American Airlines’ premium cabin updates have slipped to 2025, with a stern warning issued from CEO Robert Isom to suppliers. Plus, no sign of free Wi-Fi anytime soon.
inflight wifi
Wheels Up pivots fleet, picks Gogo Galileo for future connectivity
Private jet operator Wheels Up is revamping its fleet and upgrading the inflight internet offering, with the Gogo Galileo HDX solution to be installed on its Phenom and Challenger aircraft.
Textron extends Starlink support to smaller types
Textron Aviation announced FAA approval for the installation of a Starlink terminal on its Beechcraft King Air B200 and B300 series and Cessna Citation 560XL series aircraft.
Gogo secures first line-fit option for Galileo LEO service
The first line-fit option for the Gogo Galileo LEO service will be from Textron, on the Cessna Citation Longitude, Citation Latitude and Citation Ascend business jet lines.
Apcela set to bring SmartSky network back to life
Don’t call it a comeback; Apcela’s run the network for years. And now the SmartSky service, which halted operations on 16 August 2024, is set to come back online.
Taking Intelsat’s next generation LEO inflight connectivity for a ride
Switching over from the GEO satellites Intelsat has been using to deliver inflight internet to the Eutelsat OneWeb LEO constellation, the backbone of the company’s next-generation inflight internet service, was eye-opening.
Panasonic Avionics launches multi-orbit test flight program
Panasonic Avionics’ newest test aircraft broke cover late last week, carrying the Sidewinder 9×9 ESA from Gilat (formerly Stellar Blu) and a paint job highlighting the OneWeb LEO connectivity kit on board.
SkyFive, Viasat ink roaming deal for air-to-ground networks
Planes connected via Viasat’s European Aviation Network or the SkyFive Saudi Arabia network can now seamlessly roam across the two regions.
Viasat drops speed caps for new JetXP business aviation plans
Viasat is taking off its speed caps, opening up more bandwidth to more business aviation jets with company’s Jet ConneX service offering a new “JetXP” plan.
JAL brings more Wi-Fi to more passengers for free
Japan Airlines continues to improve its inflight Wi-Fi offering, with more planes now offering fast and free connectivity to travelers on both domestic and international routes.