Microsoft and Lufthansa Systems take mobile services airborne at Singapore Airshow

SINGAPORE — Feb. 11, 2014 — Tuesday at the Singapore Airshow 2014, Microsoft Corp. and Lufthansa Systems are showcasing the new BoardConnect app for Windows 8. The app allows airlines to create a unique experience for their in-flight passenger entertainment systems. The interactive solution will allow users to watch the latest movies, order food, shop, find information about their destinations and much more. The entertainment platform can be quickly customized for new airline customers and allows them to configure devices to offer a uniquely branded product to their passengers.

“We are making BoardConnect available on Windows 8 to give passengers even more choices to use the platform,” said Norbert Müller, senior vice president of BoardConnect at Lufthansa Systems. “This makes it easy for airlines to give their passengers a superior in-flight entertainment experience that allows them to watch a wide range of movies, look at flight information and shop, all from their seat.”

The mobile era is causing a fundamental disruption in the aviation industry. With the cloud making technology more accessible than ever, businesses in the aviation industry have to shift and increase their technology investments in areas where they haven’t historically focused. Now, technology can be a route to cost savings, growing revenue and staying ahead of the competition.

Lufthansa Systems joins other companies building aviation-focused solutions for Windows. Microsoft and Lufthansa Systems are working to give airlines a mobile advantage by creating an in-flight entertainment experience that delights passengers, moving pilots to electronic flight bags in the cockpit, and providing flight attendants with devices and apps that provide powerful point-of-sale and customer service capabilities.

“Airlines recognize that technological advances are a way to rise above the competition and be seen as innovators in the industry,” said Susan Hauser, corporate vice president, Enterprise & Partner Group at Microsoft. “We are excited to work with our partners to create a powerful set of devices and services that will help airlines be more efficient and productive and allow them to give their passengers a much better flying experience.”

In addition to the new BoardConnect app, Lufthansa Systems’ Purser Mobile Device application, mCabin, will also be available on Windows 8 devices in the near future. The mCabin solution provides airline crews with all relevant flight details at a glance. An interactive duty calendar, briefings, crew positioning, and passenger information and reporting help airlines improve their onboard services and, subsequently, customer satisfaction. This marks another area of cooperation between Microsoft and Lufthansa Systems.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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