Hawaiian Airlines has inked a new four-year contract with portable in-flight entertainment (IFE) manufacturer digEcor that calls for the replacement of all its digEplayer 5500 handhelds with newer generation equipment.
Phase one of the new agreement, which is expected to begin in the next few months, will see approximately half of Hawaiian's current digEplayer 5500 inventory replaced with the digEplayer XLPs (extra long play).
The digEplayer XLPs will be initially offered on longer, premium routes.
"Hawaiian is still selecting the colour of the shell. So the [exact] date [for implementation] is to be determined," says a digEcor spokesman.
The player type used in phase two "is still undecided", he says.
Utah-based digEcor did not divulge specific details of the agreement. But the digEcor spokesman says "the number of players under the old agreement as well as the new agreement is very significant".
The new agreement also includes provisions to implement new revenue generative programmes such as shopping and advertising.
"Hawaiian has one of the most impressive and well oiled IFE rental programmes that we have seen in the industry. Currently, the revenue just from the rental programme makes the digEplayer programme one of the best ancillary revenue programmes that Hawaiian has in-flight. The addition of our new programmes will further increase the profitability of the programme for Hawaiian," says digEcor president Brad Heckel.
Meanwhile, Hawaiian is analysing its current route structure that carries digEplayer 5500s as well as several routes it is planning to add. The carrier "may be restructuring the routes with players onboard", says the digEcor spokesman.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
