Emma Kelly/LONDON
Rockwell Collins is ending production of the P@ssport interactive in-flight entertainment (IFE) system and focusing its long-term development plans on its own Total Entertainment System (TES). The move follows a three-month evaluation of integrating Rockwell's IFE operation, Rockwell Collins Passenger Systems, with Sony Trans Com, which it acquired this year.
Rockwell purchased the former Sony division primarily for its expertise in narrowbody IFE systems, but the acquisition left Rockwell with competing widebody systems - TES and P@ssport. Rockwell considers TES to be the "more marketable product", says Graham Macdonald, vice president marketing. "Product market share made the decision," he says.
P@ssport is installed on just 16 aircraft, with a further eight to be equipped plus a number of options, flying with three airlines - Air Canada, South African Airways and US Airways.
TES has an installed base approaching 200 and outstanding orders in excess of 100, with customers including British Airways, American Airlines, Air France and Delta Air Lines.
P@ssport customers have expressed satisfaction, while Rockwell has struggled with the interactive capabilities of TES. BA, for example, has been openly critical of TES, although reliability issues now appear to be under control.
Rockwell will continue to support P@ssport, but will make no further sales and will only add capabilities already agreed with existing customers. "We still have deliveries to make, functionality to add and we will continue to support them," says Macdonald.
The manufacturer is in talks with the P@ssport customers on the way forward. Rockwell will also transfer some of the capabilities and engineering from P@ssport to the next development of TES.
Meanwhile, Rockwell is to maintain production of two narrowbody IFE systems - Sony's P@ves and Rockwell's Apex 130.
Source: Flight International
