Qatar Airways will soon offer passengers 100 per cent zero-touch technology for its IFE systems as part of further Covid-19 safety measures.

Launching across the A350 fleet the carrier claims its Oryx One in-flight entertainment system is the first of its kind for a global airline.

Introduced in partnership with the Thales AVANT IFE system, the tcechnology will enable passengers to pair their personal electronic devices (PEDs) with their seat-back IFE screen by connecting to ‘Oryxcomms’ Wi-Fi and scanning a QR code displayed on the screen.

They can then use their PEDs to navigate and enjoy more than 4,000 options on offer through the airline’s Oryx One in-flight entertainment system, limiting the frequency of on board surface contact.

Qatar Airways claims that it will also set to become the first airline in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa region to offer passengers in business and economy the option to pair their personal Bluetooth headphones with the on-board seatback IFE system in all cabins on the Boeing 787-9 fleet.

Qatar airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “As an industry leader in the fight against Covid-19…Qatar Airways is committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety and hygiene on board its aircraft at all times.

“The introduction of the state-of-the-art zero-touch technology, and enabling passengers to use their personal Bluetooth headset on board is an important step in taking our already rigorous and stringent Covid-19 precautions to another level, limiting passenger surface contact and preventing any possible spread of infection on board.

“We hope it provides yet further assurance of the safety of air travel, as well as offering passengers on board increased confidence that they are enjoying the most consistently advanced customer experience available in the sky.”