A shift may, in fact, be underway in the IFC market, but Viasat is still riding high. The company’s latest quarterly earnings note a 13% increase in commercial aviation aircraft in service over the past year, now around 3,950 active.
IFEC
Flexjet to double in size with massive Embraer BizAv order
Flexjet will acquire more than 180 new Embraer business jets, part of a plan to nearly double its fleet size over the next five years.
Finalists of the Crystal Cabin Awards 2025: New Innovations For the Future of Flight
The next generation of aviation innovation will be shaped by the innovators of today. The 2025 Crystal Cabin Awards finalists are among those expected to have outsized impact.
Starlux shifts from Viasat to Viasat for inflight internet
Starlux will shift its inflight internet offering to Viasat’s Ka-band satellite offering. The companies announced a full fleet program, addressing both new installations and retrofit of existing aircraft.
Starlink snags SAS for fleet-wide connectivity update
SAS is the latest carrier to go all in on Starlink for its inflight connectivity plans, with a rollout aimed to begin later in 2025.
Lufthansa adds free messaging for long-haul flights
Lufthansa will expand its free messaging offering this summer to passengers on long-haul flights.
ATR secures EASA certification for Starlink installation
ATR announced this week it secured certification for the Starlink system on the ATR 72 family, paving the way for airline installations. Air New Zealand will be the launch customer.
Control Tower to United: Your Moving Map Just Got Better
United Airlines is boosting the inflight map with a Control Tower view, powered by FlightPath3D with FlightAware data, to show an extra level of detail while on the ground.
Delta confirms multi-link IFC plans with Hughes
Delta Air Lines confirms it is “exploring” the option to enable multi-link network connectivity in a first for the commercial aviation world. Developed in partnership with Hughes Networks, the carrier expects to see the service flying in late 2025.
Delta hypes GenAI, new content partners in 2025 CES keynote
No real timeline shared, but Delta is keen to see GenAI as part of the travel experience, embedded in the IFE system and the app experience.