In-flight internet service picked up some speed over China. Panasonic Avionics Corporation (PAC) completed activation of its extreme high throughput (XTS) satellite payload via four teleports in the region, including one in mainland China.
APSATCOM
Panasonic Avionics activates first XTS payload, boost connectivity capacity in Asia
Panasonic Avionics has entered the next stage of its in-flight connectivity solution evolution, with activation of the first extreme high throughput satellite (XTS). The APSTAR-6D satellite launched last summer and is now ready to serve airline customers with additional Ku-band capacity in the Asia-Pacific region.
Display Interactive, Eclipse Global Connectivity team up to take on China
As the inflight connectivity world continues to mature one market remains ever so slightly out of reach for suppliers: China. Eclipse Global Connectivity and Display Interactive are teaming up to launch a new venture based in Shanghai, with plans to capture that markes as “an integral part of the Chinese IFEC ecosystem.”
Gilat delivers a successful Ka-band ESA test flight with Honeywell, Telesat
Finally some good news worth celebrating in the ESA space. Gilat’s new kit went flying on Honeywell’s 757 and successfully linked with a Telesat GEO Ka-band satellite.
Panasonic Avionics confirms Eutelsat 10B as second XTS satellite partner
Panasonic Avionics (PAC) plans a significant boost to its Ku-band satellite capacity from 2022. The company confirmed a contract for multiple gigahertz of capacity on both multi-beam payloads of the Eutelsat 10B satellite slated for launch in three years.
Sunrise Stretch: PaxEx Update 2019-10-18
The beginnings of Project Sunrise and extra leg room for the Kiwis. Plus more wifi (maybe) coming in China and another loyalty top tier moves further away.
Get these stories and more in this week’s PaxEx Update.
Lufthansa Technik dives in to the Chinese inflight connectivity market
Announcements related to inflight connectivity in China are hard to process. Vendors continue to sign agreements and push out releases but forward progress in terms of getting hardware on planes remains stalled. This week Lufthansa Technik (LHT) joined the field with an announcement of an offering for airlines in China. But, like the others, it is unclear what the timeline for implementation will be or where things will go from here.
Gogo makes a China 2Ku play
Airlines in China find themselves spoiled for choice when it comes to picking an inflight connectivity solutions provider. Gogo (re)joins that party with an announcement this week that it will partner with APT Mobile Satcom Limited (APSATCOM) in selling its 2Ku connectivity solution in the country.
A few firsts on Juneyao’s premier Dreamliner
Adding a new type to an airline’s fleet is interesting in its own right. China’s Juneyao Airlines added the 787-9 Dreamliner last week and it is more significant than most similar expansions, both for passengers and China’s aviation industry growth.