Aircraft

Shenzhen Airlines announced yesterday at the show that it will install the Airbus KID Systeme OnAir communications services across its entire fleet of 737 and A320 aircraft by mid 2009.

OnAir allows passengers to send and receive emails and text messages, as well as make and take calls in flight. Three demonstrator aircraft will be outfitted with the service in time for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Li Kun, Shenzhen Airlines’ president, says: “Our goal is to build a world-class airline. We are proud to be the first airline in China to provide passengers with the ability to communicate during flights.” OnAir CEO Benoit Debains was evidently pleased to have made inroads into China and said: “China is a significant and fast-growing aviation market. We are grateful to Shenzhen Airlines for their trust.”

OnAir already has several agreements with European and Asian airlines, but would like to make further inroads into China, the largest mobile market in the world, where the number of cell phones is slated to reach 415 million this year. Airbus KID Systemes is also demonstrating its universal SkyPower outlet unit at the show, which can handle almost any type of power plug in the world.