E! Networks will create a branded in-flight channel for US Airways, officials said Monday.
E! and Spafax Inflight Entertainment reached a licensing deal under which the programmer will provide a full two-hour E!-branded channel on all personal TV systems onboard first- and business-class cabins for all US Airways flights worldwide starting this month.
US Airways will also play at least one E! show each month on its main screen in coach worldwide, compiled with a selection of programming from other third parties.
The first fully E!-branded in-flight channel will consist of customized blocks created specifically for the service, featuring host wraps by E!'s most recognizable faces. The first month will feature E! News co-host Guiliana DePandi.
E! will also have presence on main screens throughout US Airways economy-class cabins, with E! programs playing after feature films on long-haul flights and in compilation programming packages on short-haul flights. The programming will be updated monthly.
"This new licensing partnership with US Airways underscores our efforts to make E! available everywhere, from mobile to broadband to satellite radio and now in the skies," E! vice president of international sales Duccio Donati said in a prepared statement. “Fans of E! who fly on US Airways will now have the chance to enjoy their favorite shows and news from Hollywood, making their travel experience more entertaining and enjoyable."
E! supplies in-flight programming to a number of domestic carriers on an ongoing basis, including Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines.
Additionally, the company currently provides in-flight programming monthly to more than 30 airlines worldwide, and it has E!-branded channels and dedicated video-on-demand sections onboard such foreign airlines as Cathay Pacific Airways, Gulf Air, Thai Airways and Etihad Airways.
