When it comes to flying, seats generally face forward. There are a few that face backward, typically reserved for premium cabins,. And then there are the sideways seats. Including one that might soon fly even more sideways than before.
OneWeb signs Airbus for military, government services contract
Airbus will distribute connectivity services from the OneWeb low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation for military and government customers. The distribution agreement signed this week allows Airbus to add the LEO capacity to its existing portfolio and offers a hint of what the products might look like for the commercial segment.
United snags Virgin Australia as a partner, displacing Delta
Virgin Australia and United Airlines secured a new partnership for connections between the United States and Australia. The deal, effective from April 2022, sees Delta Air Lines drop from the role it held over the past decade.
United, ZeroAvia see hydrogen-powered regional jets by the end of the decade
United Airlines wants to power some of its regional jets with hydrogen by the end of the decade. The company announced a deal with ZeroAvia to purchase up to 100 of the new zero-emission, 100% hydrogen-electric engines (ZA2000-RJ). The engine could be retrofit to existing United Express aircraft as early as 2028.
American to be launch customer for Thales Optiq displays
American Airlines’ upcoming A321XLR and 787-9 aircraft will be the launch platform for the Thales AVANT Optiq displays. These 4K HDR screens, featuring Samsung QLED technology also offer Bluetooth pairing at every seat.
Vaayu secures A320 P2F deal, expects early 2022 EIS
The first A320 freighter conversion took flight this week, a major milestone in the project as it moves towards entry into service in the first half of 2022. Vaayu Group expects to take delivery of the first plane early next year, part of a five plane deal announced during the Dubai Airshow last month.
SkyFive, Pivotel plane air-to-ground connectivity trial in Australia
Air-to-ground connectivity is coming to Australia. ATG infrastructure specialist SkyFive announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Australia’s Pivotel to undertake a detailed technical evaluation and proof-of-concept trial for the solution across a large swath of the country between Dabbo and Sydney.
Connect Airlines plans 2025 hydrogen conversion
Upstart Connect Airlines sees a lower carbon operation very soon in its future. The company, part of the Waltzing Matilda Aviation group, signed a letter of intent with Universal Hydrogen to convert a dozen Dash 8-300 turboprops to hydrogen fuel cell powertrains, hopefully by 2025.
Breeze grows into Long Island, Palm Beach
New York’s Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) are slated to join the Breeze Airways network map in 2022, part of an eight route expansion for the airline. And with the move, a bit of shift in the way the company is planning its operations.
Wizz Air gets online – without wifi!
The first WizzAir plane with in-flight connectivity entered service last week. But this is not a typical internet connection on a plane. Powered by fflya from ASIP Tech, the service approaches the very concept of on-board internet from a different perspective. And the implementation shows that difference