LATAM is set to retrofit more than 200 aircraft as part of a major update to its fleet. The carrier will invest $400 million to refresh the interiors on both long-haul and short-haul planes, with new seats and more Gogo 2Ku flying.
inflight connectivity
Sky-high dreams or firmly grounded: The business of connected aircraft maintenance remains in question
“Inflight connectivity doesn’t just create revenue, it could save the airline industry US$15bn a year.”
That’s a bold claim from Inmarsat and the research it commissioned from the London School of Economics (LSE). Much of the savings comes from better weather forecasting and the associated effects: reducing delays and fuel burn. Part of the forecast savings comes from predictive maintenance opportunities, allowing the plane to track its own performance and use on-board connectivity solutions to report back to headquarters when operations are less than nominal. The so-called Internet of Things for Aviation (IoT/A) has long been held up as the financial savior of the connectivity platforms, delivering the necessary financial support to justify installations. What will it take to realize the $3-46bn in annual savings the research revealed? A lot of work, and it is unclear which connectivity vendors are truly committed to that effort.
Indian airlines could be online by October
Airlines in India could be online as soon as October. The legal wrangling is approaching its final phase, after which Jet Airways and Global Eagle are expected to be the first to activate satellite-based inflight connectivity services.
Connecting another batch of MAX: flyDubai’s radomes spotted
FlyDubai's 737 MAX aircraft feature the carrier's newest interior (including lie-flat beds in business class). Alas, as delivered from Boeing the passenger experience of these planes was incomplete as they did not carry an inflight wifi service on board. Sharp eyes will note that some of the planes are finally sporting radomes. That's good news for passengers and for the vendor delivering the connectivity service on board.
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Viasat plans challenge to EAN’s Belgian approval
Viasat continues its legal battle against Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network. The company indicated it would challenge the ruling issued by Belgian authorities earlier this month approving EAN’s ground components complimentary service on the S-Band network.
Gogo 2Ku spotted on Cathay Pacific 777
Gogo 2Ku installations continue to spread globally. Cathay Pacific is the latest airline to be spotted with the radome atop its aircraft.
Growing against flat rate contracts: Global Eagle’s plan
Growth is all but assured in the inflight connectivity market. Global Eagle is among the operators seeking the upside potential in its its revenue base and margins. But the company takes a slightly different approach to generating service revenue compared to others.
Content is part of the plan. Premium services are part of the plan. Convergence of the entire passenger experience matters greatly. And Chief Commercial Officer Per Norén is confident that the approach can save the company money on the bandwidth side, deliver a better and more profitable offering for airlines and give passengers the content they really want.
Revenue per aircraft is flat right now, but the Norén has big ideas on how to change that. Everyone wins, assuming it all works.
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Inmarsat EAN gains Belgian (re)approval
Inmarsat's European Aviation Network (EAN) received approval this week from Belgian telecom authorities for its ground component service. Again. That's good news for the inflight connectivity provider as it works to secure the necessary regulatory approvals across Europe in advance of service launch, still expected later this year. It is a setback for Viasat, Eutelsat, and Panasonic Avionics as they fight the EAN deployment through legal and regulatory battles.
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Counting connections and commitments
Connectivity installations slow slightly over the summer, allowing an opportunity to take a big picture look at the industry and where the various players sit in terms of connected aircraft and future commitments. Compared to a year ago some players have shifted positions, even as the total committed count increases. The latter is definitely good news for all involved while the former is better for some than others.
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Viasat 8: The Ocho!
It is just one small line inserted into today's Viasat earnings notes, "... total next-generation IFC system installations to around 200 aircraft across eight commercial airlines." The 200 number is nice, but the eight is more significant.
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