Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) posted an operating profit of PRs767 million ($2.66 million) in the first quarter ended 31 March, reversing the PRs740 million loss seen in the year-ago comparable period. Consolidated net revenues rose by 73% to PRs61.3 billion, the airline says in a filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Net loss attributable to shareholders of the holding company came in at PRs38 billion, widening from a loss of PRs14.3 billion in the year-ago period.

Finnair is raising its profit guidance for the year citing “stronger than previously anticipated” travel demand and windfalls from falling fuel prices and the company’s cost-saving drive. The flag carrier now estimates that operating profits may “even exceed” 2019 levels of €163 million ($175 million). By revenue, Finnair does not expect to match the €3.1 billion that it collected in 2019. “As a result of the improved profit outlook, Finnair's strategic comparable operating profit margin target of at least 5% from mid-2024 onwards would be reached 12–18 months earlier than anticipated,” it states. “However, uncertainty in Finnair’s operating environment continues as the fuel price is still high and also since the end of the closure of Russian airspace is not in sight. In addition, the extent of the impacts of inflation and rising interest rates on demand and costs is uncertain.” As part of guidance issued in late-April, Finnair said that although revenue would increase and the operating result would improve year-on-year, neither metric would allow the company to reach the level of 2019. Finnair will update its outlook and guidance again as part of its half-year report on 21 July.

Panasonic Avionics is upbeat on the prospects for seatback in-flight entertainment systems, despite the increasing trend of passengers' using their own digital devices. During a media briefing at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg on 6 June, chief executive Ken Sain acknowledged previous concern about the future of seatback IFE as mobile phones, tablets and laptops became more capable and airlines saw opportunities to save costly hardware installations while being able to connect passengers' personal devices. He asserts, however, that passengers' own devices complement rather than replace installed IFE equipment as consumers have become used to handling multiple screens in parallel for communication, work and entertainment. The pandemic has changed consumer habits, he observes. Passengers now expect to stay online all the time, which has increased wi-fi demand on board aircraft. A new generation of organic LED (OLED) screens – dubbed Astrova – launched by Panasonic at last year's Aircraft Interiors Expo was a first step to overcome what Sain describes as a lag between aircraft cabins and consumer technology. At this year's iteration of the event, US-based supplier unveiled additional screens with the technology, including a 42in version for first class to be introduced in 2024. As part of a second step to update its entire IFE product and improve onboard wi-fi capability, Panasonic plans to launch, in the fourth quarter of 2024, connectivity via low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites in co-operation with service provider OneWeb. Bandwidth on existing connections to geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites will meanwhile be improved from the fourth quarter of this year. Sain says increased wi-fi performance and the possibility of connecting passenger's own devices to seatback IFE systems will open up opportunities for more personalised onboard travel experience. This could become "better than [in] your living room", Panasonic suggests. For airlines, Panasonic wants to make it easier to stay abreast with consumer technology by providing modular upgrades that enable carriers to change components during frequent, short ground events – for example overnight maintenance – rather than to replace entire IFE systems during full cabin refurbishment events that typically occur after seven or eight years. Additionally, Panasonic intends to provide airlines with self-service tools to manage IFE system interfaces and applications with passengers. All together, Sain predicts, the new technology will provide a step change in airlines' business case for IFE systems and enable a seamless passenger experience from pre-departure until post-arrival. Passengers may be using personal devices to book flights, order ancillary services and check in. But Sain argues that IFE systems provide airlines with much longer windows for passenger engagement than via website or mobile phone services. In addition to virtually all widebodies, 53% of single-aisles are equipped with IFE systems, Panasonic estimates.