PaxExTRA: Issue 2

From the Control Tower

A busy week ahead

The Labor Day holiday may have shortened this week slightly but it is still expected to be chock full of PaxEx news. A pair of conferences - World Aviation Festival in London and Future Travel Experience Global in Las Vegas - are running at the end of the week. Keep an eye on PaxEx.Aero throughout the week for updates from both, though likely more from #AviationFest as that's where I'll be.

Connectivity

Gogo closes on $30mm line of credit

Inflight connectivity provider Gogo announced the closing on its previously announced $30 million revolving line of credit today. The move increases the company's liquidity to approximately $100 million and does so without adverse impact to the stake of its current shareholders.

Another regulatory hurdle cleared for India’s inflight wifi market

Two weeks from now it will be permissible to use WiFi enabled devices on board aircraft in India, assuming the pilot agrees. But that doesn't mean the systems will actually be available to use.

United’s latest used A319 brings an updated cabin to the fleet

A new configuration for United Airlines' A319s is joining the fleet this week. The first retrofit A319 from China Southern is now en route back to the USA as a United plane.

In-Flight Entertainment

Astronics Powers Up for APEX EXPO

Astronics continues to stretch its role as a player in the connected cabin market. New power and IFE solutions will be on display at this year's APEX EXPO next week, and an updated flight deck data solution is also in play.

Cabin Design

A look inside as the MC-21 aims to compete with Airbus, Boeing

The test aircraft are flying. The order book is growing. The Irkut MC-21-300 will compete with the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320neo for airline customers in the next decade and beyond. And, for the first time ever, we now know what the cabin interior will look like.

Spirit Airlines Will Offer Comfier Seats — For Free

More comfortable seats on Spirit? The carrier promises that new aircraft deliveries will be better than the current generation, though it is unclear if the existing planes will see retrofits. Also, the WiFi installs are still terribly delayed.

Loyalty

Here's Why it Doesn't Matter: United Announces Your Miles Won't Expire

United Airlines announced yesterday that there will no longer be an expiration date on the miles you earn in your Mileage Plus account. For sure, this is not bad news. But is it good news for members?

Other Industry News

A big bet on biometrics-based boarding for American Airlines at DFW

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport will soon be home to the largest collection of biometric-based boarding gates of any airport in the world. The news comes as American Airlines launches use of the technology this week at DFW on select departures from Terminal D. While just a few gates are fitted today the airline and airport expect that nearly 75 gates across terminals A, B, C and D will have the systems online by the end of the year.

Boeing faces first lawsuit from 737 Max customer

A Russian leasing company wants out of its 737 MAX contract. And it wants to cash in on walking away.

The Pacific Northeast is ideal for the first deployment of electrically powered commercial aircraft

The year 2019 will go down as the year that electrically powered aircraft became a serious issue. But from where we are now to a practical application is much closer than people may realize.