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GURUGRAM: Air India wants the seatback screen to be its next app store. The airline has offered a preview of Vista Digital Platform, its next-generation connected in-flight entertainment (IFE) software, which it says will redefine how guests experience entertainment and services in future. Built by Air India’s in-house design and software teams, the platform will feature several patent-pending innovations and is being integrated with IFE hardware systems.
Progressive deployment is planned to begin in FY2028, starting with select new aircraft deliveries before extending across the fleet over time. The announcement, dated 22 September 2026, describes a phased introduction across the fleet next year.
The platform is designed to create a more personalised and connected guest experience. It aims to deliver greater consistency across IFE hardware types on aircraft and to enable richer interactions before, during and after every journey.
Traditional inflight entertainment platforms operate largely as closed, standalone systems. Vista Digital Platform will instead be an extension of Air India’s wider digital ecosystem. By harnessing advances in modern software architecture, artificial intelligence (AI) and inflight connectivity, it will let the airline introduce new features, services and content faster, more efficiently and at lower cost, while delivering a seamless experience.
Satya Ramaswamy, chief digital and technology officer at Air India, said the adoption of open-source operating systems by IFE hardware vendors, the deployment of satellite broadband connectivity on aircraft and modern AI technologies create a unique “app store launch moment” for reimagining the cabin experience. He said Air India is one of the few pioneering airlines in the world to create a connected software platform in-house that powers personalised entertainment and commerce experiences for guests.
With this advancement, Ramaswamy said, the inflight entertainment system has the potential to become the most important screen guests interact with, joining Air India’s award-winning mobile app and website as one of its core digital consumer platforms. He added that deployment will begin progressively from the second half of 2027, and that the airline is excited to share an early preview.
A familiar experience across the fleet. Guests often meet different entertainment interfaces on different aircraft. Vista Digital Platform is designed to offer a consistent and intuitive experience across multiple aircraft types, making navigation simpler and more familiar. It will also support over-the-air software and content updates, so new features and improvements arrive more efficiently.
A connected journey across Air India’s digital channels. The platform will work seamlessly with Air India’s mobile app, website and backend digital platforms. In future, guests could access loyalty services, travel information and selected booking-related features directly through the seatback screen. The mobile app will evolve into a companion experience, letting guests browse and curate entertainment preferences before boarding and interact with the inflight system during the flight.
Personalisation that travels with the guest. One of the platform’s most exciting capabilities is continuity across journeys. Rather than starting over on every flight, guests will be able to pick up where they left off, such as resuming a movie or programme from the same point on their next Air India flight.
An experience inspired by modern streaming platforms. The interface will offer the ease and personalisation travellers expect from leading over-the-top (OTT) and streaming services. Its AI-powered experience is meant to surface relevant content and services, making it easier to discover entertainment, meals, travel products, gaming, children’s content, reading materials and more.
Location-aware discovery and commerce. Among the innovations is a patent-pending “commerce-on-map” capability that could let guests discover and book experiences and travel services related to destinations they are flying over or planning to visit, bringing inspiration and convenience together during the flight.
Most airlines treat the IFE system as a hardware purchase, and the screen goes stale the day the aircraft is delivered. Air India is treating it as software, which can be updated over the air, personalised and monetised. That shift matters for three reasons. A consistent interface across aircraft types removes a long-standing irritation. Continuity across flights gives frequent flyers a reason to stay loyal. And commerce-on-map turns a captive audience into a marketplace for destinations and travel services. Vista Digital Platform represents Air India’s broader vision of building technology platforms that shape the guest experience, and the airline expects it to be a foundation for new products, services and experiences across its ecosystem.
