Connectivity

Expectations for inflight connectivity are evolving, and U.S. airlines are beginning to offer the ancillary for free to some or all their passengers.

Passengers are pushing more than ever for fast, personalized IFC technology.

Passenger expectations of what it means to have good connectivity onboard are changing and outpacing what many airlines can provide.

Carriers are finding new ways to encourage passengers to pay for flexibility and a smooth journey.

The IFC agreement between Intelsat and India's Nelco aims to provide end-to-end broadband coverage on domestic and international airliners flying to or from Indian airports, as well as aircraft flying over the country.

Saudia plans to launch the terminal on 35 of its Airbus A321neo and A321XLR aircraft beginning in early 2023.

Satellite connectivity provider Satcom Direct announced the first planned installation of its Plane Simple Ku-band antenna system on a first special mission aircraft, an Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante operated by airborne data capture company Fototerra of Brazil.

Pilots’ electronic flight bags are vulnerable to cyberattack, company finds.

OneWeb, in partnership with the European Space Agency and UK Space Agency, says it demonstrated a 5G link between low Earth orbit satellites, a geostationary satellite and a mobile ground terminal on June 28.

The FAA has approved the installation of Viasat’s Ka-band satellite connectivity system on Dassault Falcon 7X and 8X trijets, Viasat and Dassault Aircraft Services announced June 20.

Wireless companies have agreed to keep in place some limitations of their 5G network deployments for a further year to give airlines more time to replace or protect radio altimeters from potential interference, the FAA announced June 17.

The inflight connectivity (IFC) industry’s greatest challenge is facing “insatiable demand” for capacity and currently limited ability to grow, one of the sector’s leaders said at AIX in Hamburg June 14.

Airline passengers’ perception of the quality of inflight connectivity (IFC) is so poor that seven out of 10 travelers have never even bothered trying to access it.

Southwest has signed an agreement with Astronics Corporation to install in-seat power systems in its Boeing 737-7 and -8 aircraft.

Satellite communications (satcom) provider Inmarsat says it will upgrade its Jet ConneX (JX) service for business aviation to vastly increase inflight download speeds.

Spanish carrier Wamos Air plans to start to fit W-IFE supplier Moment’s Flymingo Box on its aircraft.

Airlines in the Asia-Pacific region are recognizing a changing need among their passengers for inflight data connectivity, according to a provider of satellite broadband to carriers.