Cutting the cost for delivering satellites into space is a key factor to increasing capacity and improving coverage in the inflight connectivity market. SpaceX and Arianespace both announced programs today that will help on this front.
IFEC
PaxEx Update: 2 August 2019
A new A321LR enters service for Aer Lingus, faster security screening for United and promises of faster infilght WiFi. Plus Hulu takes flight on Delta and more! Get all the details in this week’s PaxEx Update.
Air France adds A220s, retires A380s
Air France will add sixty A220-300 aircraft to its fleet from September 2021. The planes will replace the carrier’s aging A318 and A319 aircraft. The carrier also announced plans to fully retire its fleet of ten A380s by 2022.
Kymeta, Kepler demonstrate LEO link
Chalk up another successful test of an electronically steered antenna (ESA) against a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite. This time around the Kymeta u7 ESA repeatedly established reliable connectivity with Kepler’s two demonstration satellites.
Delta brings Hulu original content to the skies
The latest inflight entertainment content partnership comes from Delta Air Lines and Hulu. The carrier will offer some Hulu original content beginning in August across its fleet of more than 700 aircraft with embedded IFE screens at the seat.
Killing connectivity for Garuda, Citilink
It was one of the faster installations and activations for a new inflight connectivity customer. In under a year Indonesia's Citilink went from agreement to contract to installation to activation of its onboard WiFi solution, powered by Inmarsat's GX Aviation and managed by Mahata Aero Teknologi (MAT). Now that deal – and the associated installations on Garuda and Sriwijaya – appears dead.
Aer Lingus’s first A321LR joins the fleet
Aer Lingus took delivery of its first A321LR last week and is wasting little time in pressing the aircraft into service. Flights to Hartford begin on Friday, August 2, 2019.
Telesat scores major LEO commitment from Canadian government
LEO constellations are going to help revolutionize inflight connectivity, but they’re also very expensive and aviation cannot support the industry alone. Telesat scored a major investment from the Canadian government this week that helps ensure its 298 satellites will take flight.
PaxEx Update: 26 July 2019
A long-awaited joint venture takes shape and live television takes flight on another fleet. Plus more legroom on a ULCC and better aircraft tracking in India.
JetBlue takes a delay on A321neo deliveries, A320 retrofits
The JetBlue A320 retrofit program is delayed. Again. But it is still expected to complete on time (a couple years later than initially planned), at the end of 2020. Blame Airbus this time around.