Maybe it has never truly been cheap for passengers, but airlines historically took advantage of great deals from suppliers to secure inflight wifi connectivity solutions relatively inexpensively. As those vendors now seek financial stability more than market share a shift is underway. Is the era of cheap wifi over? (And did it ever really exist?!?)
SpiceJet
PaxEx Premium: Inmarsat boosts GX revenue, cuts costs in Q3
Inmarsat reported a jump in inflight connectivity revenue in Q3, continuing the activation and growth of its GX Aviation solution on aircraft around the world. The numbers suggest additional frames are finally generating revenue, a welcome advance for the company after the first such income was generated just last quarter. Inmarsat also disclosed that at least two recently announced customer wins remain as unsigned, lending credibility to claims that the deals are not yet final. The company also outlined additional details on how it expects the Panasonic partnership to grow.
SpiceJet set to connect on new 737 MAX fleet
Spicejet took delivery of its first 737 MAX aircraft today, ushering in an era of growth and modernization for the carrier’s fleet. The aircraft also include Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) inflight wifi connectivity solution on board. The kit remains inactive, pending regulatory approval but multiple carriers now sit poised to connect passengers once that moment arrives.
SpiceJet launches streaming IFE solution fleet-wide
More than a year after committing to the platform SpiceJet rolled out its inflight entertainment offering today. The BYOD streaming solution, branded SpicEngage, offers, video content, games, reading options and more. Passengers access the system using their own mobile devices. The system, based on Lufthansa Systems’ BoardConnect platform is available fleet-wide, covering both 737 and Q400 aircraft.