After years of escalating appeals and conflicting decisions the European Court of Justice handed down the ultimate decision today: Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network (EAN) is legal.
wifi
Technology and Towers: SmartSky’s new CTO and the transition to operations
Getting a new ATG network into service was never going to be easy. Can new CTO David Classen push SmartSky across the finish line, addressing the tower technical challenges along the way?
JetBlue schedules A220 first flights
Passengers looking to fly on JetBlue’s new A220 now have a date and destination. Flight will depart from Boston later this month.
Global Eagle secures STCs for Turkish Airlines in-flight internet launch
Get ready for more in-flight wifi on the Turkish Airlines fleet. Global Eagle secured its initial Supplemental Type Certificates allowing for the installation and activation of the Airconnect Global Ku platform on the 737 family of aircraft. The STCs come approximately 10 weeks after the first equipped aircraft returned to service with the hardware on board.
Gogo slips 5G to 2022, sees smooth upgrade path
Officially slipping the Gogo 5G network into 2022 from this year is not great news, but Gogo’s overall finances emerged from 2020 stronger than expected and the next 5 years should complete the transformation.
Global Eagle sees a refreshed 2021 with updated Gilat transceiver and more
In-flight connectivity performance should get a bit better in the coming months for some Global Eagle customers thanks to an improved on-board transceiver. The Aerostream 40Ku, developed by Gilat, achieved DO-160G certification this week, allowing for development of production units as it moves towards FAA certification and aircraft installation.
Virgin Atlantic see free WiFi on the horizon, seeks better selling opportunities in the interim
Virgin Atlantic reiterated its expectation that in-flight WiFi connectivity will eventually be free to passengers. But don’t expect that in the immediate future. The company is much more focused today on improving the paid take rates than transitioning to a free model.
Alaska Airlines’ 737 MAX takes flight, without WiFi
Alaska Airlines is the latest member of the 737MAX family, operating its first commercial flights with they type today. But passengers on board faced a bit of a surprise: No WiFi active on the newest plane in the fleet.
KLM takes first E195-E2
KLM’s brand new E195-E2 contains an updated interior that should keep passengers comfortable on board, though questions remain about the full suite of amenities to be offered.
SmartSky secures additional funding, sets Summer launch plans
SmartSky announced a new timeline for network deployment, plus some additional cash to help it get there.