When it comes to inflight connectivity growth opportunity China is hard to ignore. It is a massive market, but one with almost no short-haul aircraft carrying Wi-Fi hardware on board. And despite repeated promises that the online world is finally ready to imminently take flight, at least one supplier is finally backing off the hype and recognizing significant additional delays in getting its systems off the ground.
inflight wifi
JAL plans boost for inflight Wi-Fi service
Japan Airlines was an early adopter of inflight Wi-Fi internet service on board, and now the airline is ready to upgrade the offering. The company will upgrade approximately 50 aircraft in its “domestic” 737 and 767 fleet to the 2Ku solution from Intelsat.
Testing the next step for LEO-based IFC
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.
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.
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.
In flight: Condor’s A330neo business class shines
Condor Flugdienst is likely the best known airline you haven’t heard of, at least if you’re an American. But that might be about to change as with a quality product on board as Condor rolls out the A330neo. Come along for the ride!
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.