Aviation

Qatar airways adds the world’s first cloud-native inflight entertainment platform from thales

In a significant move for passenger experience, Qatar Airways—voted the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax in 2024—has partnered with Thales to equip its new A321 NX fleet with the FlytEDGE inflight entertainment (IFE) system.

Recognized with a Crystal Cabin® award, FlytEDGE is the world’s first cloud-native IFEC platform, designed to enhance personalization and entertainment options for passengers.

First Look: IndiGo Takes Delivery of A321neo with New Business Class

This agreement marks the expansion of qatar airways’ long-standing relationship with Thales, which has previously provided IFE systems for the airline’s qatar Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, A350, and A380 aircraft.

FlytEDGE is set to revolutionize the entertainment experience by leveraging cloud computing technologies and an open software platform, offering features such as streaming access, live personalization, and gaming capabilities.

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The FlytEDGE system is powered by Thales’ award-winning Onboard Data Center (ODC), featuring an innovative blade architecture and 96TB of storage that enables onboard edge caching and much more.

It incorporates advanced consumer technologies, including cinematic 4K QLED HDR seatback displays that showcase over 1 billion colors and allow for two Bluetooth® connections, enabling passengers to pair their personal devices effortlessly.

Airlines

First Look: IndiGo Takes Delivery of A321neo with New Business Class

India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo (6E), celebrated its 18th anniversary in August 2024 by announcing a major upgrade: a new Business Class product called “IndiGo Stretch.”

Now, the airline has officially taken delivery of its first Airbus A321neo aircraft fitted with these premium seats. Registered as VT-ICF, this first A321neo with the new configuration took off from Hamburg (XFW) at 6:06 PM local time, operating flight 6E9001.

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The launch route for IndiGo’s A321neo with IndiGo Stretch seats will be from Delhi to Mumbai, starting November 14, 2024. After this initial route, the airline plans to expand the offering across its network.

Airbus completed the final assembly of this special aircraft in Hamburg, where the A321neo Final Assembly Line is located. Enthusiastic planespotters got a sneak peek of the new IndiGo Stretch interior before the aircraft’s official delivery to India.

Tobias Gudat, a planespotter on X.com, captured images of the aircraft, still marked with its test registration, showcasing its fresh Business Class interior.

#A321neo #IndiGo VT-ICF
MSN12081
with "means business" sticker pic.twitter.com/E8q6PTlgdY— Tobi (@Tobias_Gudat) October 21, 2024

Adding a distinctive touch, each IndiGo aircraft featuring the Stretch product will have the slogan “IndiGo Means Business” displayed on the fuselage, signaling a new era of premium travel for the airline.

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IndiGo took delivery of the A321neo with the Stretch seats on October 30, 2024, coinciding with Airbus’s delivery of the world’s first A321XLR to Iberia.