Trying something new onboard shouldn’t feel like a leap of faith. But too often, inflight retail trials are either over-engineered or under-supported, leaving airlines with more questions than answers.

That’s exactly the problem AirFi set out to address through a recent order-to-seat retail trial with Austrian Airlines, and a new paid trial with Eurowings now entering its implementation phase.

Rather than treating trials as light-touch technical pilots, AirFi’s approach is built around full operational support, real-world use cases, and clear performance data. The aim is simple: to help airlines understand not just whether inflight retail works, but how it can work best for their routes, crews, and passengers.

A hands-on trial with Austrian Airlines

The first trial, completed with Austrian Airlines, focused on testing multiple order-to-seat scenarios across a series of flights. Working closely with the airline, AirFi supported the full setup and execution of the trial, from configuration and branding to operational guidance and crew workflows.

The result was a smooth trial period in which systems performed as expected and early feedback from the airline was positive. While detailed performance data is still being finalised, initial indicators showed strong engagement and reliable execution across different use cases.

“The trial gave us a clear view of how order-to-seat retail works in real operations. AirFi handled the complexity and supported us throughout, which allowed us to focus on learning from live passenger behaviour.” – Austrian Airlines

Beyond the immediate results, the trial also opened discussions around extending testing to longer routes and exploring additional inflight connectivity and retail features.

Eurowings trial now underway

Building on the Austrian Airlines experience, a similar paid trial with Eurowings has now entered the implementation phase. The project kicked off recently, with the passenger-facing trial scheduled to begin two weeks after AIX Hamburg, initially focused on selected Dubai routes.

As with the Austrian Airlines trial, AirFi is providing end-to-end support, helping Eurowings test different retail scenarios, activation timings, and onboard workflows. The trial is designed to generate practical insights into revenue potential, conversion rates, and passenger behaviour across short- and medium-haul operations.

What makes an AirFi trial different?

We’ve designed our trial model to be fast, structured, and low-risk for airlines. Rather than simply deploying hardware or software and stepping back, we stay closely involved throughout the trial period, working with airline teams to shape the retail scenarios being tested and offering advice on when and how to activate order-to-seat during the flight.

Throughout the trial, we focus on real-world operations. Cabin crew retain full control over when the onboard shop opens and closes, allowing retail activity to fit naturally into service flow, while AirFi captures detailed performance data in the background. This includes conversion rates, revenue per passenger, and how results vary by flight length, timing, and service configuration – giving airlines clear insight into what works, and why.

Based on previous deployments, well-executed order-to-seat retail trials have shown the potential to generate up to 22% additional onboard sales, particularly by enabling impulse purchases and multiple food and beverage rounds on shorter routes.

Beyond the trial

AirFi’s trials are non-binding and designed to be completed quickly, typically within nine weeks from agreement to deployment. Airlines receive full support throughout the trial, and where a commercial agreement follows, trial costs can be credited toward the long-term deployment.

For airlines that are curious about inflight retail but unsure where to start, our approach provides a practical way to test ideas, gather data, and make informed decisions.

If you’re interested in exploring order-to-seat retail or testing new inflight service models, AirFi’s trial programme offers a fast and supported way to see what’s possible. Get in touch to learn how a trial could work for your airline.