Viasat has signed a deal with Delta Air Lines to supply an additional 230+ of Delta’s domestic mainline, narrow-body aircraft with inflight connectivity (IFC). Select aircraft from Delta’s Airbus A321neo, A220-300, A320ceo, A319 and Boeing 737-800 fleets will be retrofitted with Viasat’s next-generation Ka-band satellite technology. This new aircraft award is in addition to the contract to supply more than 300 Delta aircraft, announced in January 2021.
The Ka-band IFC systems will be compatible with Viasat’s network of satellites, including its first-generation spacecraft and partner satellites, its second-generation spacecraft ViaSat-2, and the forthcoming ViaSat-3 constellation, which is expected to offer global coverage with nearly eight-times more capacity than Viasat’s current fleet. The systems provide enough capacity and speed to enable passengers to stream content – and to meet the growing number of devices connected to the cabin systems. The antenna will also power live TV access to the seatback screens.
“By equipping more than 230 additional aircraft with Viasat IFC, Delta is validating how the system can scale,” said Don Buchman, Viasat’s VP and general manager for commercial aviation. “We have a proven inflight connectivity solution that will meet the demands of Delta customers today and the expected increase in demand in the future.”
