Competition is generally good news for customers and bad news for the company that dominates a market. The recent strategic partnership announcement by Inmarsat and Panasonic Avionics will bring competition to the on-board terminal hardware for the Global Xpress (GX) inflight connectivity solution. Today's exclusive provider Honeywell appears unfazed – and even optimistic – at the developments.
GX
SpiceJet set to connect on new 737 MAX fleet
Spicejet took delivery of its first 737 MAX aircraft today, ushering in an era of growth and modernization for the carrier’s fleet. The aircraft also include Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) inflight wifi connectivity solution on board. The kit remains inactive, pending regulatory approval but multiple carriers now sit poised to connect passengers once that moment arrives.
PaxEx Premium: Does Spirit have a secret for selling wifi?
Outgoing Spirit Airlines CEO Bob Fornaro is no stranger to the inflight connectivity world, even if his current airline is a late adopter of such services. Fornaro oversaw the fleet-wide deployment of connectivity at AirTran. He saw the value it could deliver and the pains that poor performance and limited availability caused for passengers and the airline. Now he wants to bring a new model to market and lead the connected ULCC revolution, starting with the Thales kit installed on his company's fleet. Will this secret sauce work?
PaxEx Premium: Digging deeper on the Inmarsat/Panasonic strategic partnership
After ten months of negotiations Inmarsat and Panasonic Avionics unveiled a strategic partnership late last month. The news hit just prior to APEX EXPO, a major trade show where executives from both companies fielded questions. Answers were provided but uncertainty remains about exactly what the new partnership will deliver on some fronts.
EXPO Preview: What’s on tap this week
The annual APEX EXPO is less than 24 hours away and anticipation for this year’s event is high. Many suppliers are promising big new throughout the week. In the inflight connectivity world it remains to be seen if anything will top the Panasonic Avionics/Inmarsat announcement from last week. Of course new order announcements are anticipated and will likely be big news. But what additional news will develop during the week?
Air New Zealand expanding Inmarsat GX deployment
First it was the 777s. Now it appears Air New Zealand is ready to deploy Inmarsat’s GX inflight wifi kit on the single-aisle fleet.
PaxEx Premium: Panasonic’s Pivot
Panasonic Avionics Corporation (PAC) and Inmarsat are poised to reshape the inflight connectivity world with a landmark deal. The ten year strategic collaboration project will see PAC sell Inmarsat's Ka-band GX connectivity solution while Inmarsat bundles some of PAC's data analytics and services offerings into its sales efforts. Is this the consolidation the market so desperately craves?
PaxEx Premium: Another connectivity split fleet
Easing access to wifi: Telekom & Lufthansa Group integrate billing
In the Americas the relationship between Gogo and TMobile to deliver complimentary inflight wifi to passengers is well established. Europe is about to see a similar solution launch. Telekom and Lufthansa Group are teaming up to deliver connectivity in the sky as part of the mobile tariff on the ground.
Avant, GX, Super Diamond for the new Hong Kong Airlines A350
Hong Kong Airlines celebrated the delivery of a new tranche of A350s this week, bringing new inflight products to the carrier. The airline’s early A350 deliveries were originally built for Azul; the current set were meant for HK Airlines all along. That means different seats, entertainment systems and inflight connectivity kit on board.