Back in the saddle

From the Control Tower

Well, that was an unexpected few weeks away from the newsletter. Between conferences, getting sick, and holidays, things slipped a bit. But there's a lot of interesting news making the rounds and worth catching up on.

Airline safety cards work, but you’re still not reading them

Behold the airline safety card, that humble piece of paper or plastic wedged unceremoniously into the seatback of every commercial airplane you’ve ever been on. When was the last time you picked it up and gave it a good browse?

Connectivity

Pricing tweaks ahead for Spirit’s in-flight Wi-Fi

Nearly a year after Spirit Airlines formally launched its on-board Wi-Fi program, new plans dynamic pricing models are slated for trial later this year.

JAL plans boost for inflight Wi-Fi service

Japan Airlines was an early adopter of inflight Wi-Fi internet service on board, and now the airline is ready to upgrade the offering. The company will upgrade approximately 50 aircraft in its "domestic" 737 and 767 fleet to the 2Ku solution from Intelsat.

Why Free Airline Wi-Fi Won’t Be Everywhere Anytime Soon

Some airlines are exploring how to make passenger Wi-Fi free in all cabins. But it's unlikely the entire industry will go free for every passenger.

Testing the next step for LEO-based IFC

On Monday afternoon a CRJ700 landed at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport near Broomfield, Colorado after more than four hours en route from Portland, Maine. Fortunately, no passengers found themselves enduring the "comfort" of that long ride in a little jet. But, thanks to the work happening on board, millions of travelers annually will soon have access to a better inflight Wi-Fi experience.

Rolling delays hit inflight connectivity over China

When it comes to inflight connectivity growth opportunity China is hard to ignore. It is a massive market, but one with almost no short-haul aircraft carrying Wi-Fi hardware on board. And despite repeated promises that the online world is finally ready to imminently take flight, at least one supplier is finally backing off the hype and recognizing significant additional delays in getting its systems off the ground.

Seeking understanding in the IFC world

No one likes to admit it, but every now and then a deal signed to deliver services for an airline turns sour. But those failures are also typically managed privately, and with minimal sniping between parties. When that veil of propriety is pierced, however, things get interesting in a hurry.

Cabin Design

Air4All, Delta Flight Products team for wheelchair seating on board

Air4All and Delta Flight Products (DFP) have cooperated to develop a prototype seat that allows powered wheelchair to remain in their own wheelchairs for the entire journey. Much work remains before it might take flight, but this is the most significant progress in accessibility travel in decades.

Airspace coming to A220 family

The Airspace cabin concept from Airbus aims to provide a consistent passenger experience across the company's range of aircraft types. And, from 2025, the A220 will participate in that design language, making Airspace available across the entirety of the Airbus product line.

Recaro to extend seats into Embraer catalog

E-Jet customers will soon be able to select seats from Recaro as part of their order from Embraer. Recaro's SL3710 and BL3710 models will become part of Embraer's Supplier Furnished Equipment (SFE) catalog from 2024.

InteliSence aims to boost premium cabin service with seat monitoring, analysis

What if a flight attendant received an alert as your seat emerged from sleep mode, prompting a timely breakfast service? These can convert a good on-board experience to a great one. They're also examples of what Collins Aerospace believes it can deliver with its InteliSence platform.

Other Industry News

Swoop to Be Shut Down, Swallowed by WestJet

Say so long to magenta. After this summer season, WestJet’s supposed low-cost operator Swoop will be shut down thanks to the recently-ratified contract between WestJet and its pilots.