Emirates has announced that its forthcoming Airbus A350 aircraft will be fitted with Thales’ Avant Up IFE system.

Emirates is scheduled to take delivery of a total of 50 A350s from 2024, and says that the selection of Thales as IFE provider represents an investment of over £350 million.

The next-generation Avant Up system features Optiq 4k QLED HDR displays, which Emirates says will “immerse viewers in more than a billion colours”.

There will also be an enhanced live television solution, which the carrier says will offer “broader choice of live television and news in the highest available definition at 40,000 feet”.

It will also be the first smart display in the industry to offer two Bluetooth connections, as well as built-in wifi enabling passengers to pair phones, tablets, headphones and game controllers, and support for up to 60 watts USB-C to fast-charge personal devices.

The aircraft will also feature Thales’ Pulse power management technology, which Emirates says “will ensure that charging performance will be unaffected no matter how many users are charging their devices at the same time”.

Commenting on the news Adel al Redha, Emirates’ chief operating officer, said:

“Emirates has always regarded inflight entertainment as an essential aspect of our onboard experience, and we were in fact the first airline to put personal screens onto every single seat onboard when that was far from the norm over 30 years ago.

“Today, Emirates ice remains unmatched in inflight entertainment content and experience, having won best-in-the-sky awards consecutively for the past 14 years. Our investment in next-generation Thales systems for our new A350 fleet will further our lead, enabling us to deliver even better experiences to our customers. Watch this space.”

Emirates first announced plans for a $16 billion of 50 A350 aircraft in 2019, and at the time said that “some” of the planes would feature premium economy.

Emirates to receive 50 A350s featuring premium economy from 2023

The carrier has since launched its premium economy seating, alongside what it is referring to as the “largest known fleet retrofit” which will include installing the product onto 120 of its A380 and B777 aircraft.

emirates.com