S2 Episode 8: Behind the Scenes of Inflight Entertainment at El Al, Israel’s Flag Carrier

Go behind the scenes of the inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) strategy of a 5 star global airline with Tal Kalderon, Head of Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity at El Al, the flag carrier of Israel.

A true veteran of the IFE world, Tal shares his fascinating journey from his early beginnings in the television industry to spending the past 20 years transforming the passenger experience at El Al.

Tal gives an inside look at El Al’s evolving fleet, the key decisions shaping its IFE strategy, the challenges of planning for aircraft deliveries years in advance, and his perspective on the ongoing debate of wireless vs. seatback inflight entertainment. He also weighs in on the rising buzz around Starlink, LEO satellite technology, and how these innovations could impact the future of inflight connectivity.

Explore El Al’s approach to strategic content partnerships, the curation of onboard entertainment, and how different generations engage with inflight entertainment. Tal shares what his passengers truly expect in today’s travel experience and how those expectations are evolving fast.

And these days, no conversation about IFEC is complete without diving into AI, and the future of personalization in the cabin. Tal offers candid insights on AI’s current limitations, and why personalization must always be opt-in, never intrusive. 

The discussion also looks at the influence of platforms like TikTok, Chat GPT and how they’ve reshaped the way people think about privacy, data sharing, and the kind of digital experiences they now expect, even in the sky.

Episode live: March 31, 2025

Download full transcript of the episode - COMING SOON!