McLEAN, VIRGINIA, 30 September 2005 — Italo Poli, 30-year veteran of Swissair and WAEA founding member, received the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) 2005 “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his significant, long-term contribution to the airline inflight entertainment (IFE) and communications industry.

Italo Poli began his pioneering career in airline inflight entertainment in 1964 as manager of audio visual for Swissair. In 1969, he led the KSSU Group – comprising Swissair, SAS, KLM, and UTA – in setting a new standard for IFE among European carriers. In 1979-80, recognizing the potential role of “inflight entertainment” in the overall passenger experience, he helped found and establish the charter for the Airline Entertainment Association (AEA), which, under his coaxing, grew to become the World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) in 1984-5. Mr. Poli went on to serve two consecutive terms as WAEA President (1988-1990). Over his 30-year career with Swissair and his long tenure on the WAEA Board of Directors, Mr. Poli was a driving force for innovation, establishing a forward-momentum for increasing sophistication in IFE content and technology that continues today.

The WAEA Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Italo Poli on Friday night, 23 September 2005, at the WAEA 26th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Hamburg, Germany. The black-tie ceremony capped the week-long, international "market place" for passenger airlines and their inflight entertainment/communications suppliers.

A nonprofit organization founded in 1979, the WAEA is the official worldwide network representing nearly 100 passenger airlines and more than 250 airline suppliers and related companies committed to excellence in airline inflight entertainment and communications and the continual improvement of the airline passenger environment. The WAEA main headquarters is located in McLean, Virginia, USA.

The WAEA sponsors international conferences and exhibitions, educational workshops, technology meetings, industry forums, and the annual "Avion Awards" for excellence in inflight entertainment. The WAEA also develops recommended technical and operational standards and guidelines for the industry and publishes industry periodicals.

For more information on the WAEA and the airline inflight entertainment and communications industry, please visit the WAEA website at www.waea.org.