Source: Airbus
But
5 years after signing a memorandum of understanding with Panasonic Avionics for Ku
service fleet-wide, Cathay is poised to finally break into the
connectivity space in 2016 with its Airbus A350s.
Yet the Hong
Kong-headquartered carrier remains conservative; it questions whether
a consistent experience can be offered, whether passengers will pay for
it, and whether connectivity will even be profitable.
Source: Cythia Drescher
“The feedback we’re
getting is that the experience is often disappointing,” Cathay GM product Toby
Smith remarked earlier in the summer.
“We
want to make sure when we launch it that we don’t raise expectations and people
go ‘It’s too slow and it keeps dropping off.’”
Source: Cythia Drescher
Cathay
included connectivity on its specification for the A350-900 along with
Panasonic’s eX3 embedded IFE and eXW wireless IFE.
The
first -900 is due to be delivered to Cathay in February/2016.
Source: Airbus
Smith
expects the carrier’s Panasonic Ku connectivity trial to commence once Cathay
has a few A350s; 12 are expected by the end of 2016.
It is not
uncommon for airlines to commit to offering connectivity without a full
business plans.
Source: Airbus
But
Cathay wants first-hand experience before making a deeper commitment. “Let’s
get a clearer picture on our own passengers on our own fleet rather than listen
to industry speak,” Smith said.
The trial will give
Cathay insights on take rates and what exactly passengers use
inflight connectivity for.
With
concerns about connectivity’s reliability, passenger demand and costs, Cathay
expects its Ku trial to guide the carrier about further deployment and what the
business model should look like.
Source: DN280
It
is not a passing decision: “We need to understand the value because we could
choose to make significant investments in other aspects of the customer
experience,” Smith said.
Consistency – a
hallmark of the airline – is also a factor. “We’re always trying to deliver a
consistent customer experience. We need to take that into consideration,” Smith
said.
“If
we have 5 flights a day to London, 2 of which might in the future be operated
by the A350 and 3 by the 777, we don’t want passengers to go ‘Oh which flight
should I take because this one has it and this one doesn’t?’”
Even
so, the carrier expects the service to be unprofitable. “It’s an investment in
the customer experience,” Smith said.
Where will Cathay Pacific test the A350 before schedule flights begin?
ReplyDeleteCathay Pacific plans long haul debut in New Zealand Mat 2016.
ReplyDeleteFor roughly 3months of regional deployment/crew familiarisation and build up of station support readiness; Manila, Taipei, Singapore, Osaka, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City are among first cities.
Still subject to change are the proposals to change the two B777 routes, Manchester and Dusseldorf into A350-900's
JC