Qatar Airways has signed an agreement with Thales to equip its new A321 NX fleet with FlytEDGE, Thales’ Crystal Cabin® inflight entertainment (IFE) system. As Qatar Airways embarks on a digital transformation journey, FlytEDGE, the cloud-native inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) platform, will deliver a new level of personalisation and passenger entertainment. Qatar Airways is the first airline to announce its selection of FlytEDGE.
Over the years, Qatar Airways has collaborated with Thales as its IFE provider for its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, A350 and A380 aircraft. This new agreement extends their partnership to the A321 NX fleet, reinforcing the long-standing relationship between the two companies and their mutual commitment to delivering an exceptional passenger experience. FlytEDGE will elevate onboard entertainment using cloud computing technologies, an open software platform and unparalleled performance, enabling innovative capabilities such as access to streaming platforms, live personalisation and gaming. The system allows for the rapid integration of Qatar Airways’ extensive portfolio of group brands, products and various web-based applications. Thales’ FlytEDGE is powered by Onboard Data Center (ODC), featuring the industry’s first blade architecture and 96TB of storage to enable onboard edge caching and much more.
Thales’ FlytEDGE solution incorporates the best consumer technologies available. The system includes cinematic 4K QLED HDR seatback displays that immerse passengers in over one billion vibrant colours, along with two Bluetooth® connections to allow passengers to pair their personal wireless devices. A consistent user interface is broadcast across all devices, including phones, tablets, and seatback screens. Additionally, Thales’ Crystal Cabin® award-winning Pulse power management solution delivers high-speed charging at each seat for any passenger device, ensuring that everyone arrives at their destination recharged, entertained and relaxed.
