Qatar Airways has selected Thales’ aerospace ‘FlytEDGE’ technology to equip its new A321 NX fleet. ‘FlytEDGE’ is the world’s first cloud-native inflight entertainment platform and claims to bring a new level of personalization and passenger entertainment. Qatar Airways is the first airline to announce its selection of FlytEDGE.
FlytEDGE will elevate the entertainment experience to new heights utilizing cloud computing technologies, an open software platform, and unparalleled performance, enabling cutting-edge capabilities such as access to streaming platforms, live personalization, and gaming. The system enables the rapid integration of Qatar Airways’ vast portfolio of group brands, products, and other web-based applications. Thales’ FlytEDGE is powered by the award-winning Onboard Data Center (ODC) with the industry’s first blade architecture and 96TB of storage to enable onboard edge caching and much more.
Thales’ FlytEDGE solution features the best consumer technologies on the market. The system boasts cinematic 4K QLED HDR seatback displays to immerse passengers with over 1 billion vibrant colors and two Bluetooth® connections so passengers can pair their wireless devices. The system broadcasts the same user interface onboard for all devices- phones, tablets, and seatback screens. With Thales’ Pulse power management solution delivering high-speed charging at each seat to any passenger device, everyone arrives at their destination recharged, entertained, and relaxed.
Qatar Airways senior vice president of product development, Xia Cai said: “As our digital transformation journey evolves, we are thrilled to partner with Thales to introduce FlytEDGE onto our entertainment platform. We are confident passengers on our A321 NX fleet will have access to the most innovative consumer technology in the skies.”
Thales Avionics, executive vice president, Yannick Assouad said: “At Thales, we believe that the future of inflight entertainment is limitless. We are harnessing the power of technology to create personalized, interactive, and unforgettable experiences that redefine what it means to travel. Our partnership with Qatar Airways is growing stronger. Together, we’re bringing FlytEDGE’s advanced capabilities to their A321 NX fleet, ensuring passengers have unforgettable journeys.”
Over the years, Qatar Airways has partnered with Thales as its IFE provider to equip their Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, A350, and A380 aircraft. This new agreement expands the collaboration to the A321 NX fleet, building on the long-standing relationship between the two companies and their shared commitment to deliver a superior passenger experience.
