API Reference

Real-Time Announcement Translation

Guidelines and Best Practices for Streaming Multilingual In-Flight PA Announcements to Passengers

Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Compatibility
  3. Supported Languages
  4. Benefits
  5. Integration Guide
  6. User Experience
  7. Technical Recommendations
  8. FAQs
  9. Pricing
  10. Getting Started
  11. Support
  12. Glossary

Overview

Our Real-Time Announcement Translation API enables your airline to deliver in-flight announcements and messages in 100 languages, translated in real-time and displayed on passengers’ In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) screens. This service enhances accessibility, safety, and satisfaction by ensuring all passengers—regardless of language or hearing ability—can understand critical updates and personalized messages.

The API offers three endpoints:

  • /translations/audio/: Accepts audio input, translates it, and returns translated audio. Ideal for live or recorded announcements.
  • /translations/text/: Accepts text input, translates it, and returns translated text. Perfect for sending multi-lingual text messages to IFE screens.
  • /voices: Retrieves available voices and accents for a specified language. If no language is specified, the API returns a list of voices and accents for all supported languages. This allows your team to select the appropriate voice for your announcements, tailored to the specific language and passenger preferences.

Detailed specifications, parameters, and sample code are available here:

The API is designed to work seamlessly with all operating systems, including Android and Linux, the primary platforms for IFE systems, ensuring effortless integration into your airline's infrastructure.

Compatibility

Our API is designed to work seamlessly across all major operating systems, including:

  • Android
  • Linux
  • iOS
  • Windows
  • macOS

For in-flight entertainment (IFE), it fully supports industry-standard platforms, powering systems from leading providers like Panasonic and Thales. Beyond IFE, the API integrates effortlessly into mobile apps, web applications, or any other environment your airline requires—offering maximum flexibility for your needs.

Supported Languages

The API supports translations into 100 languages, including:

  • Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Assamese, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Belarusian, Basque, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Cantonese (CN), Cantonese (HK), Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Igbo, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Latvian, Lingala, Lithuanian, Luxembourgish, Macedonian, Malagasy, Malay, Malayalam, Maltese, Maori, Marathi, Mongolian, Myanmar, Nepali, Norwegian, Nynorsk, Occitan, Punjabi, Pashto, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Sindhi, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Spanish, Serbian, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Welsh, Yoruba.

Benefits

For Your Airline

  • Elevated Passenger Satisfaction:
    Cater to a global audience by delivering announcements and messages in each passenger’s preferred language, fostering inclusivity and significantly enhancing satisfaction. This personalized approach builds loyalty, encouraging repeat bookings and positive word-of-mouth.
  • Streamlined Operations:
    Automate the translation of announcements into 100 languages, eliminating the need for crew members to manually repeat updates in multiple languages. This reduces workload, minimizes delays, and allows staff to focus on safety and service priorities.
  • Competitive Edge Through Innovation:
    Position your airline as a leader in passenger experience by leveraging cutting-edge translation technology. Offering real-time multilingual access sets you apart from competitors, appealing to tech-savvy travelers and showcasing a commitment to accessibility.
  • Cost-Effective Scalability:
    With a flat-rate subscription, deploy the API across your entire fleet without worrying about per-use fees or limits. This predictable cost structure supports growth and ensures consistent service quality on every flight.

For Your Passengers

  • Universal Accessibility:
    Ensure every passenger—including non-native speakers, those with hearing impairments, or limited language proficiency—can fully understand critical safety instructions and updates. This inclusivity enhances the travel experience for all.
  • Crystal-Clear Communication:
    Overcome challenges like poor audibility from distant seats or ambient noise with readable translations displayed directly on IFE screens. Passengers gain confidence knowing they won’t miss important information.
  • Instant, Hassle-Free Updates:
    Receive real-time translations moments after announcements, delivered seamlessly to IFE screens or personal devices. This immediacy improves safety awareness and provides a smooth, convenient experience without additional effort.
  • Personalized Comfort:
    Choose from 100 languages to receive announcements in a familiar tongue, with the option for audio playback of translations. This tailored experience reduces travel stress by ensuring passengers stay informed in a way that feels natural and comfortable.

Integration Guide

In modern aircrafts, the PA system is typically part of the cabin interphone system, controlled by the flight crew via microphones in the cockpit or cabin. Announcements are broadcast through overhead speakers and often integrated with the IFE system to pause entertainment during playback. Many IFE systems (especially on newer aircraft) can capture PA audio directly through this integration, allowing it to be processed and routed digitally. This connectivity enables the API to intercept announcements for translation and stream results back to IFE screens in passengers’ preferred languages.

This guide outlines the process for integrating the translation API to facilitate real-time translation of audio announcements and text messages, ensuring seamless communication with passengers in their chosen languages.

Audio Announcements

  • Endpoint: translations/audio/
  • Purpose: Translates audio announcements (e.g., from the PA system) into the target language.
  • Steps:
    1. Capture audio directly from the PA system as the announcement begins, leveraging the IFE system’s integration with the cabin audio feed.
    2. Once the announcement ends, send the recorded audio to the /translations/audio/ endpoint, specifying the target passenger languages.
    3. Receive the translated audio from the API and stream it directly to each passenger’s IFE screen in their pre-selected language, or enable playback on demand.
  • Tips:
    • Verify the IFE system is configured to tap into the PA audio feed cleanly, avoiding distortion from speaker output or cabin noise.
    • Use high-quality mp3 audio for accurate translations.

Text Messages

  • Endpoint: /text/messages/
  • Purpose: Translates text messages sent by flight attendants to individual passengers or groups into their preferred languages, ensuring the message is delivered in a language they understand directly to their IFE screens.(e.g., safety instructions, menus)
  • Steps:
    1. When a flight attendant sends a text message to a passenger or group via the IFE system, capture the message.
    2. Send the captured text message to the/text/messages/specifying the target language based on the recipient's language preference.
    3. Receive the translated text from the API and display it on the recipient's IFE screen.
  • Use Cases:
    • Pre-flight safety briefings, meal options, or personalized notifications.

Integration Scenarios

  • Internet-Connected Seatback IFE:
    1. Capture Audio: Capture audio directly from the PA system or microphone as soon as the announcement begins.
    2. Transmit for Translation: Immediately after the announcement ends, send the audio to the API for translation.
    3. Display Translations: The API returns translated audio or text, which automatically appears on each passenger’s IFE screen in their selected language.
    4. Announcement History: Incorporate an "Announcement History" feature within the IFE menu, enabling passengers to review all announcements made during the flight in their preferred language. This functionality enhances accessibility and ensures passengers can revisit important information as needed.
  • Non-Internet-Connected Seatback IFE:
    1. Display a QR Code: Present a QR code on the IFE screen, directing passengers to a specific URL (e.g., yourairline.com/translations) This QR code can be scanned using passengers' personal devices, providing access to translated announcements.
    2. Passenger Access to Translations: Upon scanning the QR code, passengers are directed to a web page or prompted to download an application where they can select their preferred language. This platform will display translated announcements in real-time as they are made during the flight.
    3. Real-Time Updates: The web page or application updates automatically with new translations as announcements are made, ensuring passengers have timely access to all pertinent information.
  • Web Push Notifications via WiFi Portal
    1. When passengers connect to the inflight WiFi portal, display a banner (e.g., “Enable Announcements in Your Language”) on the portal homepage.
    2. Prompt passengers to select their preferred language and subscribe to push notifications via a browser prompt.
    3. Capture announcements or messages, send them to the API for translation, and push the translated text or audio links to subscribed passengers through the WiFi portal.
  • Mobile App Push Notifications
    1. Integrate the API into your airline’s mobile app to allow passengers to opt-in for inflight announcements and messages.
    2. Enable language selection within the app, storing preferences for each passenger.
    3. Capture announcements or messages, send them to the API for translation, and push the translated content as notifications to the app in the passenger’s selected language.

User Experience

To deliver the best passenger experience with the Real-Time Announcement Translation API, implement these best practices in your IFE system:

  • Language Selection: If your IFE system or mobile app already includes a language selection menu, utilize the existing menu by mapping passenger language preferences to the API’s supported languages (up to 100 available languages). If no language selection menu exists, integrate a new one. Ensure the menu is intuitive with clear labels and allows passengers to change their selection at any time during the flight.
  • Real-Time Translation: Configure your system to display translations on seatback screens or other delivery channels within seconds of processing completion. Ensure network connectivity aligns with our recommended 1 Mbps+ upload and download speed for optimal performance, minimizing delays in delivering translations.
  • Translation Presentation:
    For audio announcements, deliver translated audio directly to IFE screens or personal devices, allowing passengers to listen via headphones or speakers if available. For text messages, display translations in a clean, uncluttered format on IFE screens to ensure readability and comprehension.
  • Internet-Connected Seatback IFE
    For seatback IFE with internet connectivity, deliver translations directly to the seatback screens in real time. Stream translated audio announcements through the IFE audio output (e.g., via passenger headphones) and display translated text messages in a clear, uncluttered format on the screen. Include a menu option labeled “Announcements” or “Messages” where passengers can view translations or toggle audio playback as needed.
  • Non-Internet-Connected Seatback IFE:
    For seatback IFE without internet connectivity, display clear instructions on the screen, such as a large, scannable QR code (e.g., yourairline.com/translations) with accompanying text like “Scan this QR code to access translated announcements in your language.” Ensure the linked page or app is lightweight and loads quickly on passenger devices.

Technical Recommendations

  • Audio Quality:
    Capture audio directly from the PA system or microphone to reduce background noise (e.g., engine sounds or cabin chatter). This ensures the API receives clear input for accurate translations.

  • Handling Multiple Requests:
    Leverage the API’s capability to process multiple simultaneous requests, allowing your system to handle several translations at once without bottlenecks. This is particularly beneficial during high-activity flight phases, such as pre-takeoff safety briefings or post-landing announcements, where announcements may overlap or occur in quick succession.

  • Testing on IFE Hardware:
    Perform comprehensive testing of the API integration across your fleet’s IFE systems, including different hardware models and software versions. Validate audio capture, translation delivery, and user interface interactions to confirm compatibility and smooth performance under typical flight conditions.

  • Caching for Passenger Accessibility:
    Store translated announcements and messages locally on your IFE system to ensure passengers can access them throughout the entire flight duration. Retain existing translations in the cache for continuous availability, even during temporary internet outages caused by signal disruptions or transient connectivity issues. As new announcements are translated, add them to the cache and deliver them to passengers without affecting previously stored content.

FAQs

  1. What’s the difference between the two endpoints?

    • /audio/announcement/ translates audio input into audio output. /text/messages/ translates text input into text output.

  2. How fast are translations delivered?

    • Translations typically appear within seconds, depending on the duration of the announcement or length message and your internet speed. For example, a 1-minute audio announcement usually takes 10-15 seconds to process, assuming the recommended 1 Mbps upload and download speed.

  3. Will passengers receive translations in their preferred language?

    • Yes, you can specify each passenger’s target language in the API request, based on their selection in your seatback IFE or mobile app.

  4. Are there any limits on content length?

    • No strict limits exist. Audio translations process at 4x-6x real-time speed—for instance, a 1-minute audio announcement takes about 10-15 seconds to translate.

  5. What internet speed is required?

    • A minimum of 1 Mbps upload and download speed ensures the best performance. Slower connections may result in longer translation times.

  6. How reliable is the API?

    • The API is designed for high reliability, typically achieving 99.99% uptime. Monitor its status in real time at https://techspecshq.statuspage.io/ to stay informed of any service updates or issues.

  7. How do I access endpoint details?

Pricing

The API is available for a flat fee of $7,500 per month, including:

  • Unlimited translations: No caps on audio or text translations.
  • Unlimited plane deployments: Use across your entire fleet.
  • No rate limits: Submit unlimited requests.
  • All languages, voices, and accents: Access all 100 languages and available voices.

Upon subscription, you’ll receive an API key for authentication, granting full access with no hidden fees.

Getting Started

To start using the Real-Time Announcement Translation API, you need to follow these steps:

  1. Contact Our Sales Team: If you’re already in discussions with one of our team members, simply ask your point of contact for assistance with subscribing. Otherwise, reach out to our sales team at [email protected] to discuss your airline’s requirements and subscribe to our monthly plan.
  2. Create an Account: After subscribing, visit techspecs.io to sign up for an API account on our website.
  3. Generate API Key: Once logged in, navigate to your dashboard to generate a new API key for authentication.
  4. Access Documentation: Dive into our comprehensive documentation to explore the API’s features, integration details, and best practices.
  5. Integrate the API: Refer to the Integration Guide to connect the API to your fleet’s systems for delivering translated announcements and messages.
  6. Test the Integration: Perform initial testing by sending sample audio announcements or text messages to the API endpoints in a controlled environment (e.g., a test flight or lab setup). Verify that translations are delivered correctly to your chosen delivery channels (e.g., seatback screens, mobile app)

Note: Subscribing to our monthly plan gives you unlimited access to all features—translations, plane deployments, and supported languages—with no hidden fees.

Support

Contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

Glossary

  • API: Application Programming Interface—protocols for software integration.
  • IFE: In-Flight Entertainment—passenger entertainment and information system.
  • PA System: Public Address system—used for onboard announcements.
  • Real-Time: Immediate processing and delivery of translations.

Endpoint Pages

Audio Announcement Endpoint

  • URL: /translations/audio/
  • Description: Translates audio input into audio output.
  • Details: See the Audio Announcement Endpoint page for parameters, supported audio formats, and sample code.

Text Messages Endpoint

  • URL: /translations/text/
  • Description: Translates text input into text output.
  • Details: See the Text Messages Endpoint page for parameters and sample code.

List All Voices

  • URL: /voices/
  • Description: Retrieves a list of available voices and accents for a specified language.
  • Details: See the List All Voices Endpoint page for parameters and sample code.