In-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) specialists from around the globe have joined Chinese carriers this week in Shanghai for the country's second annual IFEC summit.

Co-hosted by the China Air Transport Association (CATA) and the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA), the IFEC summit provides a platform for key industry players and China's 23 airlines to discuss IFEC developments and strategies.

"With 2009 marketed as a year filled with opportunities for in-flight connectivity and more IFE implementations scheduled throughout the year, we look forward to having our 23 member airlines and the global IFEC community coming together for the 2009 summit in Shanghai," says CATA.

Some of the featured speakers at this week's event are Panasonic Avionics, AeroMobile, IFEC consultancy IMDC, Rockwell Collins, LiveTV, DigEcor, ViaSat, China Southern Airlines, China Airlines, Emirates, Hainan Airlines and Xiamen Airlines.

Asian carriers were among the most aggressive in having their aircraft fitted with now-commercially-defunct Connexion by Boeing's high-speed broadband service. China Airlines was a customer and Air China was slated to bring the service onboard before Connexion was shuttered at the end of 2006.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news