Airbus announced plans to add the Chinese Spacesail (Qianfan) LEO constellation to its HPCplus portfolio, opening the door to conversations about how else it might end up in service for airlines.
Main Content
Riyadh Air Taps NSG for A321neo Inflight Internet
Riyadh Air’s A321neo fleet will fly with Neo Space Group’s inflight internet service when they are delivered later this year.
Unexpected Shifts in Premium Economy
What is Premium Economy, particularly in the domestic US market and how can you effectively search for it? Turns out there is no one answer, and what we used to know is shifting at multiple airlines.
PaxEx Premium News
Ryanair Ready for Wi-Fi, Refuses to Pay For It
As Elon Musk and Michael O’Leary trade barbs online over potential inflight internet offerings the Ryanair boss is clear: He wants internet on the planes, so long as he doesn’t have to pay for it.
Lufthansa Group Shifts 850 Aircraft to Starlink
Lufthansa Group will fit its entire fleet with Starlink’s inflight internet service, adding another 850-ish planes to the SpaceX backlog, with the first aircraft expected to be online by the end of the year.
Etihad Expands Viasat Inflight Internet Commitment
For the past few years Etihad has been rolling out Viasat’s inflight internet service on its new aircraft. This week the carrier confirmed it will shift its connectivity portfolio fully to Viasat’s Amara multi-orbit offering.
IFEC
Considering Connectivity In, Over, Around, and Beyond China
Airbus announced plans to add the Chinese Spacesail (Qianfan) LEO constellation to its HPCplus portfolio, opening the door to conversations about how else it might end up in service for airlines.
Riyadh Air Taps NSG for A321neo Inflight Internet
Riyadh Air’s A321neo fleet will fly with Neo Space Group’s inflight internet service when they are delivered later this year.
Immfly Joins the IFC Fray with LEO Connectivity Offering
Looking for LEO-based inflight internet services? Immfly is the latest to bring a solution online, tapping in to Eutelsat‘s Oneweb constellation for capacity. The move comes just nine months after the company added a narrowband connectivity option to its portfolio via the Iridium network. Narrowbody aircraft remain disconnected, and we’re bringing them into the digital […]
Ryanair Ready for Wi-Fi, Refuses to Pay For It
As Elon Musk and Michael O’Leary trade barbs online over potential inflight internet offerings the Ryanair boss is clear: He wants internet on the planes, so long as he doesn’t have to pay for it.
KLM Flips Some Wi-Fi to Free
KLM passengers will have free inflight Wi-Fi across a large swath of the carrier’s network starting this week.
Airlines, Airplanes & Airports
Allegiant Buys Sun Country in $1.5 Billion Deal
Allegiant will buy Sun Country in a $1.5 billion deal, bringing further consolidation to the US aviation market. The deal will see Allegiant as the surviving brand, with Sun Country operations folding into the Allegiant business model.
American Shifts for Smoother Schedules at DFW
Short connections are often challenging for passengers. American Airlines aims to reduce that stress from April 2026 as it adjusts its DFW operations in a major way.
Boom Pivots to Power
Can selling power generation be Boom’s ticket to success? Or is it just more distraction from the technical and financial challenges of supersonic commercial flight?
Expansion, Inflight Internet Coming for beOnd
Premium leisure airline beOnd is ready to take off its training wheels, and add inflight internet as it pursues significant global expansion plans.
San Antonio Claps Back, Says Southwest Should Stop Worrying (and Pay Up)
Drama continues apace in San Antonio, where the airport and Southwest Airlines are locked in a legal battle over gate assignments and lease rates.
Seating & Cabin
Edelweiss Spiffs Up Cabins in A350 Refresh
Swiss leisure carrier Edelweiss will update its A350 interiors, bringing a host of passenger-focused upgrades to the fleet. Among the new-to-Edelweiss options are a premium economy cabin and free inflight wi-fi for all travelers.
TAP Teases Premium Economy, with a Twist
The allure of premium economy’s increased revenue is calling TAP Air Portugal, but the carrier will skip over one key element of the experience.
JSX to Launch ATR Service at Santa Monica
JSX’s plan to bring turboprops into smaller airports will officially take flight on 19 December, with the inaugural flight from Las Vegas to Santa Monica Airport (SMO).
Loyalty
Completing the JetBlue 25for25 Challenge: Some Numbers and Reflections
Like a couple thousand others I completed the JetBlue 25for25 promotion last year. But was it worth the investment?
Family Status, Fewer Drinks in JetBlue Mosaic Updates
Traveling with kids could make it easier to earn elite status in the JetBlue TrueBlue program starting next year. But that benefit will come with fewer free drinks on board.
Reliability, then Product, on Breeze’s Agenda
Breeze CEO David Neeleman is confident the carrier is moving in the right direction, but he still wants to see operational reliability improve before further tweaking the product.