SES will connect more than 60 Airbus and Embraer aircraft with multi-orbit in-flight connectivity (IFC) for LATAM Airlines in the next few years under a new deal announced Wednesday.
The deal includes A320neo, A321XLR, and E195-E2 aircraft. SES noted that LATAM will be the largest airline in the Latin America region to offer IFC service using SES’s new electronically steered array (ESA) antenna.
SES and LATAM have an existing partnership which was started under Intelsat. The company has provided the former Intelsat 2Ku IFC service to more than 200 aircraft in the A320 family. LATAM currently operates more than 250 aircraft connected by SES.
Earlier this month, LATAM provided an update on its fleet renewal plan, expecting to incorporate 40 next-generation aircraft this year alone, including Airbus and Boeing planes. The Embraer E190-E2 is a new aircraft for LATAM, as well as the A321XLR, which will be used to expand its medium-haul nonstop network.
LATAM expects to add up to 130 additional aircraft by the end of the decade, projecting that 50% of the group’s fleet will be next-generation aircraft by 2030.
“By bringing next-generation multi-orbit connectivity to more of our fleet, we will offer our passengers a faster, more reliable onboard internet experience, helping them stay connected wherever they fly while continuing to raise the standard of travel across Latin America,” said Paulo Miranda, vice president of Customers at LATAM Airlines Group.
LATAM also has a deal with Viasat to deploy its Amara IFC solution on its wide-body fleet, announced last year.
