Lumexis has revealed that its undisclosed, full-fleet customer operates a bunch of Boeing 737s. But the firm, which has secured a fresh round of investment, is revealing precious few other details about its mystery customer, which will no doubt be installing Lumexis' fiber optics-based second generation system.
Boeing 737 customers are manifold (the Wikipedia entry above illustrates my point...not that you need it).
Is Lumexis' customer a US carrier? Is it Lumexis trial carrier US Airways (that would be very schizophrenic of US Airways, and wouldn't account for the carrier's big fleet of Airbus narrowbodies, but heck, anything is possible).
At least one fair reader wants the Lumexis customer to be Southwest Airlines, the launch customer for Row 44's high-speed Internet solution.
Or has California-based Lumexis won a deal with a foreign airline? Hmmmmm.
Let the guessing begin (and if you'd prefer to make that guess privately, email me at mary_b_kirby@yahoo.com :)
Meanwhile, if you need a quick tutorial in fiber optics, join the over 100,000 other people who have viewed this video...it's like honey dripping from a spoon.
on November 30, 2009 10:26 PM | Reply
I would love it if it was American, but I HIGHLY doubt that. Perhaps Qantas?
on November 30, 2009 10:28 PM | Reply
I would love it if it was American, but I HIGHLY doubt that. Perhaps Qantas or maybe Alaska? I doubt it'll be Southwest--it doesn't fit with their business model.
on December 1, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply
Qantas, eh? Interesting.
Here is what the Qantas 737 situation looks like:
737-400 - 17 in operation
737-800 - 38 in operation, 28 on order, 11 options
That would be a sizable deal.
on December 2, 2009 9:24 AM | Reply
Ah, but you're forgetting a big 737 operator--what about AirTran? They've been saying lately they are looking into an AVOD solution. The lighter weight of the Lumexis system would fit nicely with their aircraft. No underseat equipment boxes would be a big boon too since their seat pitch is so tight.
on December 2, 2009 9:34 AM | Reply
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!!! How in the heck did we not think of AirTran? You are so right that they have been talking IFE!
I recall an Airline Business feature with Bob Fornaro that was very revealing - http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/01/19/321267/interview-airtran-chief-executive-bob-fornaro.html
However, AirTran then up and announced it had gone fleet-wide with Aircell, which is bringing a cached IFE experience onboard aircraft, and I know for a fact that AirTran is dead keen to have this in the near-term.
Aircell plans to use the onboard server storage to offer tons of content to passengers.
But the plot thickens...
on December 2, 2009 1:20 PM | Reply
Qantas? Maybe~~ but more likely I think would be Virgin Blue. They are about to replace their entire fleet of 737s and their experience with live tv left a lot to be desired. I have also heard that RED (Panasonic) has not excited many at subsidiary V-Australia. So the new fleet will be either without IFE (back to their roots) or with a light, low cost option. My money is on Virgin Blue + Lumexis. No IFE would go completely against (CEO) Brett Godfrey's "New World Carrier" model.
on December 3, 2009 1:51 PM | Reply
Let's play connect the dots...
PAR Capital invests in Row44:
http://deals.venturebeat.com/2008/05/19/row-44-raises-21-million-for-internet-access-on-planes/
Pre-Perseus Lumexis was primarily funded by PAR Capital, who retain significant ownership:
http://www.lumexis.com/company/news/default.aspx?articleid=50
Note... "Yes, we see the potential for cross pollination here too!"
Southwest Announces fleet-wide installation of Row 44:
http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/southwest-selects-wi-fi-our-fleet
Jackson doubts Southwest~~ doesn't fit with their model? Does Row44 fit with their model? Models change, driven by the market. Southwest, jetBlue, Frontier, Virgin America~~ undoubtably the most customer centric airlines in the US. All have in-seat video except Southwest.
Could it be that Lumexis has scored an order for 540+ Southwest aircraft? It would be strategic genius.