Condor selects Inmarsat for long-haul onboard Wi-Fi I
Condor’s new fleet of A330-900 will be the carrier’s first connected aircraft
German leisure carrier Condor has selected Inmarsat’s high-speed GX Aviation inflight broadband for its upcoming fleet of Airbus A330-900 aircraft.
Condor is renewing its long-haul fleet with 18 A330-900, all of which will be delivered with GX Aviation as a line-fit installation. The aircraft will be operated on Condor’s international route network to the Americas, Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, with the first three A330-900 scheduled to enter service by the end of the year and more to follow in early 2023.
In a press statement, Ralf Teckentrup, CEO of Condor, said: “As the German launch customer for the Airbus A330neo, Condor is focused on providing a superior passenger experience and cementing our status as a European frontrunner on long-haul flights. A key part of this strategy is the introduction of brand-new Economy, Premium Economy and Business cabins, which offer the highest levels of comfort and feature world-class technology such as Inmarsat’s GX Aviation to ensure passenger expectations for fast, consistent and reliable inflight broadband are met. The Airbus A330neos will become our first connected aircraft and we look forward to offering GX Aviation as standard across our long-haul flights by mid-2024, when our long-haul fleet renewal program is expected to be completed, marking an important milestone in Condor’s history.”
Passengers will be able to connect to the onboard Wi-Fi service via their mobile device with Condor FlyConnect and select from three data packages, Chat Unlimited, Basic (two hours) and Premium (four hours), with prices starting from €7. Passengers will have the option of testing the chat function free of charge for the first ten minutes, before opting for one of the data packages.
“Fast, reliable inflight broadband is now integral to ensuring that airlines stay ahead of the curve in today’s climate and Inmarsat’s new partnership with Condor is a testament to the important role that connectivity solutions play in the airline industry’s recovery and growth strategies,” commented Niels Steenstrup, President of Inmarsat Aviation, in the statement. “Inmarsat looks forward to rolling out GX Aviation on Condor’s Airbus A330-900neo aircraft as part of the airline’s efforts to renew its fleet and enhance its onboard experience.”
GX Aviation is powered by Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite network, which currently consists of five Ka-band satellites and will be further enhanced with the addition of seven more satellites. This includes two Inmarsat-6s, which are scheduled to enter service next year and to be followed by three additional satellites in geostationary orbit and two in highly elliptical orbit, enabling the world’s only commercial mobile broadband service for aircraft flying in higher elevations and across the Arctic.
The GX network will also play a crucial role in the ongoing growth of Inmarsat’s ORCHESTRA dynamic mesh network, which will bring existing geosynchronous (GEO) satellites together with low earth orbit satellites (LEO) and terrestrial 5G.
