By Elizabeth Antidius Shumbusho | Africa Guardian
Ethiopian Airlines has become the first airline in Africa to receive an Airbus A350-1000 equipped with Thales’s advanced AVANT Up Inflight Entertainment (IFE) system, marking a new chapter in the airline’s commitment to offering exceptional passenger experiences. This milestone highlights a longstanding partnership between Ethiopian Airlines and Thales, which spans over a decade.
The AVANT Up system features the industry’s first 4K QLED HDR Optiq displays, offering an immersive viewing experience with unparalleled picture quality and over a billion vibrant colors. Passengers can enjoy seamless connectivity with two Bluetooth connections and built-in Wi-Fi, allowing them to pair multiple devices simultaneously while staying fully charged through Thales’s award-winning Pulse power management system.
The new system enables Ethiopian Airlines to continually elevate its passenger experience with a broad range of digital services and customizable applications. The airline’s first A350-1000, equipped with Thales’s innovative inflight entertainment system, sets a new standard for luxury and convenience on long-haul flights.
“We are excited to bring the first A350-1000 in Africa equipped with Thales’s AVANT Up IFE system to our passengers. This milestone underscores our legacy as an aviation technology pioneer, and we look forward to further collaborations with Thales InFlyt Experience,” said Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group.
Niels Steenstrup, CEO of Thales InFlyt Experience, expressed pride in the partnership, stating, “We are thrilled to see our AVANT Up system flying on the first A350-1000 in Africa, and we look forward to continuing our work with Ethiopian Airlines to deliver exceptional in-flight experiences to their passengers.”
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