It is a move more than eight years in the making: Lufthansa Group is set to install Viasat’s European Aviation Network (EAN) inflight connectivity solution on its fleet.
Interior refresh coming for Delta’s 737-800s
Photos have emerged revealing the next round of Delta’s 737-800 interior upgrades is underway. Approximately 40 aircraft are expected to see the refresh over the next two years, with new seats and updated in-flight entertainment coming on board.
Dragging the competition
Bolting a radome atop an aircraft means more weight, more drag, more fuel burn, and higher emissions. Those are all things airlines typically try to minimize. Which makes some recent conversations about drag differences all the more interesting.
Tit for tat: United opposes Saudia/Kuwait codeshare in reciprocity play
Saudi Arabian Airlines wants to codeshare with Kuwait Airways to the United States. Typically this sort of application would be approved without too much drama. But United Airlines can’t get similar access to Saudi Arabia, and that seems to be a problem.
Delta’s transcon A321neo moves closer to delivery
Nearly two years ago we learned that Delta would launch a version of its A321neo in a premium configuration for transcon markets. Those planes are moving closer to delivery, with a critical regulatory filing recently submitted.
JetBlue/Spirit merger blocked on competition, innovation concerns
The US Department of Justice prevailed in its lawsuit against JetBlue and Spirit Airlines, successfully (at least for now) blocking their planned merger. The ruling, handed down on Tuesday, found the merger would likely result in a scenario “unlikely to be sufficient to protect every consumer, in every relevant market from harm.”
STCs show signs of progress
When it comes to tracking connectivity installations, sometimes regulators share the most useful insights. Taking a look at which STCs have (and have not) been issued lately offers up some details on a few key programs across the industry.
Delta snags A350-1000, the only move that makes sense
Delta Air Lines will take deliver of another 20 A350s beginning in 2026, the obvious move for fleet expansion for many, many reasons.
Iridium de-risks LEO-based direct-to-device with Project Stardust
Iridium plans to deliver direct-to-handset communications from its global LEO constellation to cell phones around the world by 2026, choosing open standards rather than its prior proprietary approach.
Transparent TVs shine at CES, boost aero potential
Deliberate certification cycles and fickle consumer demand typically leave the aviation industry chasing after consumer technologies, trying to adapt them for inflight use. AERQ is well ahead of that curve, however, with its transparent OLED cabin monument screen.