Airlines often talk about “meeting consumers where they are” to help drive sales. Digital sales channels are changing the way those interactions occur and for some carriers the pace of that change is dramatis. Ethiopian Airlines recently took a significant step on this front, opening up new digital payments options in two key markets.
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On board the new JetBlue A321neo
What’s it like to fly on JetBlue’s newest A321neo? Come along on board as I put it through the paces.
Gogo sees a clear path to free WiFi on Delta
Often when someone says something is not about the money there’s little doubt that it is entirely about the money. When it comes to delivering free WiFi for all of its passengers, however, Delta Air Lines’ CEO Ed Bastian is probably telling the truth. It is not the cost of the service, but making sure the network can handle the dramatic uptick in demand. For Gogo CEO Oakleigh Thorne the reality is far more nuanced than that, and suggests that it really is just a matter of when, not if, his company can support the load.
AirAsia’s WiFi upgrade goes live on Inmarsat’s GX Aviation
AirAsia’s inflight wifi upgrade is finally underway. The first few planes are now flying with the Inmarsat GX Aviation kit on board. Fleet-wide rollout is expected in about a year.
OneWeb, Iridium look to partner on LEO-based solutions
Iridium is taking full advantage of its Partners Conference this week to bolster its market position. Following yesterday’s announcement of a major US Department of Defense contract the company announced today a Memorandum of Understanding with LEO upstart OneWeb to see if there are synergies in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) neighborhood that could allow the two companies to grow better together rather than apart.
Moving Maps and much more coming to Vistara’s long-haul fleet
As India’s Vistara begins its long-haul operations it will bring a new inflight entertainment ecosystem to the passenger cabin. Perhaps even more interesting is the bit that will be included that were not included in the press release.
JetBlue selects Thales AVANT for A220 IFE
JetBlue’s A220-300 fleet will bring a new passenger experience to the airline. But it will do so with familiar partners. The carrier announced today that the planes will fly with the Thales AVANT inflight entertainment (IFE) solution on board. Delivery for the first of seventy A220s to the carrier is due in 2020.
Viasat extends its SAS reach with long-haul planes
Viasat’s high-speed inflight wifi connectivity will soon fly farther on SAS. The two announced a deal at APEX EXPO this week for two new types to be retrofitted with the Ka-band connectivity solution. Unlike the current short/mid-haul SAS fleet these planes are intended to fly transatlantic routes with the Viasat hardware on board.
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.
Air Canada confirms Thales as 737 MAX WiFi provider
The news was not particularly secret. Still, confirmation proved elusive until today. Air Canada now affirms its selection of Thales as the inflight wifi provider on its 737 MAX fleet.