profil pour deux (Mr. Stein Goes Online) W

Director: Stéphane Robelin Cast: Pierre Richard, Yaniss Lespert, Fanny Valette

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Pierre is an elderly widower who has been living a solitary life since the death of his wife. His daughter gets him a computer in hopes it might lead him to socialize online, at least. With the help of Alex, a young computer teacher, he starts surfing the net and falls on an online dating website. DISTRIBUTOR: SKEYE CONTACT: ISABELLE BÉGIN

I: OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA

W: WORLDWIDE

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Shot! The PsychoSpiritual Mantra of Rock W

Security

Director: Alain Desrochers Cast: Antonio Banderas, Ben Kingsley

All Eddie Deacon wanted was a quiet, boring job. But he picked the wrong place on the wrong day. As an unarmed security guard working the night shift in a shopping mall, he risks everything to protect a young girl from a deadly gang who will stop at nothing to prevent her from testifying against their sociopathic boss. DISTRIBUTOR: ENTERTAINMENT IN MOTION CONTACT: LYNDA HARRISS

Legendary music photographer Mick Rock is best known for his iconic photographs of David Bowie, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Queen and countless others. In a documentary with rock ‘n’ roll as its subject, Rock guides us through his psychedelic, shambolic firsthand experiences as the visual record-keeper of these legends. DISTRIBUTOR: TERRY STEINER INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: NADJA RUTKOWSKI

* EXCLUDING US AND FRENCH-SPEAKING WORLD

So B. It

Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal Cast: Talitha Bateman, Jacinda Barrett, Cloris Leachman, Alfre Woodard, John Heard A 13-year-old girl lives in a cocoon with her handicapped mom and agoraphobic neighbor on the outskirts of Reno, Nevada. One day, she finds a roll of undeveloped film, and the resulting set of pictures cracks her world open. Driven to find out who she is, she sets off on a cross-country journey to learn the secrets of her past. DISTRIBUTOR: CINESKY PICTURES CONTACT: MARK HORTON

Step

Director: Amanda Lipitz Cast: Blessin Giraldo, Cori Grainger, Tayla Solomon Step documents the senior year of a girls’ high school step dance team against the background of inner-city Baltimore. As each member tries to become the first in their families to attend college, the girls strive to make their dancing a success against the backdrop of social unrest in the troubled city. DISTRIBUTOR: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONTACT: JULIAN LEVIN

Stratton

Director: Simon West Cast: Austin Stowell, Connie Nielsen, Tom Felton, Gemma Chan, Tyler Hoechlin, Thomas Kretschmann An explosive and fast-paced action thriller following a British SBS (Special Boat Service) commando as he works alongside MI5 tracking down an international terrorist cell. Based on the popular Duncan Falconer series of books. DISTRIBUTOR: ENTERTAINMENT IN MOTION CONTACT: LYNDA HARRISS

* EXCLUDING US

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PHOTOS: © AMBI DISTRIBUTION; © MICK ROCK IN SHOT! THE PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF ROCK, A MAGNOLIA PICTURES RELEASE. PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGNOLIA PICTURES; COURTESY OF CINESKY PICTURES; © 2017 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; © GFM FILMS

Director: Barnaby Clay

QUALITY, INDEPENDENT FEATURE FILMS WWW.PENNYBLACKMEDIA.COM

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Thor: Ragnarok

Director: Taika Waititi Cast: Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba, Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Anthony Hopkins Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home and the end of Asgardian civilization. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest against his former ally and fellow Avenger the Incredible Hulk. DISTRIBUTOR: DISNEY STUDIOS NON-THEATRICAL CONTACT: MARTIN SANSING

Transformers: The Last Knight W

Director: Michael Bay Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel, Isabela Moner, Anthony Hopkins, Peter Cullen Humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it’s up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager, Bumblebee, an English lord and an Oxford professor to save the world. DISTRIBUTOR: PARAMOUNT PICTURES CONTACT: JOAN FILIPPINI

The Trip to Spain

Director: Michael Winterbottom Cast: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Rebecca Johnson, Claire Keelan After jaunts through northern England and Italy, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon embark on another culinary road trip – this time, to Spain. Over plates of pintxos and paella, the pair exchange barbs and their patented celebrity impressions, as well as more serious reflections on what it means to settle into middle age. DISTRIBUTOR: TERRY STEINER INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: NADJA RUTKOWSKI * US ONLY

Tulip Fever

Director: Justin Chadwick Cast: Alicia Vikander, Christoph Waltz, Dane DeHaan, Zach Galifianakis, Judi Dench, Jack O’Connell In 17th-century Amsterdam, a married woman begins a passionate affair with an artist hired to paint her portrait. The lovers gamble on the booming market for tulip bulbs as a way to raise money to run away together.

Victoria and Abdul

Director: Stephen Frears Cast: Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Michael Gambon, Olivia Williams

DISTRIBUTOR: TERRY STEINER INTERNATIONAL CONTACT: NADJA RUTKOWSKI * EXCLUDING CANADA

During her Golden Jubilee celebration, Queen Victoria befriends Abdul Karim, a young man visiting from India. Despite objections from her family and advisers, Abdul becomes one of her most trusted attendants. Their close friendship offers the Queen a fresh perspective on the world after reigning for more than 50 years. DISTRIBUTOR: NBCUNIVERSAL CONTACT: CYNTHIA KLAR

DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CODES

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erosnow.com

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PHOTOS: © 2017 TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; © 2017 SHANGHAI ARTOWN ENTERTAINMENT CO., LTD. © MAGIC STONE CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS © EDKO (BEIJING) FILMS LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED; © 2017 WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY! 2 FILM PARTNERS; © 2017 WEINSTEIN COMPANY

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What a Wonderful Family! W

Director: Huang Lei Cast: Huang Lei, Zhang Weixin, Lee Lichun

War for the Planet of the Apes W

Director: Matt Reeves Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Terry Notary, Amiah Miller, Karin Konoval, Gabriel Chavarria

Caesar and his apes are forced into war with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins a mythic quest to avenge his kind, and will confront the Colonel in an epic battle to determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet. DISTRIBUTOR: TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX CONTACT: JULIAN LEVIN

What a Wonderful Family! 2

What Happened to Monday?

Director: Yoji Yamada Cast: Isao Hashizume, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Yu Aoi

Director: Tommy Wirkola Cast: Noomi Rapace, Willem Dafoe, Glenn Close

Several years have passed since Shuzo Hirata and his wife, Tomiko, were inches from a divorce. Shuzo enjoys going for drives, but after a few bumps, his eldest son, Konosuke, and daughter-in-law, Fumie, begin to worry for his safety as an elderly driver. How will they convince a stubborn old man to relinquish his license?

Overpopulation and famine have forced governments to introduce a one-child policy, forcing seven identical sisters to live a hide-and-seek existence. The sisters outwit the Child Allocation Bureau by assuming the identity of one person: each going outside once a week – until one day, one of them does not return.

DISTRIBUTOR: ENCORE INFLIGHT LTD. CONTACT: EDWIN CHEUNG

DISTRIBUTOR: ENTERTAINMENT IN MOTION CONTACT: LYNDA HARRISS

* EXCLUDING JAPAN

* EXCLUDING US

DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS CODES

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A husband asks his wife of 50 years what she wants for her birthday. She replies: a divorce. The announcement sends the family into chaos. Their three children are thrown into a state of panic, while dealing with their own issues. Amid the tumult, family members begin to voice their respective grievances. DISTRIBUTOR: ENCORE INFLIGHT LTD. CONTACT: EDWIN CHEUNG * EXCLUDING MAINLAND CHINA

Wind River

Director: Taylor Sheridan Cast: Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen A rookie FBI agent teams up with a local game tracker with deep community ties and a haunted past to investigate the murder of a local girl on a remote Native American reservation, in hopes of solving her mysterious death. DISTRIBUTOR: PARAMOUNT PICTURES CONTACT: JOAN FILIPPINI  * EXCLUDING US

I: OUTSIDE NORTH AMERICA

W: WORLDWIDE

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DIGITAL POTD

#APEXPOTD Want to land your photos in print or in the APEX Daily Experience newsletter? Share your aviation snapshots on Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #APEXPOTD for a chance to be featured.

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THROWBACK

In the 1950s, air travel was glamorous. Sophisticated. Exciting. New modes of high-speed travel led to new modes of living. And the jet set was born. Although airlines started handing out comfort items in the 1930s, it wasn’t until the ‘50s – the dawn of the long-haul era – that the amenity kit, as we know it, emerged. Back then, these kits served a more practical purpose than they do today. “Remain Over Night” (RON) kits, many of which were made by the Airline Textile Manufacturing Company, were lifelines for passengers whose journeys took them

Dawn of RON The role of amenity kits has oscillated between overnight toolbox to luxury accoutrement over time. BY JORDAN YERMAN

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away from the comfort of a bed for perhaps the first time in their lives, catching forty winks a mile in the sky: Soap, shaving cream, deodorant, shoe polish, detergent, hair spray and nail polish remover were offered to help passengers feel fresh upon arrival. RON kits strove for plush practicality, making the cabin feel as much like a hotel as possible, but the race for luxury bragging rights quickly began. In the ‘50s, Pan Am offered a gold-colored tube featuring a gold-handled razor to passengers flying between New York and London on its firstclass President Special service. Pan Am also offered portable alarm clocks, which must have made for an interesting cabin scenario as daybreak approached. By the 1970s, amenity kits had become hallmarks of premium air travel.

In recent years airlines have partnered with luxury brands: Singapore Airlines with Ferragamo, Lufthansa with Rimowa and Emirates with Bulgari, for everything from leather and satin-finish bags to the soothing balms and lotions they contain. As in days of yore, amenity kits are still mostly associated with business and first class. But airlines such as Qatar Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Emirates are spreading the wealth to the economy cabin, with items packed with much of the same functionality as those in RON kits of the ‘50s.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF SFO MUSEUM

Remain Over Night (RON) kits were first handed out to passengers in the 1950s.

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