SmartSky is gaining momentum in its transition from building out a next generation air-to-ground network to activating aircraft. The past month has seen several significant milestones on that path, covering both its Flagship and LITE solutions for the business aviation market.
Embraer
Royal Jordanian taps Viasat for inflight Wi-Fi
Royal Jordanian is going big with its inflight internet plans. The carrier will fit approximately 40 aircraft with the service, backed by Viasat’s satellite constellations.
American orders 260 single-aisle aircraft for fleet up-gauging
American Airlines is spreading its delivery timeline and its supplier base, with Embraer, Boeing, and Airbus involved. All told, the carrier announced firm orders for 260 aircraft on Monday, part of its plan to keep the fleet fresh into the next decade.
British Airways brings back Stansted service with opportunistic scheduling
British Airways will return to London’s Stansted airport in summer 2024 thanks to an opportunistic scheduling play.
American taps Intelsat for high speed Wi-Fi on regional fleet
American Airlines will upgrade the inflight internet on its regional jet fleet over the next two years. The carrier selected Intelsat to provide high-speed satellite-based service to just under 500 of the smaller jets.
Aero activates Starlink inflight internet on E135 fleet
Scheduled charter operator Aero now provides fast, free Wi-Fi to all its passengers. The company activated the Starlink inflight internet service on its Embraer E135 aircraft this week.
Delta selects Hughes to complete Wi-Fi upgrades
Delta Air Lines will add diversity to its inflight internet supply and Hughes has a launch customer for its new Jupiter in-flight service offering. The two will pair up to bring Wi-Fi to more than 400 aircraft across Delta’s fleet.
Porter Airlines expands Viasat commitment for 20 more E195-E2 jets
Porter Airlines will extend its partnership with Viasat for inflight internet. The next 20 Embraer E195-E2 jets will fly with the Viasat hardware on board, joining the initial 30 which also have the satellite wifi service installed.
Gogo adds AirSprint as first Canadian 5G fleet customer
The Gogo 5G network is set to take flight north of the border. The company announced that AirSprint Private Aviation will fit its business jet fleet with the updated systems, including options to add satellite connectivity on some aircraft.
BermudAir brings unique premium cabin to the E175
BermudAir will launch service between Bermuda and the USA a the end of August, bringing a premium travel option to the market. And by November a truly unique offering will take flight with the company’s “Aisle Class” service.