Panasonic's Astrova inflight entertainment debuts with Icelandair

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Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Jan 4, 2025

Icelandair has become the first airline to introduce Panasonic's new Astrova In-flight Entertainment (IFE) system on its Airbus A321LR. The unveiling took place during a delivery event in December, marking Icelandair's first-ever Airbus delivery.

Tómas Ingason, Icelandair’s Chief Operating Officer, expressed enthusiasm about the new system: "We are excited to bring Panasonic Avionics' Astrova to our A321neo LR fleet. I look forward to offering this next generation entertainment system to our passengers, supporting our promise of a smooth and enjoyable travel experience."

The aircraft features 187 seats across two classes: 165 economy class seats and 22 business class seats in Icelandair’s SAGA Premium product. Both classes include the new Panasonic system with 16-inch screens in Business and 13-inch screens in Economy. Andrew Masson, Panasonic’s Vice-President of Product Management, shared his excitement: "We're super proud. We've been working on this system for three and a half years. It's great to see it finally fly - it looks absolutely phenomenal."

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Astrova boasts several key characteristics such as 4K OLED HDR10+ displays, wireless connectivity, spatial audio, thin display design with small edges, lightweight build, programmable LED lighting, and USB-C ports. Masson praised the technology: "The technology, the OLED screen, it's the best screen you can get. It produces a phenomenal picture."

One notable feature is Bluetooth connectivity for personal audio devices. Masson noted that passengers no longer need airline-provided headsets: "You have them as well but you don’t have to use it." He added that he used Bluetooth throughout his journey on the Icelandair A321LR flight from Hamburg to Reykjavík.

The Astrova system is designed for long-term sustainability and upgradability. It is lighter than traditional systems and can be updated over time with new software or payment systems without needing extensive certification processes.

Masson highlighted evolving passenger expectations for personalized experiences: "More applications and software are becoming available... People want applications on the seat back that they have on their smart TVs."

Some airlines may choose to integrate a payment platform into the IFE system for ancillary revenue opportunities. This feature allows passengers to make purchases directly through the IFE platform based on their preferences.

Masson explained potential future uses: "Before you might buy a Coke or Twix but as time goes on... Maybe I want to buy an e-sim for a phone... All that can be built in."