Lufthansa will be offering broadband internet on board its short and medium-haul flights from early summer 2016.
Lufthansa is using Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network (Ka-band) for seamless, reliable coverage on the flights. Inmarsat recently launched the third satellite in the global constellation and Lufthansa will be its first aviation customer.
Customers can use simple email services, as well as use other applications and stream on board besides using their mobile phones to send and receive text messages and transfer data based on their own mobile contract.
Telephone calls will still not be allowed on board due to customer preference.
Lufthansa is also committing to a flight trial programme for a new hybrid network being developed for Europe. The European Aviation Network combines an S-band satellite from Inmarsat with a complementary LTE ground network being provided by Deutsche Telekom. From 2017 onwards, the airline will commence a flight trial programme of the new technology.
Lufthansa operated the world’s first scheduled flight with broadband internet access on 15 January 2003 but had to be suspended in 2006 because the necessary satellites were no longer in operation. From December 2010, it was again the first airline to offer broadband internet access on its intercontinental flights. FlyNet has been available on all 106 long-haul aircraft in the Lufthansa fleet since the beginning of this year.
