The opportunities available to airlines through the connected aircraft are “as transformational as moving from an old Nokia phone to a smartphone”, says Inmarsat Aviation senior vice-president strategy and business development Frederik Van Essen.

“This is an unexplored area, which is why so many people are talking about it,” he says, referring to the possibilities to use data collected through passengers’ use of in-flight entertainment and connectivity to offer more personalised experiences and targeted marketing.

“With the connected aircraft, we’re trying to inspire airlines with what is possible," he adds. "Airlines have always struggled with the lack of differentiation, but now a whole new area of differentiation is opening up and there are all kinds of ancillary revenues this can unlock. In our view, this will transform the loyalty a passenger has to a certain airline."

Inmarsat is the latest connectivity provider this week to highlight the importance of using data to personalise the passenger experience.

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Source: Flight Daily News