Global Eagle has scored a win to deliver In-Flight Connectivity to the Turkish Airlines narrow-body fleet.
Turkish Airlines Boeing 737-800 arriving at Dublin Airport – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
The order has been won with Profen to deliver this to over 100 Boeing 737 Next Gen family aircraft and Airbus A321 aircraft. Global Eagle will deliver connectivity via a Ku based solution for Turkish Airlines, providing what they describe as access to high-quality connectivity, providing internet access.
The rollout will be rather quick, with the first aircraft fitted with the connectivity solution flying within a year.
In quotes
M. İlker Aycı, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee, said:
“We are confident that with this partnership, Profen and Global Eagle will meet Turkish Airlines’ high expectations for effective connectivity in its fleet by delivering large-scale Inflight Connectivity (IFC) solutions. Thus, we as Turkish Airlines are pleased to have selected Profen and Global Eagle, two companies that have the competent skill-set to deliver high quality connectivity to our passengers.”
Per Norén, Global Eagle’s President, says:
“By integrating our award-winning Airconnect Global Ku satellite IFC solution, Airtime Portal, content, and satellite network with Profen’s substantial teleport, regulatory, billing, and security infrastructure, we will provide Turkish Airlines’ passengers an end-to-end inflight connectivity of with high speed, full coverage and world-leading ease of access.
“Our Profen and Global Eagle partnership will enable the airline to confidently deliver the highest quality and variety of IFC services to its passengers.”.
Onder Havuzlu, President, Profen, said
“IFC on narrow-bodies will become one of the key solutions to further improve the Turkish Airlines passengers’ flight experience. Global Eagle and Profen will provide an end-to-end solution that ensures passengers have the highest level of connectivity service.”
Building out the connectivity puzzle
The need for connectivity in the air has grown since smartphones have been a real thing in consumers hands, as well as the ability to be connected to an office, a client or work when in the air.
The Short-Haul part of the connectivity jigsaw has always been one that has been more challenging outside the USA due to different regulators and segment lengths (originally, Air to Ground was the preferred way to connect – at least that’s changing as a lot of airlines have gone with satellite connectivity).
However, with satellite connectivity, there seems to be more of a willingness now the technology has matured to the state of “deploy and go”. With installations on popular types of airframes, Global Eagle is using its knowledge to assist in that deployment.
Of course, the proof of the pudding will be how this solution performs in-flight and what costs will be attached to the service.
That – we will only find out after the first deployments go live…
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