Inmarsat announced the first installation of its award-winning GX Aviation inflight broadband solution by Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), a wholly-owned AirAsia Group subsidiary and provider of engineering services in Southeast Asia. The installation, completed onboard an AirAsia Airbus A320 aircraft, marks an important milestone that supports ADE’s ambitions to become a GX Aviation installation partner for other airlines in Southeast Asia. The company will also establish a one-stop shop for airlines that want to operate a fully connected fleet, combining its vast expertise in end-to-end engineering and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) with Inmarsat’s market-leading connectivity solutions.
ADE was established in September 2020, after AirAsia Group consolidated its engineering and MRO assets to provide a centralised support service, not only for its own aircraft fleet, but also for other commercial airlines in the region. With a unique focus on data and technology, ADE has successfully leveraged, and continues to build on AirAsia Group’s 19 years of combined experience in operating and maintaining a large fleet of more than 250 Airbus A320 and A330 family aircraft.
Chris Rogerson, Inmarsat Aviation’s vice president of Global Sales, said: “AirAsia Group is the largest customer for our GX Aviation inflight broadband solution in the Asia Pacific region, and one of the largest in the world. Our partnership has been a hugely successful one, based on a common passion about the exciting opportunities that digitalisation and connectivity provide to passengers and the aviation industry, especially as airlines recover from the pandemic. We are delighted, therefore, to now collaborate on GX Aviation installations for AirAsia and other airlines in the region, bringing together the combined experience and expertise of Inmarsat, ADE and the rest of the AirAsia Group.”
Mahesh Kumar, CEO of Asia Digital Engineering, said: “ADE has made significant progress since launching our services in the midst of the pandemic last year. We are delighted about the success of our first GX Aviation installation and look forward to continuing the rollout across AirAsia Group’s fleet, as well as bringing our world-class engineering and MRO expertise to other airlines. By working with partners such as Inmarsat, we are building ADE into a market-leader that provides high quality and best value services, with a focus on using the latest technologies to increase satisfaction, productivity and efficiency.”
ADE, based in AirAsia Group’s RedQ global headquarters in Malaysia, has already received base maintenance approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and Indonesia’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, with approval from five additional authorities expected before the end of 2021.
World2Fly opts for GX Aviation
Inmarsat also announced its GX Aviation inflight broadband solution is now available to passengers travelling with new Spanish airline World2Fly, in partnership with SITA as the service provider. The long-haul carrier, founded by Spanish hotel group Iberostar, provides advanced, high-speed GX Aviation connectivity onboard its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Passengers can access the service thanks to SITA’s Internet ONAIR solution, allowing them to browse the internet, stream video and audio, shop online, or keep in touch with friends and loved ones. The seamless experience offers passengers the same broadband reliability and consistency in the air as they are used to on the ground. World2fly’s A350-900s feature a modern and comfortable single-class cabin layout with 432 seats. The Mallorca-based airline will expand its fleet and operate flights from Madrid to leisure destinations such as Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and Cancún (Mexico).
Bruno Claeys, Managing Director of World2Fly, said: “Our passengers expect fast, reliable, and uninterrupted connectivity as part of our onboard offering wherever we fly. We are delighted that SITA’s Internet ONAIR solution using Inmarsat GX Aviation delivers this on our first Airbus A350. We have developed a modern, world-class flight experience, and we look forward to extending the solution to other aircraft as they are added to our fleet.”
Demand for inflight connectivity has soared as passengers start returning to the skies after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Inmarsat’s recently released 2021 Passenger Confidence Tracker, 41 percent of respondents believe that having Wi-Fi on their flights is even more important now than pre-COVID. Wi-Fi allows them to stay connected with friends and family and supports a touch-free environment.
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