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.
Safran
Breeze unveils "Ascent," a new take on premium seating
Delivering a differentiated product in a crowded and commoditized market can be challenging. Breeze Airways rebranded its premium cabin seats as Ascent, hoping to highlight how it differs from traditional first class products, both in what it does include and what it does not.
Etihad upgrades Business Studio for new 787s, adds Viasat internet
Etihad will launch an updated version of its Business Studio seat on the 787 Dreamliner fleet beginning later this year. Suite doors are included, as is inflight internet from Viasat.
flyDubai introduces Business Suite lie-flat for 737 MAX
flyDubai has renewed its commitment to the premium cabin experience with “The Business Suite,” a new flat-bed “offering passengers added comfort, privacy and an exceptional onboard experience.”
Emirates selects Inmarsat GX for A350 inflight WiFi
The newest Emirates aircraft will fly with Inmarsat’s GX Aviation inflight internet solution on board. The incoming fleet of Airbus A350s will offer the high speed WiFi solution across all 50 aircraft, with deliveries expected to begin in 2024.
Sorting suppliers for United’s mega Dreamliner order
Sure, United’s mega Dreamliner order is good news for Boeing. But what other suppliers are set up to win with the fleet refresh coming?
Korean Air speaks a new design language with A321neo launch
It’s out with the blue and in with the new as Korean Air revealed an updated cabin design for its Airbus A321neo fleet.
SkyFive, Safran Passenger Innovations push forward on connectivity in China
High speed inflight connectivity over China took another step forward earlier this month, as Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) and SkyFive announced a partnership to integrate their services for airlines. The SkyFive air-to-ground networking hardware will connect to SPI’s RAVE on-board platform, with promises of incredibly high speed, low latency service to passengers.
American launches Flagship Suites, retires Flagship First
Flagship First Class is dead. Long live the Flagship Suite. American Airlines will introduce a new Flagship Suite seat to its long haul fleet from 2024. With that move, the carrier’s Flagship First class cabin will be no more.
Slowing their ESA roll
Electronically steered antennae (ESAs) are coming to commercial and business aviation. But not everyone is in a hurry to get there. Two companies with ESA products on their roadmap took a step back focusing on existing, proven technology platforms instead.