As the technology behind In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) continues to improve, bringing better global coverage and more bandwidth, passenger expectations on how they can use Wi-Fi in the sky are soaring. At the same time, airlines are becoming increasingly aware of the operational benefits on offer from a pipe that enables vast amounts of data to be sent to the ground in, or close to, real time.
“Over the last two years, demand for connectivity has gone up significantly in almost every single continent, and the technology is improving,” says Aditya Chatterjee, chief technology officer at Global Eagle Entertainment (GEE). “Almost every single component of connectivity is moving up to the next generation, meaning a bigger, faster and more reliable pipe from the aircraft to the ground. And airlines and passengers are taking advantage of it.”
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Chicago-based Gogo, which provides both Air-to-Ground (ATG) and Ku-band satellite-based connectivity services to the airline industry, believes its 2Ku dual-antenna solution will enable it to meet this demand. The company claims its 2Ku service offers more bandwidth at a lower cost and with greater global coverage than other available solutions.
Passenger demand for connectivity services is no longer limited to the cruising phase of flight. With previous restrictions on the use of Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) below an altitude of 10,000ft now lifted, airline passengers increasingly expect to be able to surf the Web from the moment they enter the aircraft until the moment they disembark.
Icelandair recently became the first airline in Europe to offer gate-to-gate Wi-Fi connectivity to its passengers through an agreement with GEE. “The aim was not to be first; our goal is a pleased customer. Our philosophy is, the more entertainment we give the passenger, the more pleasant the experience,” explains Icelandair project manager Inga Erlingsdóttir.
Running parallel to rising passenger expectations is the growing realization among airlines that the connected pipes they have installed across their fleets are capable of pushing data from the aircraft to the ground. This opens up a whole new realm of operational efficiency opportunities, from real-time aircraft health monitoring to up-to-the-minute weather forecasting to real-time credit card processing.VS
