Korean Air selects Viasat as the onboard broadband provider for its fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft. The airline will receive a total of 30 A321neo between now and 2027 as part of a fleet upgrade plan, and all of these models will be delivered equipped with the satellite company’s connectivity solution.
These aircraft will operate short- and medium-haul flights throughout the airline’s Asia-Pacific region via its main hub in Seoul-Incheon. The South Korean airline has chosen Viasat’s service to meet the needs of the market. Recently, Korean Air conducted a customer survey where it revealed that 89% of South Korean passengers would travel with an airline again if it had quality in-flight Wi-Fi, compared to 82% globally.
“Today marks an important milestone for Korean Air as we embark on our first in-flight connectivity partnership. Our selection process began in 2018 and we have been focused on selecting the right solution that meets our business needs and can help us tap into the untapped potential of our onboard experience,” said Kenneth Chang, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Korean Air.
“We are proud to add Korean Air, a leading airline, as a valued in-flight connectivity customer in this important market. Key to our ability to service Korean Air’s new A321neo fleet is our robust satellite network, designed to deliver fast and reliable Wi-Fi for an exceptional passenger experience,” said Jimmy Dodd, SVP & President, Global Enterprise & Mobility at Viasat.
The selection was secured in collaboration with hardware provider Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) to develop the solution required by Korean Air. This solution included the combination of Safran’s in-flight connectivity (IFC) airtime and in-flight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) hardware.
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