Porter Airlines picks Viasat for E195-E2 WiFi

As Porter Air adds jets to the fleet the on-board experience will see an upgrade as well. The carrier announced the new E195-E2 fleet will include in-flight internet service from Viasat on board.

Introducing the E2 into Porter’s fleet gives us the ability to serve customers across North America. Using Viasat’s technology allows us to create a distinct digital passenger experience for longer routes that builds on our award-winning approach to hospitality.

– Kevin Jackson, Porter Air executive vice president and chief commercial officer

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The carrier is slated to add 30 E-Jets to the fleet as it expands beyond its current downtown Toronto home base. The planes, expected to join the fleet from the second half of 2022, will enable the carrier to grow beyond its current regional eastern Canada- and U.S.-focused network to include routes to the west coast, southern U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean.

Line-fit becomes official

The Porter Air planes will have the Viasat gear installed at the factory as a line-fit option rather than a post-delivery modification. Embraer and Viasat officially announced that option earlier this week, though it has been available to airline customers for more than a year.

We’re excited to work with our partners at Embraer to make our industry-leading Ka-band IFC kit available direct from the factory on the company’s family of E2 aircraft, one of the world’s most popular series of jets.

– Don Buchman, Viasat’s vice president and general manager, Commercial Aviation

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Multiple airlines, including Azul Airlines, have selected Embraer E2 aircraft equipped with Viasat’s IFC system direct from the factory. KLM is another candidate for that configuration, as both an E2 and Viasat customer.

While line-fit has been available for roughly a year now the companies chose to not publicize the option more broadly. Viasat attributes that to the uncertainly around the industry at the time and being less keen to celebrate.