Royal Jordanian Purchases 182 Sony Video Walkman Players; Nearly 20,000 Video Walkman Now In Flight Worldwide

Business Wire, Dec 22, 1997

IRVINE, Calif--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 22, 1997--Sony Trans Com, a leading full-service inflight entertainment systems and service provider, announced today that Royal Jordanian Airlines purchased 182 GV-F700 Video Walkman(TM) systems for use on their A310 and L1011 aircraft comprising their long haul fleet. Royal Jordanian will be the first airline to offer the new Sony GV-F700 Video Walkman to its premium and business class passengers beginning in January 1998.

"With the new Sony Video Walkman we can now provide our passengers with high-quality, on-demand entertainment that would otherwise require a retrofit to offer on our long-haul aircraft," said Said Nader Dahabi, President of Royal Jordanian Airlines. "It's an immediate solution to our inflight needs that our passengers will enjoy, and demonstrates our commitment to innovative passenger service."

"The Video Walkman continues to grow in popularity as more airlines recognize the value of personal, video-on-demand (VOD) systems," said Hank Evers, director of marketing for Sony Trans Com. "Nearly 20,000 Video Walkman players are in service with major airlines worldwide, making it the most popular VOD system in-use today."

In addition to Royal Jordanian, the Sony Video Walkman is also currently in use by other commercial airlines such as American, Canadian International, Delta, Qatar, Royal Brunei, Thai, United and Varig.

The Video Walkman is a hand-held wireless viewing device that gives passengers complete control of when and what type of program they would like to view while in flight. Its easy-to-use controls allow the viewer to start, stop, fast-forward, rewind and control volume and picture clarity. The Video Walkman is lightweight, durable and compact in size. It can rest on a fold-down tray or a passenger's lap, and is completely self-contained, allowing for easy storage.

The GV-F700 Video Walkman features a high-resolution, 5.5-inch LCD monitor, is compatible with a variety of stereo headphones and connections, and uses space-saving Hi8(TM) tapes for individual playback. It also features an option to utilize an InfoLITHIUM(TM) battery and dual language capabilities that make it possible for airlines to offer inflight entertainment in multiple languages on a single Hi8 tape.

For more information about the Video Walkman and other Sony products and services, contact Hank Evers at Sony Trans Com; 1833 Alton Avenue, Irvine, Calif. 92606 USA. Phone: 1-714-252-0600. Fax: 1-714-252-9836.

Sony Trans Com, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., offers a one-stop solution for every aspect of an airline's IFE needs. For more than 25 years, Sony Trans Com has placed leading audio, visual and interactive technologies to the forefront of the IFE industry. From technical innovations to a tradition of superb customer support, Sony is the preferred IFE supplier to more than 150 airlines worldwide. In addition to the Video Walkman, the company's product line includes: the P@ssport(TM) in-seat entertainment and information system for wide body aircraft; the P@ves(TM) family of programmable inflight entertainment systems for standard/narrow body aircraft; enComp@ss(TM) total entertainment services; noise canceling and powered headphones; and a complete line of audio and video components. -0-

Video Walkman(TM), Hi8(TM), P@ssport(TM), P@ves(TM), enComp@ss(TM) and InfoLITHIUM(TM) are registered trademarks of Sony Electronics Inc., or the Sony Corporation.

CONTACT: Sony Trans Com Inc., Irvine

Victoria Bock, 714/252-6719

victoria_bock@transcom.sel.com