The JetBlue A320 retrofit program is delayed. Again. But it is still expected to complete on time (a couple years later than initially planned), at the end of 2020. Blame Airbus this time around.
inflight connectivity
Air France expands live television on board
Air France mid-haul passengers have more entertainment options, with France 24 content now live on connected aircraft.
OneWeb launches high-speed satellite production facility
How does a company get a 650 satellite constellation into operation affordably and before the earliest builds are outdated? Building two a day in a brand new facility should help. Here’s how OneWeb is making it happen.
Global Eagle increases liquidity with debt restructuring
Good news for Global Eagle: The company announced this morning that it has extended its liquidity by $61mm over the next 18 months. But there is almost certainly a little more to the story.
PaxEx Update: 19 July 2019
United Airlines has new seating plans for its 787s, EgyptAir has a sleek looking new A220 and OneWeb has connectivity in space. Plus a big financial hit for Boeing and a soft-launch for IAG.
United Airlines wants WiFi to be free
Is the move to free inflight WiFi inevitable? United Airlines seems to think so, with plans in the works to make it a reality. Exactly when and how much remain unclear, but in today’s investor earnings call the company indicated those plans as part of a brief update on the overall product quality.
Air New Zealand’s first Dreamliner now online
Air New Zealand’s connected aircraft collection expanded to its 787 Dreamliner fleet this week. Aircraft ZK-NZF returned to commercial service after spending the month of June in the shop for the installation and certification of the kit. Like the rest of the carrier’s connected fleet the 787 is online via the GX Aviation satellite solution from Inmarsat.
PaxEx Update: 12 July 2019
Sweet new premium cabins and another step towards free wifi for passengers top the headlines for this week’s passenger experience news.
The Polar Connectivity Push
Emirates issued a press release touting inflight connectivity over the North Pole, which is interesting since none of the carrier’s aircraft can deliver that today and the service from Inmarsat’s GX Aviation network won’t exist until 2023. But perhaps there’s more involved in the story??
Delta continues to push towards free inflight wifi
“Entertainment will continue to be a differentiator for Delta moving forward.” That includes free WiFi for passengers, a product that is still on the roadmap for the company.