Emirates chooses Inmarsat connectivity for its new Airbus A350 fleet
Emirates has selected Inmarsat to provide connectivity for its new 50 Airbus A350s which will be entering service from 2024.
This agreement expands the long-standing partnership between Emirates and Inmarsat. Inmarsat’s award-winning GX Aviation solution enables passengers to stay connected with family and friends, browse the internet and use social media on board the carrier’s flights.
According to Inmarsat, the Airbus A350s will be the first Emirates aircraft to take advantage of Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network. The network consists of five Ka-band satellites and will be further enhanced by seven more satellite payloads. These will be followed by three additional satellites in geostationary orbit, adding speed, capacity, and resilience, and two in highly elliptical orbit, which launch later this year and enter service next year.
Inmarsat says this enables 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.
William Huot-Marchand, Inmarsat Aviation’s Senior Vice President of Inflight Connectivity, 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.”
Adel al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer commented: “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.”