Cellular-based air-to-ground technologies brought inflight internet to thousands of aircraft and millions of passengers, first in North America, then in Europe and beyond. And while the technology continues to grow in some markets, some suppliers are more skeptical of its continued value, at least for commercial airlines.
China
Viasat secures 737 type certification in China
Viasat continues to expand the scope of its inflight connectivity offering in China. The company announced this week it secured a Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Validation of Supplemental Type Certificate (VSTC) to install its advanced Ka-band satellite connectivity system on the Boeing 737NG aircraft series.
Sichuan Airlines taps Viasat for inflight connectivity
Sichuan Airlines selected Viasat to provide inflight connectivity, in partnership with AeroSat Link and China Satcom. The deal represents Viasat’s first connected airline customer in China.
Eastern Airlines plans Shanghai flights
Eastern Airlines wants to fly to China before the end of the year. The carrier applied to the US Department of Transportation for allocation route frequencies connecting New York’s JFK Airport with Shanghai.
Northern Pacific visits Saipan in search of partners
With its first aircraft fully retrofit and ready to fly, Northern Pacific Airways is on the hunt for a destination market. The company is touring islands in the Pacific, hoping to find the right partners with which the service can take off.
SkyFive, Safran Passenger Innovations push forward on connectivity in China
High speed inflight connectivity over China took another step forward earlier this month, as Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) and SkyFive announced a partnership to integrate their services for airlines. The SkyFive air-to-ground networking hardware will connect to SPI’s RAVE on-board platform, with promises of incredibly high speed, low latency service to passengers.
Chinese airlines place massive Airbus A320neo family order
China’s three state-owned airlines will boost their combined fleet by more than 300 planes, with a major Airbus A320neo order announced today. Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern will each take about 100 single-aisle aircraft, all expected to be delivered between 2024-2027.v
Airbus advances 5G ATG connections in China
China remains, somewhat surprisingly, one of the least connected aerospace markets in the world. Once again, however, there are hints that could change with the deployment of a massive air-to-ground network. Backed by local airlines, telecom companies, and – most importantly – the government, efforts are once again underway to deliver a trial ATG network in the country.
Viasat secures installation approval in China
Viasat took another major step forward in its efforts to deliver in-flight Wi-Fi service over China. The CAAC now will permit installations on A320 family aircraft thanks to a newly issued certification.
Inflight VR takes flight in China
Looking for more signs that the industry is moving into recovery mode? For Inflight VR, after many quiet months, a new airline trial of its virtual reality headsets is a great milestone to celebrate