Step on board a plane flying with the SpaceX Starlink satellite network and you’re online immdiately. There’s no capture portal, no extra clicks. And that approach may also limit Starlink’s reach into the market, in a somewhat unexpected way.
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Saudia, Skyfive bring air-to-ground online in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s first air-to-ground inflight internet service is now online, thanks to Saudia, Skyfive, CITC, STC, and Eclipse Global Connectivity.
Destination Reels boost interactivity on Southwest’s moving map
Roughly a third of the time spent in the Southwest Airlines inflight connectivity portal is consumed on the moving map. And those passengers now have some additional infotainment available. The carrier is the launch customer for Destination Reels from FlightPath3D, an immersive travel guide loaded with mobile-friendly, short-form videos for all of Southwest’s destinations.
Venmo takes flight on Southwest
Travelers can now add “Southwest Airlines WiFi” to their Venmo payment comments and really mean it. The airline, in partnership with in-flight WiFi provider Anuvu, added the payment option to its on board portal in recent weeks.
Inmarsat OneFi aims to better monetize WiFi for airlines
Can an updated wifi portal deliver significant changes in the in-flight passenger connectivity experience? Inmarsat hopes so, as the company launches OneFi, a “customer experience platform” to help improve monetization of the services as well as deliver more options to passengers.
Air France picks WiFi for A220 fleet
Air France selected the 2Ku solution from Intelsat to fit its A220 fleet, adding a bit of variation to the carrier’s connectivity configurations.
Delta’s first Viasat-equipped plane goes live this weekend
Delta Air Lines will launch its new, Viasat-powered in-flight connectivity era this weekend. The first A321ceo equipped with the Ka-band satellite connectivity gear expects to enter regular scheduled service on 1 May.
Delta picks Viasat for single-aisle connectivity refresh
Delta Air Lines is officially leaving Gogo/Intelsat behind on part of its fleet, switching to Viasat’s Ka-band in-flight connectivity offering on more than 300 single-aisle aircraft. The deal, announced on Tuesday, will see the Viasat kit installed on new delivery and retrofit A321ceo, 737-900ER and select 757-200 aircraft starting this summer.
ScootHub brings new and expanded in-flight portal to Scoot
The seat-back magazine and menu are now a QR code on Singapore’s Scoot. The carrier is launching the ScootHub in-flight portal starting in December, serving as a one-stop shop for on-board customer needs.
American Airlines launches new WiFi subscription plans
Over the summer American Airlines promised new WiFi subscription plans were coming. Now they’re here, with the company selling them directly rather than depending on a third party.