Panasonic's Astrova inflight entertainment debuts with Icelandair

Home
»
Stories
»
2025
»
January

GLOBAL INDUSTRY NEWS

Qatar Airways Landing An A350 In Hamburg Makes A Powerful Statement - Airline Ratings

Qatar Airways In Talks To Buy 20% Of Virgin Australia - Airline Ratings

Boeing Will Buy Spirit AeroSystems For $4.7 Billion In Stock & Airbus Enters $559 Million Agreement For Its Parts

Bombardier Global Jet Production Stops in Toronto as Union Workers Strike | AIN

Justice Department To Offer Boeing a Plea Deal Related to Max Crashes

Plane diverted to Brazil after turbulence injures 30

As air taxi services make progress in U.S., no timeline set for liftoff over L.A. traffic

Global Industry News

Panasonic's Astrova inflight entertainment debuts with Icelandair

Policy

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."

Get the Newsletter

Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

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."