SES and Yahsat have more capacity in the sky thanks to an Arianespace launch last night. The launch suffered from anomalies after the second stage ignition and the satellites were not inserted where initially expected, though both companies report control of their assets.
IFEC
JetBlue’s A320 retrofit finally underway
More than two years after initially announced the JetBlue A320 retrofit program is finally underway. The first aircraft is now in the shop and will exit with at least one previously undisclosed surprise on board.
Iridium picks up the pace
Iridium has a target date for its 5th launch of Iridium NEXT satellites. With that event the company aims to pick up the pace, speeding towards completion of the new constellation.
Lufthansa Technik brings more connectivity to the 737MAX
Lufthansa Technik will soon be installing more inflight connectivity. The 737MAX is the target this time, with stronglikelihood of the Inmarsat GX solution being delivered.
Thales, HNA Group deal, but will it really fly?
Thales is the latest IFE/C vendor to partner with Chinese conglomerate HNA Group to deliver entertainment and connectivity services on board. But will they really fly? Concerns about the financial stability of HNA raise significant concerns about the long-term viability of the offerings.
GOL, Gogo add live TV service
More live TV is now flying in South America. Brazilian airline GOL and Gogo agreed to launch Gogo TV this year on the carrier’s fleet of 119 737s.
More bandwidth, more blocking to improve the Panasonic inflight connectivity experience
Calling it a next generation network may be a slight stretch but Panasonic Avionics is making some changes to how it delivers inflight connectivity. Adding bandwidth is the (relatively) easy part. Blocking the updates no one needs on a plane is harder but also a potentially more significnat improvement to the passenger experience.
Air Canada’s new radome suggests shifting inflight connectivity strategy
Air Canada's 737 MAX fleet is getting inflight connectivity but it might not be what was expected. The first radome installation is complete and it looks like a new vendor may be in play, with Thales breaking in to Gogo territory.
Iberia activates 2Ku, delivers faster inflight connectivity
Iberia’s faster inflight internet service is now flying. The Gogo 2Ku service recently activated on multiple aircraft, delivering a significant upgrade for passengers on board.
Korean’s new CS300 delivers CSeries PaxEx firsts
Korean Air Lines took home an early Christmas present today, with its first CSeries delivery from Bombardier. The carrier is the third to fly the CS300 and introduces a few new features on board to improve the passenger experience.









