Inmarsat has celebrated the fifth anniversary of its inflight broadband service GX Aviation. Since entering commercial service in 2016, the solution has been selected by more than 35 airlines worldwide, with a total order book of over 1,500 aircraft, approximately 550 of which are activated.
Powered by Global Xpress (GX), GX Aviation unlocks a host of new ancillary revenue streams for airlines and ensures they meet rising expectations from passengers to stay connected, browse the internet, stream video and audio, enjoy social media, shop online and more while on a flight.
Millions of passengers have accessed the GX Aviation over the years, with major airline customers including Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, AirAsia, Eurowings, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Philippine Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. This list continues to grow, with installations underway or planned with existing and new customers, including Saudia, as announced at the Dubai Airshow last month.
This latest milestone for GX Aviation comes at a critical time for the aviation industry, with the pandemic having accelerated passenger demand for digital inflight experiences. Inmarsat’s 2021 Passenger Confidence Tracker found that digital solutions that keep passengers connected and minimise their contact with cabin crew and fellow passengers can go a long way in boosting confidence. In addition, out of the 10,000 respondents, 41% believed inflight Wi-Fi had further increased in importance after the pandemic.
Philippe Carette, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “GX Aviation has transformed the global inflight broadband market, offering unprecedented performance that has been truly embraced by airlines and their passengers. We celebrate its fifth anniversary with our world-class partner ecosystem, including industry-leading distributors such as Safran, SITA, Thales, Collins Aerospace and Honeywell. Each of these companies has a relentless focus on providing the best possible onboard experience, so airlines can meet evolving passenger needs and maximise the vast commercial possibilities of inflight connectivity. Together, we have established GX Aviation as our most successful passenger broadband service and Inmarsat is investing more than ever to cement its leadership for decades to come.”
The GX network currently consists of five Ka-band satellites and Inmarsat’s technology roadmap will offer a number of major enhancements. Seven further satellites are set to launch by 2024, starting with the first Inmarsat-6, I-6 F1, in December 2021.
However, GX is more than just a global satellite network, it is a complete end-to-end solution.
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