Spafax and AirFi Collaborate to Offer Airlines Next-Gen, AI-Based IFEC Solutions

Global entertainment and media agency Spafax and market leader in portable wireless IFEC systems AirFi, announced today the two companies are collaborating on the next wave of inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC), putting data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) at the centre of a joint suite of new products and services.

The new suite directly addresses the fast-growing need in this post COVID-19 environment to fully digitise aircraft cabins, enable zero-touch operations and more deeply engage with customers and crew through intuitive, personalised machine interactions.

Spafax, a WPP Group company, is the world’s leading aviation media specialist with an enviable track record in creating personalised inflight experiences, branded content and unlocking new revenue streams through technology for major global airlines such as British Airways, Air Canada and American Airlines.

In a recent interview, Spafax CEO, Niall McBain highlighted how digital transformation is at the forefront of Spafax’s strategic re-haul:

“Spafax is working with new platforms and partners to give airlines new choices when the recovery begins, with cloud-based entertainment systems in the works that utilise creative, cutting-edge technology to connect with passengers in newer and even more exciting ways.”

The new collaboration with AirFi expands Spafax’s reach beyond traditional seat-back IFE to maximise the potential of the latest generation, fully connected AirFi VENUS (Gen 3) portable IFEC system.

Tony Taverner, Chief Technical Officer at Spafax said:

“Airlines have increasingly expressed the need for even more flexible IFEC solutions. Our new joint product suite developed with AirFi allows airlines to make the most of AirFi’s technologies and platform versatility together with Spafax’s expertise across content, passenger communications and advertising.”

Job Heimerikx, CEO at AirFi continued:

“We are delighted to be teaming with Spafax to lead this new wave in intelligence-driven passenger experiences. The revenue generation opportunity from digital platforms inflight are still massively untapped. Inflight Entertainment has been well established for over 30 years since the days of Hi-8 tapes, but remains a cost centre. Then came connectivity, but again the cost and complexity of delivery has overshadowed passenger experience and profitability. Today we are announcing a major global collaboration that will finally unlock the huge growth potential in onboard digital revenues through machine learning.”

Jean-Marc Thomas, Managing Director, Spafax Asia said:

“We’re thrilled to be developing new business opportunities alongside AirFi – the services we individually offer to airlines are very complementary and together, we can deliver a cutting-edge IFEC experience onboard. AirFi are the market leader in portable onboard wireless technologies and bring their in-depth knowledge of the industry and have designed a very intuitive platform for us to expand our content media and integrated revenue-generating solutions.”

Spafax and AirFi are now making available, to new and existing clients, an integrated airline advertising analytics tool leveraging the latest AI technology to combine behavioural datasets with airline passenger demographics. Tapping into the vast amount of data points that are generated from the AirFi system, this tool will give unrivalled insight into the purchasing characteristics of passengers and allow Spafax’s media portfolio and brand partners targeted and personalised digital opportunities displayed directly onto passengers’ connected devices.