When Intelsat announced plans to buy the Gogo Commercial Aviation (CA) business the plan called for an early 2021 closing. The pair now expect the deal to close in December 2020.
in-flight internet
American Airlines launches new WiFi subscription plans
Over the summer American Airlines promised new WiFi subscription plans were coming. Now they’re here, with the company selling them directly rather than depending on a third party.
Gogo sees strong BizAv driving recovery
The business aviation segment shows strong signs of recovery, leading inflight connectivity provider Gogo to a certain amount of optimism as it reports Q3 earnings. The company still lost money in the quarter, but with the private jet market rebounding and demand for wifi on board holding strong, CEO Oakleigh Thorne sees an “encouraging, continued service recovery” on the horizon.
KLM selects Viasat for in-flight connectivity
KLM is moving forward with plans to equip its single-aisle aircraft with in-flight WiFi service. The company will install Viasat’s Ka-band satellite connectivity solution on the “majority of its European fleet.”
A slimmed down Rouge returns to service
A slimmed down fleet and route network are in play for Air Canada’s Rouge arm as it returns to operations this week.
Stagnation displaces Astronics’ recovery resurgence hope
The summer looked good for Astronics. The company saw green shoots of a recovery and was ready to resume its production of components for aircraft manufacturers and interiors suppliers. But as the summer came to a close so did that hope of a quick return to 2019 levels of production. And with the 737 MAX still grounded the company finds itself in what CEO Peter Gundermann describes as a “pretty tough” place.
Inmarsat, GDC, ThinKom update GX antenna, terminal options
Airlines looking at the Inmarsat GX Aviation network have a new option for the antenna and terminal bits, supported by ThinKom and GDC Technics.
Global Eagle charts a new course out of Chapter 11
As Global Eagle finalizes its financial plans for emergence from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection there are plenty of questions about what the future of the company will look like. Fortunately the most critical issue is easy to answer: The Albatross test aircraft remains part of the operation. Beyond that, however, the company sees the current industry crisis as an opportunity to reinvent what the inflight connectivity and entertainment business looks like.
The Weekly Wrap: GX+ North America and Spirit’s New Loyalty Program
In this edition of The Weekly Wrap we’re chatting with Philip Balaam, president of Inmarsat Aviation, about the company’s tie-up with Hughes to create a new in-flight connectivity solution, GX+ North America. Plus FreeSpirit, OpenIFC, and showers in the sky.
Air Canada launches all-premium Jetz flights for winter leisure travel
Air Canada is extending its all-premium Jetz service to multiple sun and sand destinations this winter, building on the success of the company’s business travel focus for the planes earlier this year. The dedicated sub-fleet of A319 aircraft will carry passengers to eight warm weather markets from a trio of Canadian gateways.