An in-flight entertainment and communications (IFEC) system is configured to interconnect an avionics data bus to a local area network. An avionics interface is connectable to the avionics data bus, and receptive to avionics data transmitted on the avionics data bus by one or more avionics nodes over a predetermined protocol. A local network interface establishes the local area network, and portable electronic devices may be connectable to the local network interface over the local area network to establish a data communications link thereon. A data processor is connected to the avionics interface and the local network interface, and relays the avionics data from the avionics interface to the local network interface for transmission to the one or more portable electronics devices. This transmission is according to the predetermined protocol over the data communications link established on the local area network.