The service has been rolled out on MEA’s fleet of nine A321neoLR aircraft, offering passengers access to a wide range of premium news and live sporting events.

Middle East Airlines-Air Liban (MEA) has begun a two-month trial of Panasonic Avionics’ inflight Live Television service.

The service was rolled out on MEA’s fleet of nine Airbus A321neoLR aircraft on 1 October 2021, offering passengers access to a wide range of premium news and live sporting events.

The integrated service enables passengers to watch news channels including the BBC World and CNN International, along with live sporting action in partnership with Sport 24.

Sport 24 is provided exclusively by Panasonic Avionics and is the world’s first and only live inflight sports platform. It broadcasts 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, connecting airline passengers to over 16 hours of premium live content from over 30 different global sports leagues each day.

The Live Television service onboard MEA’s aircraft will be powered by Panasonic Avionics’ in-flight connectivity services, and broadcast through its eX1 in-flight entertainment platform, both of which were launched on the airline’s A321neoLR fleet in 2020.

eX1 is designed specifically for narrowbody aircraft and offers full HD seatback monitors, complete with touch displays and handsets, and an intuitive, personalised interface.

Houssam Moghrabi, Head of In-flight Services at MEA, commented: “Panasonic Avionics is a proven partner for MEA. The trial of their Live Television service is a natural next step following the installation of their state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems last year, which has been well received by our passengers.”

Andrew Mohr, Vice President of Digital Solutions for Panasonic Avionics Corporation, also commented: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Middle East Airlines and to enhance the in-flight experience they provide by bringing live news and the world’s best sporting action to their passengers.”