Eurowings is the latest airline from the Lufthansa Group to select Inmarsat's (ISAT.L) mobile SATCOM technology for their in-flight broadband solution. advanced new GX for Aviation in-flight broadband solution.
Inmarsat's advanced GX for Aviation will initially be equipped on 69 Airbus A320 family aircraft from the Eurowings fleet, with the option to add additional aircraft. The first installations have already been completed by Lufthansa Technik and testing is scheduled to commence in the New Year. All aircraft covered in this agreement are expected to be fitted out by the middle of 2017.
GX for Aviation will initially be equipped on 69 Airbus A320 family aircraft from the Eurowings fleet, with the option to add additional aircraft.
Eurowings will be the first low-cost carrier to offer GX for Aviation, the world’s only in-flight connectivity solution with reliable, seamless high-speed global coverage provided through a single operator. The service allows passengers to browse the internet, stream videos, check social media and more, with connectivity on par with broadband on the ground. In addition, Inmarsat’s GX for Aviation service will be integrated with the existing in-flight entertainment (IFE) system based on Lufthansa Systems’ BoardConnect platform.
A Eurowings Airbus A319 aircraft with the radome installation completed for Inmarsat’s GX for Aviation service.
The contract is part of a 10-year strategic agreement between Inmarsat and the Lufthansa Group, which included the selection of GX for Aviation for Lufthansa’s European continental fleet of over 180 aircraft. The ground-breaking service will also be deployed on more than 30 Austrian Airlines’ aircraft from the Airbus A320 family, with installation and testing currently underway. Inmarsat partner Deutsche Telekom will be the Internet Service Provider for Eurowings passengers.
Eurowings will connect to the GX network using exclusive new JetWave terminals produced by Honeywell Aerospace. The terminals are designed for ease of installation and maintenance to assure the lowest downtime for any cabin connectivity solution in the market, allowing installation with minimal labor and using standard tools available in maintenance hangars.
Leo Mondale, President of Inmarsat Aviation, indicated that airline passengers want to be connected and Eurowings recognizes the commercial benefits of committing to GX for Aviation. This is the only high-speed in-flight broadband solution with uninterrupted global coverage powered by a single operator. Inmarsat's global satellite infrastructure offers a seamless service, allowing the company to provide high quality connectivity whenever and wherever it’s needed, even over Europe, the world’s busiest air traffic space.
Oliver Wagner, CEO of Eurowings, added that Eurowings is the first low-cost airline to offer passengers a leading in-flight entertainment system paired with broadband Internet. The cooperation with Inmarsat Aviation regarding Internet access is a logical conclusion: technically speaking, the company currently provides the most innovative and most powerful solution available.
