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More than 1200 delegates attended the WAEA 28th Annual Conference & Exhibition in Toronto, Canada. Representatives from 72 airlines and 185 companies turned out for the premiere event of the industry to network with leaders and innovators and explore the future of IFE. Thousands of the latest products and solutions were on display at the world's largest exhibition of inflight entertainment and communications. Informative sessions featuring panel presentations on cabin connectivity, passenger research, operational strategies and the design of the next generation aircraft invited interactive discussions about critical issues facing the industry. Highlights of the week included the all new Avion Awards ceremony, informal receptions to exchange ideas and meet new colleagues, and the annual general meeting to share expectations for the association and elect new directors to the WAEA Board.
Introduction of New Executive Director
2006-2007 WAEA President Dee Brady welcomed the association's new Executive Director Richard Owen to the industry. On the job just two days, Owen expressed his appreciation and sincere desire to meet WAEA members, learn the industry and work closely with leaders and members to continue to move the association forward.
Awards
Winners of the Avion Awards were recognized during the opening session of the conference this year. Jet Airways (India) Ltd. and Emirates walked away with top honors winning Best IFE Overall for small and large airlines respectively. Passengers worldwide were surveyed by Skytrax to determine the airlines with the highest overall customer satisfaction ratings of their IFE experiences.
The top five finalists for Best Achievement in IFE were evaluated by a panel of judges representing airlines, hardware, software, distributor, lab, and service companies. Each finalist delivered 10-minute, in-person presentations about their airline's IFE excellence and Patrick Brannelly accepted the coveted award on behalf of Emirates.
Michael Covell and Jim Snyder were honored as WAEA Lifetime Achievement Award winners. The winners received on-stage tributes from long-time colleagues and friends Peter Daniello and Theresa Torlai who presented the awards.
Keynote
“Coffee, Tea or IFE?: Inflight Service in the New Age” was the title of Keynote Speaker Pierre Jeanniot's address to conference delegates. The chairman of THALES Canada Inc. engaged audience members with his unique historical perspective of aviation and inflight entertainment and projections for business-building opportunities of the next decade and beyond.
Educational Sessions
A panel of experts tackled hot topics and critical issues facing the IFE industry. The interesting responses set the stage for two days of thought-provoking sessions engaging delegates in preparation for an exciting future. Leaders involved in the A380 IFE Launch shared opinions and facts about the revolution in IFE taking place and the rebirth sparked by the innovation of the IFE hardware and software in the A380. Passenger research experts provided insight into the effective methods for evaluating passenger opinions and a panel of airline representatives revealed the profitable link between advertising and IFE. Cabin connectivity was a topic of interest at the conference and panelists reminded delegates that while the “gotta be connected” mentality is new to airlines it's not new to passengers.
Exhibition
More than 150 vendors exhibited at the conference offering hands-on demonstrations and one-on-one meetings with airline customers to unveil the latest technology, products and services. Twenty-minute time slots ensured more appointment opportunities for vendors and airlines, and kept business moving in the hall.
Making communication easier, more flexible and more entertaining was a theme for exhibitors showcasing their companies in the South Hall of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. From live demos of mobile broadband and inflight cell phone communication systems to products enabling passengers to interface their personal devices with onboard entertainment, the latest advancements were on display throughout the week. Content suppliers held steady appointments previewing the hottest feature films and programming coming soon.
Networking Events
Time to share ideas and laughs with old friends and new at day and evening networking events was valuable for delegates eager to make connections and build relationships with colleagues and customers. An offsite Casino-themed event held midweek was a sure bet to bring everyone together for some fun, great food and lots of prizes.
More detailed coverage and photos….
Session Briefs
Power Point Presentations (members only)
More exhibit hall photos
Conference Daily Editions of WIN
WAEA Annual Conference News Briefs
Avion Award Winners
New WAEA 2007-2008 Board of Directors
WAEA Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
Conference Sponsors
List of Exhibitors
List of Airlines in Attendance
List of Registered Press
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