On Monday afternoon a CRJ700 landed at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport near Broomfield, Colorado after more than four hours en route from Portland, Maine. Fortunately, no passengers found themselves enduring the “comfort” of that long ride in a little jet. But, thanks to the work happening on board, millions of travelers annually will soon have access to a better inflight Wi-Fi experience.
in flight
Pricing tweaks ahead for Spirit’s in-flight Wi-Fi
Nearly a year after Spirit Airlines formally launched its on-board Wi-Fi program, new plans dynamic pricing models are slated for trial later this year.
United, Saudia sign on for Astrova IFE
The newest inflight entertainment platform from Panasonic Avionics scored two key wins at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2023 as long-time customers United Airlines and Saudia both selected the system for upcoming installations.
ThinKom Plus launches, with hybrid LEO/GEO offering
After teasing the details a bit in March, ThinKom formally launched its ThinAir Plus product line at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2023, integrating an ESA into the footprint of its Ka2517 solution. The system touts multi-constellation, multi-orbit, multi-beam connectivity support. The ThinAir Plus terminal is also the first to offer concurrent, multi-band connectivity in a single package.
Collins brings galley inserts online with low-cost retrofit option
Is the aircraft cabin finally ready to report its health autonomously? Collins Aerospace believes the answer is a resounding yes, with the introduction of a low-cost retrofit solution which allows galley inserts to automatically transmit data in real-time from the aircraft to maintenance operations.
Hughes signs on as OneWeb partner, launches new IFC options for airlines
Hughes Network Systems is not new to the inflight internet world. But the company is getting more aggressive in its pitch to airlines. Hughes is now a global distribution partner of OneWeb’s LEO constellation services. The deal was announced this week at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2023.
Sir Tim Clark expects IFEC, seats to help trim Emirates’ emissions
Emirates rewrote the book on what it means to keep passengers entertained and comfortable while flying long-haul. Company President Sir Tim Clark recently shared a few thoughts on what the next generation of passenger experience innovations will look like.
Seamless finalizes QoE metrics, certifies first partner
Chalk up another win in the quest for more consistent evaluation of inflight Wi-Fi performance with the Seamless Air Alliance’s Seamless-Certified Service Quality program launching this week.
Stellar Blu secures Boeing line-fit agreement
Stellar Blu just secured a significant boost for its Sidewinder electronically steered antenna (ESA) platform. The company executed an Technical Services Agreement with Boeing that will see the terminal kit as an option for line-fit on the 737 MAX, 787, and 777X types, likely before the end of 2024.
Singapore Airlines to make Wi-Fi free on board
Singapore Airlines is the latest carrier to bring complimentary inflight Wi-Fi to all passengers on board. The carrier will expand its current offering – limited to 2 hours for passengers in economy class – to allow for access throughout the flight from July 2023.