Marisa Garcia 
JAL has debuted its surprisingly roomy new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, an aircraft clearly purposed for passenger comfort.
Beyond the impressive structural improvements, which come from taking out 25 seats and installing a Premium Economy cabin, the airline has made “zero-footprint” enhancements to the passenger experience as the B787 launch customer in Asia for Thales’ AVANT In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system.
The new B787-8, which entered service between Narita and Frankfurt on December 1, with daily service starting on December 16, has the latest generation, Android-based, AVANT IFE.
The AVANT system has, so far, been chosen by 15 airlines around the world, and is a popular choice on newer generation aircraft, Thales reports.
In total, more than 120 aircraft fly with AVANT systems today, and the IFE manufacturer reports it is delivering nearly one new aircraft per week, with almost 500 aircraft on order.
On the JAL Sky Suite 787 Dreamliner, passengers can choose from a wide range of on-demand entertainment, including 90 Japanese and 30 English titles, follow their flight-path on 3D Maps, get a little Duty-Free joy on the JAL Shop, and explore the airline’s unique Sky Manga collection. Sky Manga allows JAL passengers to view digital manga on the Thales system. The AVANT system is available in all classes on international routes.
Business Class passengers, cosy in their private suites, will enjoy their entertainment on 23” high definition displays.
To control the displays, passengers have a Thales’ Touch Passenger Media Unit, which resembles a smartphone. It servesewr either as a control device or as a second screen.
The newly added Premium Economy cabin has 12” displays, and the Economy seats feature 10” displays.
Every seat has AC power and USB ports for mobile devices.
Thales reports that Japan Airlines has orders on the books for 15 line-fit B787 aircraft featuring AVANT, with Thales systems also flying on Japan Airlines’ B767 and B777 aircraft, serving both domestic and international routes.
“Our relationship with Japan Airlines spans many years and we have developed mutual respect and trust for one another,” says Dominique Giannoni, Thales vice president and CEO of In-flight Entertainment and Connectivity activities. The launch of this new aircraft is a great milestone for all of us and we are confident that the quality, reliability and advanced technology of our systems will help Japan Airlines ensure their passengers continue to be satisfied by this airline’s exceptional level of service.”
