Spafax Leadership Q&A Series – Emma Gunn
Spafax Spotlight: Meet the Spafax Thought Leaders
Meet The Spafax Thought Leaders is our Q&A series highlighting the people behind Spafax – what they do, how they think, and where they see the industry going. From day-to-day operations to big-picture strategy, these conversations offer a window into the ideas shaping our work.
Emma Gunn, VP – Acquisitions & Content Partnerships
Emma Gunn has spent more than 17 years at Spafax, working her way from programme executive to Vice President of Acquisitions and Content Partnerships. Her career began in theatre and film, with stints in production, factual documentary development, and a film and TV investment role at a network in Sydney before she found her way to the IFE industry. At Spafax, she and her team are responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and curating the entertainment that appears across all IFE platforms for airlines around the world.
Interesting fact about Emma:
” I was an extra on the BBC series The Antiques Roadshow, which is something I’m very proud of.”
To start, can you give us a quick overview of your professional background and how it led you to your current role at Spafax?
I’ve always loved stories – I studied theatre and acting, then pursued film at university, and tried my hand at various roles within film and TV production (I wanted to work in wardrobe more than anything!). When a friend asked me to help produce a short film, I was hooked on learning about the content lifecycle, from creation to distribution. This led me to a film and TV investment role at a network in Sydney and, eventually, to Spafax after returning to the UK (via a couple of jobs in factual documentary development). It’s a genuine privilege to have a career that combines my passion for travel and entertainment.
In simple terms, what do acquisitions and content partnerships mean at Spafax, and what do you and your team own end-to-end?
In a nutshell, we’re content matchmakers – finding the stories, partnerships, and entertainment collaborations that connect with our airline audiences while reflecting airline values, wherever in the world they may be. Our content-obsessed team of experts steers the entire process, from researching and spotting the perfect titles to securing rights, negotiating licence fees, and shaping a lineup that feels fresh, relevant, and on-brand.
What’s something that might surprise people about how content is sourced, negotiated, and brought onto an aircraft?
Most people assume we acquire straight from the usual studio pipeline or just chase what’s already popular on the ground – but in reality, it’s a much wider and more interesting ecosystem. We utilise multiple analytical tools to study regional audience behaviour, and we research content well beyond traditional distributors, building relationships with independent producers, talent agents, cultural institutions, festivals, and emerging content creators. That’s often how we unlock exclusive and unexpected content that feels truly distinctive onboard, such as The Overlap, Chicken Shop Date, and The Gruffalo Collection. I think people are also often surprised by how complex rights management can be within IFE, especially with streaming and connected aircraft – it’s introduced a whole new layer of rights complexity and holdbacks and we are experts in managing these rights.
“Great content should do way more than just fill a screen – it’s part of the travel experience and can spark discovery, build trust, and align brand values.” Emma Gunn, VP – Acquisitions & Content Partnerships
With so much choice in the global streaming landscape, how do you decide what truly belongs in an inflight environment?
With an almost limitless range of entertainment choices, our decisions are heavily guided by several differentiators, including passenger behaviour, data analytics and insights, quality storytelling, the airline’s brand goals, and the need to balance creative, commercial, and compliance requirements for a highly diverse airline audience.
We focus on well-balanced, high-quality partnerships along with thoughtful curation to drive passenger engagement. Great content should do way more than just fill a screen – it’s part of the travel experience and can spark discovery, build trust, and align brand values – creating an authentic connection between the airline, its passengers and entertainment that resonates long after landing. Done poorly, it can have the opposite effect, so it’s also our job to help get that mix exactly right!
Passengers now board flights with multiple streaming subscriptions on their own devices. How does inflight content differentiate itself and stay relevant alongside services like Netflix?
Passengers with multiple subscriptions on their devices are accustomed to instant access, endless choice, and hyper-personalised recommendations. But the reality in the air is currently a little more nuanced. Streaming still depends on reliable connectivity, the passenger’s location, and complex licensing rights, all of which are constantly evolving, but this also means the “at home” experience doesn’t always translate seamlessly to 35,000 feet.
On a great airline, you’re not choosing between platforms – you’re already accessing a brilliant blend of the best from across them, and beyond. Major players like Paramount+, Disney+, Apple TV, HBO Max, Peacock and BBC sit alongside unexpected shows, films, podcasts and more, all brought together in one place, expertly curated and available to passengers for free! In many ways, inflight has been quietly perfecting “streaming aggregation” long before the industry started moving in that direction.
Rather than competing with streaming, the seatback experience complements it – multi-screening is already second nature on the ground, and the same behaviour translates naturally onboard. However, there’s something uniquely satisfying about the seatback experience. Content is seamlessly integrated into the seatback, accessible the moment a passenger sits down, without the need to set up personal devices, connect to potentially unreliable Wi-Fi, or worry about battery life. It’s part of the travel ritual – you settle in, explore what’s on offer, and let the journey begin.
Looking ahead, the real differentiator isn’t more content, it’s more relevance. Personalisation and live programming will transform the space, with content that reflects not just what passengers enjoy, but where they’re heading, why they’re travelling, and even how they want to feel during the flight. Whether it’s a wellness reset, destination storytelling, or a shared live moment, IFE has the potential to offer something streaming can’t – content that feels perfectly timed for the journey.
“In many ways, inflight has been quietly perfecting ‘streaming aggregation’ long before the industry started moving in that direction.” Emma Gunn, VP – Acquisitions & Content Partnerships
How have airline expectations around content partnerships changed in recent years? What do airlines want now that they didn’t before?
Airlines are thinking much more holistically now. Improved technology, better analytics, and stronger connectivity are shaping the focus of collaborations, and expectations have moved far beyond “a good movie library.”
Airlines want to reflect how passengers consume media on the ground – not just with streamers, but also with other entertainment platforms, including digital-first content, podcasts, vodcasts, interactive experiences, and live events and sports.
There’s also more emphasis on differentiation and brand alignment. With many airlines accessing similar US studio content, partnerships that are exclusive, culturally relevant, or tailored to the airline’s identity are becoming far more valuable. The content itself and the way it’s presented will influence the entertainment experience and can serve as a powerful extension of the airline’s brand.
Content partnerships are increasingly part of a 360 journey, and, along with improved GUI functionality and the integration of more media, gaming, and entertainment, and broader marketing opportunities, this includes offering onboard access paired with a post-flight subscription trial, or linking entertainment to other travel ecosystems, such as hotels and rideshares.
You’ve spoken publicly about representation and authentic storytelling. How does that perspective influence acquisition decisions in practice?
For airlines, authentic and inclusive storytelling isn’t a nice-to-have – it’s essential when your audience quite literally spans the globe. Curating stories and voices that are genuinely representative, culturally relevant, and true to lived experience creates space for reflection and conversation. And in an inflight environment, where passengers are more open to discovery, this kind of storytelling can have a real impact and serve as a powerful point of differentiation. The diversity, authenticity, and purposefulness behind the selection that makes an airline’s entertainment stand out ultimately help passengers feel seen, understood, and connected.
