IFE Services to Supply AirTanker With In-flight Entertainment

KNUTSFORD, England, June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Royal Air Force Contractor Chooses Leading Content Service Provider to Supply Movies, TV Shows and Audio Channels for Military Personnel's Entertainment.

IFE Services, a leading in-flight entertainment (IFE) supplier, has been selected by AirTanker to meet its onboard passenger entertainment needs.

From this Autumn, IFE Services will supply AirTanker with a selection of Hollywood Blockbusters, classic movies, TV shows and audio channels. As well as providing all programming content, IFE Services will create a tailored safety film for the company's converted A330-200 aircraft along with branded safety cards with versions available in braille and large print for the visually impaired. Bespoke designed idents will also be created for the short programme line-up. The IFE content will run on the aircraft's digital mainscreen Thales i2000 system.

AirTanker was established in 2008 to provide the Royal Air Force (RAF) with a safe, reliable and efficient air transport and air-to-air refuelling service over a 24 year period from delivery of the first aircraft. The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme will use 14 new, specially converted A330 aircraft and AirTanker will also deliver all the associated support services including aircraft maintenance, training, infrastructure, fleet management and ground services. The first aircraft is due to be delivered to the RAF at Brize Norton towards the end of 2011.

James Scott, Flight Operations Director for AirTanker, said: "We chose IFE Services as our supplier because they understood our exact requirements and they offered a wide range of entertainment for our customers, who will mainly be servicemen and women. I am confident they will offer us an excellent service and we look forward to working with them."

For more information about IFE Services visit http://www.ifeservices.com

About IFE Services

IFE Services is a leading provider of passenger entertainment solutions to the travel industry. Its focus on quality and innovation is supported by a strong commitment to customer service and investment in the latest systems and technologies.

IFE Services supplies a full range of services to enable its clients to provide a first class entertainment experience to passengers. They include movies, TV programmes, audio, games, sleep and relaxation applications, safety and destination videos, on-board publications, hand-held entertainment systems and AVOD management.

IFE Services works with a broad client-base worldwide of 50 airlines and cruise ship operators. The company's headquarters are in Cheshire, UK with regional offices located in Madrid, Singapore, Miami and Lake Forest, California.

IFE Services is a privately owned company and part of the Travel Entertainment Group.

Web: http://www.ifeservices.com

Notes to Editors:

1. AirTanker Services was created in 2008 to deliver the FSTA service to the UK Ministry of Defence, which will provide the Royal Air Force with a reliable, safe and efficient Air Transport (AT) and Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) service over 24 years.

2. The FSTA service will use 14 new, specially converted, state-of-the-art A330-200 aircraft, each of which will be capable of carrying passengers with associated freight or aero medical patients in addition to its AAR role. As well as reducing overall running costs and significantly improving reliability, the aircraft will have considerably less impact on the environment than its predecessors. The first aircraft is due to be delivered towards the end of 2011.

3. The FSTA programme covers all aspects of an integrated aircraft service, ranging from the provision of the infrastructure, a full flight crew and engineer training service, through to aircraft maintenance, despatch and ground support. It will combine best practice from civil aviation with RAF operational expertise and military ethos to create a most efficient and effective operational solution for the RAF.

4. AirTanker will create and sustain high-value, high-quality UK jobs.

5. The FSTA service will be provided by AirTanker Services under fixed pricing arrangements with clear performance indicators. The MOD will only pay for the service once it is available and then only for the capacity that it uses, subject to agreed minimum usage levels.

6. AirTanker Services is contracted to operate the service from AirTanker Ltd, who hold the Contract from the MOD. AirTanker Services has five shareholders, who are also primary sub-contractors for the programme. They are: EADS (aircraft manufacture and initial conversion via Airbus Military); Cobham (refuelling equipment and aircraft conversion); Rolls-Royce (engine assembly, support and project management); Thales UK (mission simulators, defensive aids, avionics and mission planning systems); and Babcock (infrastructure and communications/information systems, design, build and support, and certain elements of technical support to the aircraft).

For further information about AirTanker Services and the FSTA programme, please visit http://www.airtanker.co.uk