The first factory-installed Intelsat 2Ku system has been delivered on an A321neo aircraft. The 2Ku system was installed by Airbus at its factory in Hamburg, Germany as part of its High Bandwidth Connectivity Service (HBCS) and delivered to Cathay Pacific.
Cathay Pacific’s A321neo aircraft will fly regional routes from the airline’s base in Hong Kong. The carrier has already taken delivery of four A321neos and will receive a further two during the second half of 2021. By the end of 2023, it will have a total of 16 A321neos in its fleet.
“We’re honoured to work with Airbus and Cathay Pacific to create this substantial catalogue offering. Being part of the world’s largest satellite company creates a great opportunity to expand the services we offer and the fleets we serve. We have been working with Airbus to deliver linefit aircraft, and are pleased to now make that a reality,” said Dave Bijur, Senior Vice President, Commercial for Intelsat’s Commercial Aviation business division.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Intelsat to the A321neo fleet, adding to the fully connected long-haul fleet and regional wide-body aircraft already flying with Wi-Fi,” said Vivian Lo, Cathay Pacific’s general manager customer experience and design. “Having these new short-haul aircraft connected is essential in the modern world for business and leisure travel alike. As a premium service carrier, Cathay Pacific is determined to innovate and elevate the short-haul flying experience by offering connectivity, seatback 4K in-flight entertainment and Bluetooth headphone pairing on our new state-of-the-art A321neo fleet.”
