Emirates will provide advanced, high-speed inflight broadband services using Inmarsat’s GX Aviation solution onboard 50 Airbus A350 aircraft, which enter service in 2024.
Inmarsat has announced that the company has been awarded a contract to provide inflight connectivity for Emirates’ incoming fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft. The milestone agreement marks an expansion of the long-standing partnership between Emirates and Inmarsat. The newly signed contract will enable Emirates to provide advanced, high-speed inflight broadband services using Inmarsat’s GX Aviation solution onboard 50 Airbus A350 aircraft, which enter service in 2024. As a result, passengers will be able to stay connected with family and friends, browse the internet, and enjoy social media, all from the comfort of their seats.
The Airbus A350 will be the first Emirates aircraft to take advantage of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network. The network powers the world’s first and only globally available high-speed broadband network further ensuring passengers can enjoy uninterrupted global connectivity, no matter their destination.
William Huot-Marchand, Senior Vice President of Inflight Connectivity, Inmarsat Aviation said “We are delighted that Emirates has joined the GX Aviation family. This will be the first fleet with Emirates to be equipped with our highly advanced GX Aviation solution. GX Aviation is well positioned to meet growing passenger expectations around a digital onboard experience, offering high-speed connectivity with uninterrupted global coverage across all flight routes, even over the Arctic. We look forward to working closely with Emirates on the rollout and other exciting innovations that build on its excellent track record of providing a best-in-class passenger experience.”
These will be followed by three additional satellites in geostationary orbit – adding speed, capacity, and resilience – and two in a highly elliptical orbit, which launch later this year and enter service in 2024, enabling the world’s only commercial mobile broadband service for aircraft flying in higher elevations and across the Arctic, such as routes between the Middle East and North America.
Adel al Redha, Chief Operating Officer, Emirates said, “Delivering a world-class onboard experience has always been paramount to Emirates and we understand the importance of being connected during flights. Over the years, we have worked closely with Inmarsat and our supplier partners to ensure all our aircraft offer Wi-Fi connectivity. We look forward to finding ways and options to improve the connectivity on-board our aircraft by utilising GX Aviation for our Airbus A350 fleet. The advanced capabilities being introduced by the forthcoming satellites are particularly important, as this will boost capacity across our global network, including aircraft flying over the Arctic for routes between the Middle East and America.”
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GX Aviation’s truly global inflight connectivity will unlock a range of new possibilities for Emirates. Inmarsat’s latest Passenger Experience Survey finds that more than three-quarters (77%) of passengers worldwide say inflight Wi-Fi is important to them – 40% more than before the pandemic. Moreover, 97% say they now use their devices onboard, so it’s clear that providing a reliable, high-quality, and the continuous connection is crucial to giving passengers the best experience.
