Global Eagle and Norwegian Air Launch Live TV on European Flights
GEE and NAS kickoff service during live television broadcast aboard NAS flight from Oslo to Berlin
Initial offering features Bloomberg Television and TV 2 News
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 23, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Eagle Entertainment Inc., (Nasdaq:ENT) (“GEE”) a worldwide provider of aircraft connectivity systems, operations solutions and media content to the travel industry, and low-cost airline Norwegian Air Shuttle today introduced Live TV as a commercial service aboard all Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS) flights in Europe. The announcement was made during a live broadcast aboard a NAS flight from Oslo to Berlin.
The twelve month trial on more than eighty Wi-Fi-equipped aircraft will feature two TV channels, Bloomberg Television and TV2 News, across Europe. The free live television service will complement the free Wi-Fi that passengers already enjoy aboard all NAS flights worldwide, utilizing GEE’s AIRCONNECT Inflight Connectivity (IFC) platform.
Norwegian Air Shuttle also uses Global Eagle’s portal-based on-demand service for a broad range of inflight entertainment (IFE) content, including movies, music and games, elevating the NAS passenger experience. The live television service will enable NAS and GEE to optimize the infrastructure and connectivity to support a superior TV solution, a growing programming and content lineup, and new sponsorship programs.
“This milestone live television trial opens the door to more content choices, a better overall experience, and exciting sponsorship and advertising opportunities aboard Norwegian Air Shuttle flights and the GEE IFEC platform,” noted Thomas Ramdahl, Chief Commercial Officer for Norwegian Air Shuttle. “Our free Wi-Fi combined with our complementary live television offering sets the stage for a passenger experience like no other in the sky.”
“Live television is a popular choice among airline passengers who want a connected inflight experience that resembles their connected living room,” explained Walé Adepoju, Chief Commercial Officer for GEE. “This important collaborative trial between GEE and Norwegian Air marks an important component of next generation inflight connectivity offerings that Global Eagle is poised to deliver worldwide.”
About Norwegian Air Shuttle
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, commercially branded “Norwegian”, is a low-cost airline listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Norwegian is the world's seventh largest low-cost airline. The company reported its highest ever passenger figures in a single year with almost 24 million passengers in 2014. Norwegian has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East, as well as long-haul flights to the US and Southeast Asia. The company has over 400 routes to more than 130 destinations and employs approximately 5,500 people. The company has several hundred undelivered aircraft on firm order. Norwegian was founded in 1993 and its headquarters is in Fornebu, Norway. Norwegian offers better leg room than most competitors, in-flight WiFi on short haul, a fleet of around 100 aircraft with an average age of only four years; one of the youngest fleets in the world. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Norwegian was voted Europe’s best low-cost carrier of the year by the renowned SkyTrax World Airline Awards. Norwegian was also the first airline to be awarded the World's best low-cost long-haul airline in 2015 by SkyTrax. In 2014, Norwegian also won three prizes at the prestigious Passenger Choice Awards for Best Airline in Europe, Best Inflight Connectivity & Communications and Best Single Achievement in Passenger Experience for its moving map on the 787 Dreamliners. In addition, Norwegian was awarded Europe's best low-cost airline by AirlineRatings.com for the second year running.
About Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE)
Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq:ENT) is a worldwide provider of aircraft connectivity systems, operations solutions and media content to the travel industry. Through the industry’s most comprehensive product and services platform, Global Eagle Entertainment provides airlines with a wide range of in-flight solutions. These include Wi-Fi, movies, television, music, interactive software, as well as portable IFE solutions, content management services, e-commerce solutions and original content development. Serving more than 200 airlines worldwide, Global Eagle Entertainment delivers exceptional quality and value to its customers to help them achieve their passenger experience objectives. The company’s headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California, with offices and teams located in North America, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Oceania and South America. Find out more at: www.geemedia.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
We make forward-looking statements in this press release. These forward-looking statements relate to expectations or forecasts for future events, including without limitation, our earnings, revenues, expenses or other future financial or business performance or strategies, or the impact of legal or regulatory matters on our business, results of operations or financial condition. These statements may be preceded by, followed by or include the words "may," "might," "will," "will likely result," "should," "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "continue," "target" or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to us as of the date they were made, and should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those risks and uncertainties described in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K, as amended, and subsequently filed reports on Form 10-Q, as amended. As a result, our actual results or performance may be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
Contact: Jenelle Benoit Director, Marketing & Communications +1 310-321-6612 pr@geemedia.com Kevin Trosian Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations +1 310-740-8624 Investor.relations@geemedia.com
Released November 23, 2015