British Airways’ Parent Group Goes for Gogo’s 2Ku In-Flight Wi-Fi
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APEX Insight: Hot on the heels of a blockbuster commitment from Delta Air Lines, Gogo’s partnership with IAG is a landmark deal for the Chicago-based Internet service provider and a bold step for the company in the European region.
Not content with announcing just one landmark deal, Gogo followed yesterday’s Delta Air Lines coup with an agreement to supply high-speed 2Ku in-flight connectivity to British Airways’ parent company, IAG, on board 137 long-haul aircraft.
The partnership means IAG is to become the first European airline group offering 2Ku connectivity. Starting early next year, the Chicago-based Internet service provider will begin installations on 118 British Airways jets (including the airline’s A380 fleet), four Aer Lingus Boeing 757s and 15 wide-body Iberia aircraft, with the bulk of installations completed by 2019. For British Airways, an airline that has publicly mulled its decision about in-flight Wi-Fi and until now has only offered connectivity on three of its jets, the decision – which will cost the airline an estimated £30 million – marks a significant investment for the British flag carrier.
Gogo’s 2Ku system uses dual-antenna technology allowing it to switch from satellite to satellite depending on signal strength. The company says this flexibility means it can consistently provide Internet speeds of up to 70 Mbps per aircraft – enough, it says, to stream video and live Internet television. During a special Gogo Wi-Fi test flight at SXSW in March, APEX Media was invited to try out 2Ku while up in the air on board its Boeing 737.
Today’s deal is a big vote of confidence for 2Ku technology, following the threat by American Airlines to sue Gogo in a Texas County Court last February and switch to ViaSat (a threat the carrier subsequently withdrew). Commenting on the partnership with IAG, Michael Small, Gogo’s president and CEO, said, “We are delighted to bring Gogo’s industry leading 2Ku technology to three of the most iconic brands in commercial aviation.”
While 2Ku is already delivering performance similar or close to what’s available on the ground, Small says the technology’s best days lay ahead. “One of the many benefits of 2Ku is that it’s built on an open architecture and can leverage numerous Ku satellites around the world today and new advancements in the Ku-band coming online in the future. This means the technology will get even better over time and will provide passengers with a superior connectivity experience now and in the future.”