The future of IFE will involve seatback monitors that interface with passengers, customize content and generate ancillary revenue, according to Thales executives at the company’s new IFE final integration and test facility in Irvine, California, May 22.

Icelandair has selected US technology company ViaSat to provide high-speed Wi-Fi for its incoming fleet of 16 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 9s.

Rockwell Collins has developed a “low-risk” integration plan for merging B/E Aerospace, which it acquired last month for $8.6 billion, into Rockwell, according to chairman, president and CEO Kelly Ortberg.

Etihad Airways partner Air Serbia has begun retrofitting 10 of its Airbus A319s and A320s with slimmer and lighter-weight Recaro BL3520 seats, adding 12% capacity to the airline’s narrowbody fleet.

A strategic partnership between Inmarsat and Lufthansa Group sees the commercial service introduction of GX Aviation. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and soon Eurowings passengers over Europe will now have high-speed internet access. Inmarsat and Lufthansa talk about their partnership and how they designed the FlyNet service and revenue model together.

Global mobile satellite communications services provider Inmarsat launched the fourth high-speed broadband communications satellite in its Global Xpress program, Inmarsat-5 F4 (I-5 F4).

United Parcel Service UPS Airlines is to undertake a major flight deck upgrade of its fleet of 52 Airbus A300-600R freighters.

The Airbus A350-1000 has completed its so-called “early long flight,” testing the new twinjet’s cabin comfort, processes and systems during a 12-hour flight under airline operating conditions.