Neo Space Group (NSG) and Saudia have announced the first line-fit activation of NSG Skywaves IFC aboard Saudia’s inaugural Airbus A321XLR aircraft. Powered by NSG Skywaves and leveraging the SES Open Orbits multi-orbit network, the service combines GEO and MEO satellite capabilities to deliver resilient, low-latency connectivity across key international flight corridors. NSG made the announcement, June 29.
Recent operational testing conducted by NSG’s engineering and operations teams demonstrated onboard speeds up to 200 Mbps per aircraft.
The IFC service was installed as an Airbus HBCplus line-fit solution, which involves collaboration between NSG, Saudia, Airbus, SES, and Rave Aerospace.
Saudia is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and is the first airline in the Middle East and Africa to operate this aircraft model from Airbus.
“Connectivity is an essential part of modern travel, and providing high-speed internet on our new A321XLR is a key element of the new Saudia experience. It enables our guests to stay connected, remain entertained, and enjoy a more engaging and seamless onboard journey. It also enables a new generation of connected onboard experiences, allowing guests to enjoy live television and real-time content in ways that were previously not possible, bringing the journey closer than ever to the world beyond the aircraft,” Rossen Dimitrov, chief guest experience officer at Saudia said in a statement.
