Lighting specialist STG Aerospace has sealed a deal with Alaska Airlines as well as revealing two launch customers for its latest liTeMood® LED lighting system for Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft.
The company confirmed at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg that it had been selected as the supplier for the photoluminescent emergency floorpath marking system across Alaska Airlines’ Boeing and Airbus fleets, as the carrier starts to streamline the cabins of its Virgin America fleet.
The airline will install STG’s next-generation saf-Tglo SSUL photoluminescent emergency escape path marking system (EEPMS) on 116 aircraft across its retrofitted and new Boeing 737-700, MAX 9 and Airbus A320 family fleets – making it one of the largest multi-platform programmes ever awarded.
The retrofit programme, starting late 2018, will see Alaska Airlines upgrade the EEPMS system in its Boeing and Airbus fleets to the latest saf-Tglo SSUL design. The carrier will also replace the electrical emergency lighting system in its Airbus fleet, a change expected to realise significant operational cost savings due to the high reliability and fail-safe nature of saf-Tglo, says STG.
Warren Hamilton, director of cabin products and interiors at Alaska Airlines, said STG Aerospace’s proven track record of both robustness and reliability “made the decision to integrate the system as part of the retrofit programme a natural one. Aesthetically, the system will assist us in unifying cabin appearance across the new combined Boeing and Airbus fleets, but more importantly, it will assist us in keeping our guests and crew safe when they’re in our care.”
saf-Tglo is available in 300 daytime colour options, and two glow colours, and has been installed on 11,000 aircraft worldwide.
Launch customers
Also at AIX, STG launched the latest version of its liTeMood® LED retrofit lighting system for Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft, and revealed the first two launch customers – Small Planet Airlines and XL Airways France. Both will start upgrading their A320/A321 and A330 fleets later this month.
STG’s director of global sales, Marcus Williams, said the system “has revolutionised the way airlines with Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft can accomplish a LED lighting upgrade since 2014. We are now delighted to announce the availability of our next-generation system for the Airbus A320FAM, A330 and A340 fleets along with the first two of our launch customers, and for the first time offering a full-colour, fully programmable solution.”
The unique Airbus system offers fully customisable animated scenes that can change post-installation in just minutes via a patented infrared wand. As well as the choice of selection from more than 16 million colours, the system offers the ability to incorporate bespoke scenes, from the northern lights to sunrise and sunsets to more unique settings to celebrate national holidays.
Kristijonas Kaikaris, CEO of Small Planet Airlines, said: “As an airline we strive to offer a world of infinite possibilities and improvements. By installing this system on our A320 aircraft it will assist us in our mission of delivering that world and help us personalise the way we interact with our passengers.”
XL Airways France vice-president of maintenance and engineering, Jean-Pierre Fachinetti, stated the system “allows us to create individual mood lighting scenarios to foster well-being for passengers through every phase of the flight, we’re delighted to be one of the first customers to offer this major enhancement to the passenger experience.”
Available for retrofit on single- and twin-aisle Airbus aircraft, the system can be installed in less than six hours (on an A320) and requires no changes to aircraft wiring or control systems.
