Inmarsat has announced it will be providing in-flight connectivity for Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787-9 and 737-10 fleet.
Inmarsat’s high-speed global in-flight broadband service GX Aviation has already been rolled out successfully on other Qatar Airways aircraft. Under the new agreement, it has already been activated on the first seven Boeing 787-9s.
Qatar Airways provides one hour of free access to its ‘Super Wi-Fi’ which is powered by GX Aviation. After that, there is an option to purchase full access for the remainder of each flight.
Qatar Airways is preparing to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November and a huge influx of tourists is set to travel by air to the event. The carriers’ passengers will be able to stay up-to-date with match scores, watch video replays and livestream games on board.
His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive commented: “Over the years, Qatar Airways has pioneered a range of game-changing innovations as part of our exceptional five-star passenger experience. This, in turn, has resulted in the international air transport rating organisation Skytrax naming us ‘Airline of the Year’ an unprecedented six times.
“The launch of our Super Wi-Fi, powered by Inmarsat’s GX Aviation, is a prime example. We were amongst the first airlines in the world to adopt this technology and remain the largest operator of GX-equipped aircraft in the Middle East and North Africa.
“Making Super Wi-Fi available across our fleet is an important milestone at a time when staying connected with loved ones and friends has never been more important for passengers. As the 2022 FIFA World Cup approaches, Inmarsat is the perfect partner we need to ensure Qatar Airways can offer unrivalled inflight connectivity to each and every passenger, continuing our track record of service excellence.”
Niels Steenstrup, President of Inmarsat Aviation, said: “It has been more than four years since Qatar Airways became the launch customer for Inmarsat’s GX Aviation in the Middle East and North Africa and, during that time, millions of passengers have enjoyed access to its Super Wi-Fi service. We are delighted to expand our important partnership even further.
“Qatar Airways’ decision to select GX Aviation is testament to its continued satisfaction with our global, consistent, and reliable connectivity, as well as the positive feedback it has received from passengers. It has been a pleasure working with the airline on this rollout.”
Inmarsat’s GX Aviation is powered by global broadband network Global Xpress, offering superior in-flight connectivity on par with mobile Wi-Fi on the ground. The Global Xpress network currently consists of five Ka-band satellites and will be further enhanced with additional seven more satellites as part of Inmarsat’s fully-funded technology roadmap.
