Industry Talks Trump & American’s IFC Swap: APEX Daily Experience Week in Review
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Here are the most-read stories from this week’s APEX Daily Experience newsletters. To receive breaking passenger experience industry news in your inbox on a daily basis, subscribe here.
American Switches From Gogo to ViaSat on 500 Domestic Aircraft
SKIFT | NOVEMBER 10, 2016
American Airlines is switching its in-flight connectivity provider from Gogo to ViaSat for more than 500 domestic aircraft. This news comes after American Airlines filed a lawsuit against Gogo in February, which it later dismissed, and then announced in June that it would outfit 100 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with ViaSat’s Ka-band satellite Internet service. Gogo will still provide in-flight connectivity for American’s regional aircraft, and will install its 2Ku satellite Wi-Fi on 140 aircraft, while the airline’s long-haul fleet will retain Panasonic’s Ku-band satellite connectivity. Installation of ViaSat’s in-flight Wi-Fi on American’s domestic aircraft is scheduled to begin this summer.
What Does Trump’s Victory Mean for the Aviation Industry?
REUTERS | NOVEMBER 10, 2016
Following Donald Trump’s election to the US presidency, many are wondering what his protectionist economic stance could mean for the aviation industry, which relies on open trade. While some experts are questioning whether Airbus’ and Boeing’s multibillion-dollar Iran deals could be affected, others are focusing on the aviation industry’s history of riding out economic and political shocks. “If there are brakes on trade, there could be some impact on international travel. But you have seen more or less five percent annual growth in traffic for decades,” said veteran US aerospace consultant Jerrold Lundquist, managing director of The Lundquist Group.
Panasonic Partners With Newtec for Global Satellite Network
RUNWAY GIRL NETWORK| NOVEMBER 7, 2016
Panasonic Global Communications, a division of Panasonic Avionics, today unveiled a new, high-bandwidth satellite modem that offers 20 times the bandwidth of its current solution. Developed in partnership with satellite communications specialist Newtec, the broadband modem is capable of surpassing 400 Mbps, and can support increasing bandwidth made available by the ongoing introduction of high-throughout satellite (HTS) and extreme-throughput satellite (XTS) services. “We are constantly looking for new pieces of critical technology that will enable our customers to take full advantage of HTS and XTS technology,” said Panasonic CEO Paul Margis. “Newtec’s broadband modem … allows us to access much larger blocks of frequency and better support high-bandwidth platforms across all of our vertical markets.”
Thales Invests in Next-Generation Aircraft Communications Technology
AVIATION PROS | NOVEMBER 8, 2016
Thales yesterday announced a $25.8-million research project, funded in partnership with the Aerospace Technology Institute, that will develop unique technology to address the global aircraft communications market. Aircraft operators face the challenge of reliably, securely and cost-effectively delivering the communication services expected by passengers and required by operators on connected aircraft. The research project will attempt to discover new solutions to meet these demands. Thales is also investing in a UK-based state-of-the-art customer engagement suite, which will provide a focal point for the groundbreaking communications technology being developed at Thales’ Crawley location.
Sleeping Beauty: Qantas Updates Coveted Business-Class PJ’s
VOGUE | NOVEMBER 7, 2016
Qantas’ redesigned business-class pajamas are now available on select international routes. The sleepwear has been updated to match the airline’s brand revamp and now features Qantas’ new logo in navy, rather than in its customary black, and the airline’s name printed on the back of the raglan-style pajama top. “They’ve become part of the in-flight dress code with about 95 percent of people not only wearing them on board, but also taking them home,” said Qantas’ head of Customer Product and Service Development, Phil Capps.
January Debut for Alaska Airlines Premium Economy
TRAVEL WEEKLY | NOVEMBER 11, 2016
Alaska Airlines will debut premium economy seating on January 5 after launching the new fare structure on its website yesterday. Called Premium Class, the new product offers passengers 35 inches of legroom, which is three to four inches more than in Alaska’s economy cabin, in addition to priority boarding. The carrier says approximately half its Boeing 737 and Embraer E175 fleets will be reconfigured with the seats by January, with the remainder to be retrofit in 2017. The cabin refit will also enable Alaska to increase first-class legroom from 36 inches to either 41 or 42 inches.