Up in the Air: Connectivity

Japan Airlines and Panasonic Avionics have revealed features of the inflight entertainment (IFE) system, digital solutions, and connectivity service installed on the carrier’s new Airbus A350-1000 fleet.

Hawaiian Airlines has deployed Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency broadband internet. The carrier’s complimentary WiFi is rolling out on select A321neo aircraft as they are activated over the coming months.

In this interview, Yelena Obukhova, Vice-President Inflight Services, Air Astana, shares insights into the airline’s focus on personalisation, inflight entertainment, sustainability and emerging technologies.

Lufthansa Group and Spafax have announced an extension of their strategic partnership until 2028, aiming to revolutionise the passenger journey by integrating state-of-the-art entertainment experiences.

Lufthansa Group is equipping short and medium-haul aircraft across three of its airlines – Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and SWISS – with broadband internet this year, meaning in total more than 150 aircraft.

Air New Zealand is working with Starlink to introduce free internet onboard domestic aircraft. Starlink will be installed on a domestic jet in late 2024 to deliver high-speed connectivity and enhanced CX.

American Airlines is extending its relationship with Intelsat, with the plan to install new high-speed WiFi capability on nearly 500 regional aircraft beginning next year.

Aerolíneas Argentinas has selected Intelsat to provide inflight connectivity service on 18 Airbus A330 and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. It is the first in Latin America to use Intelsat’s new ESA antenna.