Air Canada inaugurated service on its new A220-300 today, the latest carrier to bring the type to passengers.
in-flight connectivity
Understanding the latest SmartSky delay
Last week’s confirmation that SmartSky is delaying activation of its new high speed air-to-ground network to Q2 2020 is somewhat disappointing. But understanding why the schedule slipped should provide better clarity for the company’s customers and investors with respect to future expectations of the service. CEO Haynes Griffin provided those details to PaxEx.Aero.
American’s Oasis 2 removes IFE screens
No one really liked the American Airlines “Oasis” retrofit. Fortunately a new version of that interior will be flying soon but it comes with a major change on the IFE front: no more screens on board!
SmartSky secures additional funding, slips delivery date
What’s the best way to share news that the launch product is going to be delayed a bit? Tying it in as an afterthought to $25 million in additional funding definitely helps. For upstart inflight connectivity provider SmartSky the news this week is a mix of good and bad.
Vistara aims for inflight wifi service with Nelco
Vistara is making a bid to be the first Indian airline with inflight connectivity installed. The carrier is reportedly partnering with Nelco, a local satellite services provider, to bring the service online. Neither party is confirming the deal, though Indian regulators confirmed that applications were processed and permits issued.
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ZIPAir brings a basic cabin configuration to life
Fully flat beds are coming to the Asian LCC market in mid-2020. But that’s about the only thing exciting in the new ZIPAir cabin configuration unveiled last week. And some of the finer details straddle the line between disappointing and concerning.
Gilat delivers a successful Ka-band ESA test flight with Honeywell, Telesat
Finally some good news worth celebrating in the ESA space. Gilat’s new kit went flying on Honeywell’s 757 and successfully linked with a Telesat GEO Ka-band satellite.
Antenna woes derail Spirit’s WiFi installation efforts
More troubles for the Spirit Airlines inflight wifi program came to light today. Antenna issues with the Thales FlytLIVE kit will require the few existing installations to be replaced and tested anew before the full fleet deployment resumes.
More bandwidth coming for Ka-band inflight connectivity
Gaining access to more radio spectrum for inflight wifi connectivity is a rare event. A recent agreement by the ITU that boosts the available Ka-band satellite frequency range 400% is a massive win that should begin to pay off in mid-2020.
Bamboo Airways (maybe) delivers the "value" carrier promise
Bamboo Airways (mostly) operates a fleet of single-aisle Airbus A320 family planes. It is a mishmash of configurations and arrangements. Still, it is a mostly positive experience on board, one that makes flying with Bamboo pleasurable.