Finnair’s customers soon will be the first airline passengers in the world to have the opportunity to try the Windows 8-powered HP ElitePad 900 tablets as in-flight entertainment.

Tomorrow, on 20th March, Finnair will begin a two-month trial of the tablets and wireless internet service on board one of its Airbus A330 wide body aircraft. The plane, with the registration OH-LTT, will be used on both scheduled and charter flights.

"We want to enhance our customers' in-flight comfort," says Peter Gabrielsson, Vice President Customer Experience, Finnair. "We want to test the functionality of the wireless network on intercontinental flights and how the passengers use the equipment during the flight. We are interested in learning how the use is divided between the fixed in-flight entertainment system and the tablet."

“Microsoft and Finnair had a unique opportunity to re-imagine what in-flight entertainment means to our customers. Windows 8, with its revolutionary touch-optimized user interface and rapid application development, allowed Microsoft to quickly develop a visually stunning entertainment system and deliver a first-class experience to thousands of Finnair passengers”, says Riitta Eiskonen, Services Lead, Microsoft Finland.

“To offer a unique in-flight entertainment experience to its customers, HP provides Finnair an enterprise-grade ElitePad tablet that combines the great style and user experience consumers demand with the features IT requires,” said Ari Koskinen, Director and General Manager, Printing and Personal Systems, HP Finland. “The HP ElitePad is a powerful and stylish business tablet for an optimal in-flight customer experience.”

The test will take place in Business Class on scheduled flights and in Comfort Class on charter flights. Passengers willing to participate in the test are offered an HP ElitePad tablet, which includes movies, TV shows, music and games. Additionally, the tablet includes wellness-related programs, such as a relaxation app to cope with time difference. Passengers will be asked to participate in a survey, and the information obtained will be used to develop Finnair’s in-flight entertainment service concept.

Finnair's partners in this test also include Nordkapp, which is responsible for the visual design of the tablet’s user interface. OnAir provides satellite communications and the onboard Wi-Fi service (Internet OnAir) and Spafax the audio and video content.

For more information:
Finnair Media Desk, tel. 09 818 4020, comms (a)finnair.com
Microsoft Finland: Camilla Lindfors, PR Lead, camilla.lindfors(a)microsoft.com, tel. +358 40 838 6686
HP Finland: Taina Kaitala, Media Relations Manager, taina.kaitala(a)hp.com, tel. +358 50 372 3406

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Marimekko for Finnair: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56635-finnair-marimekko-design-collaboration