November 12, 2016 – Global mobile satellite communications provider, Inmarsat, has signed a contract to provide its GX for Aviation in-flight broadband solution to Austrian Airlines’ continental aircraft fleet.
More than 30 A320 family aircraft from Austrian Airlines’ fleet will be equipped with GX for Aviation, claimed to be the world’s first in-flight connectivity solution with seamless high-speed global coverage provided through a single operator. The first installation and testing onboard Austrian Airlines aircraft is currently underway.
The Austrian Airlines contract is part of a 10-year strategic agreement announced last year between Inmarsat and the Lufthansa Group, which included the selection of GX for Aviation for Lufthansa’s European continental fleet of over 150 aircraft. The service recently went live under a ‘soft launch’ phase on selected aircraft with Lufthansa and commercial passenger services are expected to start with the airline soon.
Leo Mondale, president of Inmarsat Aviation, said, “We are delighted to welcome Austrian Airlines as our latest GX for Aviation customer. This announcement is particularly special for us, as it comes soon after we unveiled that the service is now live after five years of development.
“For too long, airline passengers have struggled with either substandard or non-existent connectivity onboard their flights. Our airline customers understand that service differentiators such as high-speed broadband on flights are key to meeting the expectations of today’s passengers and therefore strengthening their position in a highly competitive market.”
