Our guest for this episode is Dominic Green, executive VP, Americas at Inflight Dublin, which is a content service provider to airlines. Dominic recently joined Inflight Dublin from Thales, where he led the development of content-related services for wireless IFE and connectivity solutions. He is also a member of the board of the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).
You’ve no doubt heard about the claims made in an FBI report that suggest security researcher Chris Roberts hacked an IFE system, gained access to engine controls and issued a climb command resulting in a sideways movement of the aircraft. While Boeing and IFE experts have hit back at these claims the Roberts saga has ignited a much-needed conversation about aircraft system security. In this episode, we weigh the arguments being made by both sides, highlight the areas of vulnerability that regulators and industry insiders have focused their efforts on and consider whether industry should offer bug bounties to white hat hackers to improve upon system security. And we address the very latest development - security specialists are calling for airlines to turn off all IFE until their concerns are satiated.
Next, we talk to Dominic about his firm's decision to develop airline-branded wireless and portable IFE solutions, and engage passengers on a whole new level by "packaging an experience" that includes different content, activities and services that can be supported by sponsorships and promotions. The hardware agnostic software can support e-commerce platforms, allowing passengers to book destination related tours or concerts, for instance.
And last but not least, we chat with Dominic about the upcoming Passenger Choice Awards, which invites air travelers from around the world to rate their recent inflight experiences. The Airline Passenger Experience Association hosts the awards every year. Dominic explains why it makes sense for passengers to exercise their voice and fill out this quick survey.