Just as Aviacionline had anticipated last month, Aerolíneas Argentinas today signed an agreement with Intelsat to implement satellite wi-fi internet access service starting from 2025.
In this way, passengers will be able to access the internet with their personal devices whether to browse, check emails, send messages, or stream, depending on the package they purchase for the flight.
But this service, as pointed out by Aerolíneas Argentinas, will also allow real-time transmission of aircraft data, such as telemetry, technical parameters, and modification of the flight plan.
“This agreement means a leap in quality in terms of the passenger travel experience. We are confident that it will be well received by both the corporate and tourist segments. Partnering with Intelsat allows us to work with a provider with vast experience in the aviation industry,” said Pablo Ceriani, President of Aerolíneas Argentinas.
For his part, Enrique Villasenor, Intelsat’s Global Sales Director, said they are “thrilled to accompany the technological evolution of Aerolíneas Argentinas. This is a long-term partnership in which we will work together to design the product that best suits the needs of the passenger profile and our client”.
The bulk of the company’s fleet, its Boeing 737-800 / MAX, already have the capacity to distribute content through a WAN (Wireless Area Network), a feature used by the application Bravo! Aerolíneas. The implementation of such an external connectivity service would then be relatively simple, taking advantage of the installed technology.
Although it will depend on the progressive replacement program of the Embraer E190AR by the E195-E2 that we anticipated in this note, the new generation of regional jets from the Brazilian manufacturer comes standard with this capability.
The company’s idea is also to incorporate it into its long-haul fleet, so the current Airbus A330-200 and the eventual A330neo that replace them must be equipped with such technology.
Norwegian Argentina had been the first national operator to offer wi-fi onboard in 2018, although the service lasted just one year as when it was sold to JetSMART, which operates Airbus A320, it returned its Boeing 737-800 with that feature to the lessor.
