Advanced applications

Real-time connectivity onboard an aircraft provides benefits that go well beyond communications - enabling an airline to generate ancillary revenue, reduce costs, improve customer service and enhance its own operational efficiency.

Generating revenue by giving passengers increased purchase power

Passengers heading into a new city destination want to make the most of their time while visiting. This ability to use their time onboard booking tickets for an entertainment or sporting event, or arranging for further travel plans, makes sense.

With OnAir, airlines can now facilitate purchases by selling electronic tickets to a host of entertainment options, delivered directly to passengers' GPRS-enabled mobile phones or smartphone devices. The electronic ticket simply includes a two-dimensional bar code that can be swiped upon entry to a venue, or, for example, at a train ticket office.

Other ancillary revenue opportunities exist with standard credit card transactions onboard. Real-time authentication of credit card transactions, which is currently not possible on most airlines, can significantly reduce credit card fraud. This in turn means that airlines can add new, and potentially more lucrative, options to duty free and inflight shopping catalogues, boosting ancillary revenue.

Telemedicine saves lives and reduces costs

Real-time connectivity also enables better patient care in the case of a health-related emergency. Telemedicine technology, combined with OnAir inflight connectivity, means that airlines can avoid an estimated one out of every two costly emergency diversions. Specialised medical devices connected to the OnAir network send a passenger's vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure, to medical experts on the ground. This helps passengers, by giving them faster and better distress care onboard, and enables a dialogue with on-ground medical staff to prepare better for a medical response, should the aircraft have to divert. OnAir has successfully tested the Tempus onboard device, a remote diagnostic tool marketed by RDT, a leader in the field of telemedicine.

Improving customer care with personalised services

Airlines are increasingly offering services that enable passengers to check in and board an aircraft using their mobile phones. They are also using mobile devices as the primary means of communication with frequent flyers to advise on gate and flight changes and to contact passengers arriving late for a flight. This saves money and enables the airline to offer enhanced services.

Airlines are now able to extend the range of services offered, thanks to OnAir solutions. Airlines can, for example, inform passengers about connecting gates, weather at destination, limousine pickup while they are still flying.

Personalised programmes can also be extended by airlines to offer a 'concierge'service. Airlines provide premium passengers with a dedicated phone number they can call from the plane to receive assistance in booking travel and accommodation arrangements, reserving tickets for entertainment or sporting events, or simply making dinner reservations. The scope of the 'virtual concierge' is limitless, enabling airlines to meet the very specific needs of frequent flyers.

Enhancing operational efficiency with real-time information

With OnAir, airlines can further improve their operational procedures. Inflight connectivity will enable:

• Crew applications, such as:
  • Digital cabin logbook for defect reporting;
  • Cabin crew e-mail;
  • Online access to passenger databases;
  • Online access to crew arrival & flight plan information;
  • On-the-spot incident recording, ensuring more accurate and faster; intervention, with real-time feedback loop;
• Airline operational applications, such as:
  • Electronic flight bag;
  • Weather map updates, enabling dynamic flight re-routing based on weather conditions;
  • Real-time engine performance monitoring & corrections;
  • Inflight management of dispatch planning;
  • Inflight link to ground-based operational networks;
  • Spares management;