Connectivity
Gogo sees strong growth, 5G network remains on track
As with most earnings calls Gogo's latest ran through myriad statistics and reporting metrics. But, unlike most service providers, CEO Oakleigh Thorne chose to celebrate a massive drop in network consumption over the past 4 years. And for good reason.
paxex.aero
TikTok flies free on some American Airlines planes
A few months ago it was on the way to being banned in the United States. Now some airline passengers can access it in the sky without paying extra. TikTok will fly free on most of American Airline's single-aisle fleet, beginning today.
paxex.aero
U.K. to strengthen regulations for Starlink, OneWeb and other NGSO constellations
British telecoms regulator Ofcom is proposing rule changes that would affect Starlink, OneWeb and other satellite constellations operating in non-geostationary orbits (NGSO).
spacenews.com
In-Flight Entertainment
China Eastern launches local live TV on board with Panasonic Avionics
Live television in flight is coming to China. Panasonic Avionics will deliver multiple channels of live TV service to China Eastern as the launch customer of its expanded channel selection, adding multiple Chinese broadcasters to its portfolio.
paxex.aero
PaxEx Premium: A missing asterisk
Celebrating a new product deployment is always a laudable goal. But sometimes it is important to acknowledge that new doesn't always mean completely new.
paxex.aero
Royal Jordanian updates, expands BlueBox IFE offering
The in-flight entertainment on Royal Jordanian just got a bit better. The Jordanian national carrier expanded its "SkyConnect" wireless IFE service to the Embraer E175 and E195 family aircraft. The solution is powered by the Bluebox Wow portable IFE platform.
paxex.aero
Inflight retailing: Let’s get digital! Part Two
At least one in-flight executive is finally willing to say that the hype around IFE/C as a sales tool to consumers isn't all it is cracked up to be. And, wow, is that refreshing.
worldaviationfestivalblog.com
Cabin Design
Flying on Flair: A Canadian ULCC Adventure
What's the experience like on Flair's new 737 MAX? Just fine, once you get to that point, though also a bit less than expected.
paxex.aero
Lufthansa expands "Sleeper’s Row" lie-flat coach offering
Lufthansa's new Sleeper's Row - a blocked set of seats - takes flight as a modest upcharge for economy class passengers on the carrier's longest routes.
paxex.aero
Loyalty
Frontier’s new vaccine promotions don’t require vaccination
Frontier Airlines wants travelers to get vaccinated. That's the message being sent with a pair of new promotions out today. There's just one problem: Neither promotion actually requires passengers to be vaccinated to benefit.
paxex.aero
Chase launches Air Canada Aeroplan as new co-brand & transfer partner
Starting today, eligible Chase cardmembers can transfer Ultimate Rewards points to Aeroplan, and redeem for travel and flight rewards with Air Canada and their more than 40 airline partners, including the entire Star Alliance network.
paxex.aero
Other Industry News
Caribbean key in 15-route expansion for Frontier
Add another 7 Caribbean island routes to the Frontier Airlines route map. The latest expansion is part of a 15-route growth spurt and includes a new island destination – Aruba – as part of the plans.
paxex.aero
British Airways extends maintenance on A380 fleet, but…
The British Airways A380 fleet should be in tip-top shape for flying through at least 2027. The carrier signed a contract extension with Lufthansa Technic (LHT) that calls for the planes to be maintained at LHT's Manila base. But current conditions suggest not all the planes will return to service.
paxex.aero
Air France adds new North America routes from Guadeloupe
Air France plans a pair of new Caribbean routes this winter, but perhaps a bit outside the normal range of operations. The carrier will connect Montreal and New York City with its mini-hub at Guadeloupe.
paxex.aero
Virgin Atlantic takes flight with surprise plot to land on London stock market
An initial public offering of Virgin Atlantic shares is likely to see Sir Richard Branson's stake in the airline he founded in 1984 falling below 50% for the first time, Sky News learns.
sky.com