Article from BTNews 4 JULY 2016
Internet coup for Lufthansa
The first Lufthansa short- and medium-haul aircraft with broadband internet on board will take off in October, the airline said last week, with the entire A320 family fleet expected to have the technology installed by mid-2018.
In a first milestone, Lufthansa Technik has become the first MRO company in Europe to receive EASA certification to install a Ka-band antenna on the A319, A320 and A321. This confirms hardware or software modifications conform to EASA-stipulated design specifications, which ensure an aircraft’s continued airworthiness.
The first aircraft was equipped with the technology and tested last month to tie-in with the October launch date. Other airlines in the Lufthansa Group will follow at a later date.
The Ka-band system used by Lufthansa and technology partner Inmarsat is the latest broadband satellite technology which the companies say offers seamless, reliable coverage on short- and medium-haul flights through Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network.
Passengers will be able to access the internet using their mobile devices via wi-fi. In addition to basic surfing and email, other more sophisticated applications will be possible, including video streaming.
Later, passengers will be able to use their cellphones for SMS and data transfer via their own mobile accounts.
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