APEX Editor's Blog

Mobile and inflight connectivity supplier OnAir is targeting the second half of 2013 to debut “OnAir Play”, a new content product that gives passengers access to the latest news and sports. Company CEO Ian Dawkins says “you bring up the video in a package” onto an onboard server and its distributed through a wireless network [...]

In a deal certain to receive a warm welcome from airlines Boeing and Honeywell have inked a technical services agreement (TSA) to jointly research and develop the hardware, software and potential services that will utilise Inmarsat’s forthcoming Global Xpress aeronautical service, with the goal of supporting new aircraft installations in 2015. Boeing has been delivering [...]

Looking for further evidence that inflight connectivity has become the cost of business for airlines? Then look no further than Airbus, which has seen all of its Airbus A350 XWB customers commit to connectivity, and two thirds of ordered A380s slated for equipage, the APEX editor’s blog can reveal. “Airbus is fully committed to connectivity and [...]

JetBlue took an opportunity during its recent analyst day to reveal the brand name of its highly anticipated Ka-band-powered Wi-Fi offering, which will be known as Fly-Fi by Exede. With the first quarter drawing to a close, JetBlue appears to be missing its target of debuting in-flight connectivity during early 2013. Originally, the carrier aimed [...]

If you want to provide IFE content services to Middle Eastern carriers, it’s nothing short of essential to understand the culture, its sensitivities, and passengers’ viewing tastes. Just ask OnBoard International (OBI), which counts Saudi Arabian Airlines among its exacting customers, and boasts it is the only content service provider (CSP) and media sales company [...]

(Corrects statement that Airbus gradually reduced its shareholding of OnAir over time. A SITA spokesman says the airframer maintained the same shareholding of 33% for the duration of the agreement before selling it on 1 February.) European airframer Airbus has officially exited the inflight connectivity service business, after selling its stake in OnAir to SITA, [...]

Emirates has confirmed plans to offer Panasonic Avionics’ Global Communications Suite (GCS) – including live television – on its widebodies, in a unique turn of events that will see inflight connectivity rivals OnAir and Panasonic work together. A single Boeing 777 was installed with GCS “before Christmas” and Emirates is “monitoring the service, which includes [...]

What type of usage rates do streaming video solutions generate on board aircraft? Why do some airlines choose to offer wireless IFE together with Apple iPads and other tablets? Should newer IFE firms fear industry stalwarts sweeping in and snatching up their trial airlines? What might Boeing’s MOU with Samsung mean for the industry? These [...]

Six years after shuttering its Connexion by Boeing (CBB) division, Boeing has once again begun delivering aircraft that have been line-fit at the factory with inflight high-speed Internet systems. This time around, however, the US airframer isn’t fitting its own Connexion system to aircraft, but instead Panasonic Avionics’ popular eXConnect solution. Boeing has also started [...]

Installing an inflight connectivity solution that can operate anywhere in the world – and does not need to be swapped out for another system when aircraft assets change hands – can help to maintain value in the aftermarket and, in turn will make life easier for lessors in the coming years, suggests Honeywell. Earlier this [...]