A new chapter of internet in the skies may be upon Malaysian travellers soon. AirAsia has just signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Inmarsat, one of the world’s leading in-flight broadband technology supplier to install the GX Aviation across the group’s Airbus A320 and A330 fleets. This was done through AirAsia’s subsidiary Rokki Sdn Bhd, the brand’s internet technology supplier.

Commenting on the signing, AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said that,”Travelers today expect fast, reliable broadband wherever they are, whether it’s on the ground or 30,000 feet in the air. GX Aviation’s market-leading capabilities represent a step-change in inflight connectivity that allows us to close the gap between the on-ground and on-board experience. The new service will allow us to better understand what our guests want so we can continue to improve on our inflight offering.”

GX Aviation is satellite internet service that uses the Ka-band to deliver broadband speeds at airplane cruising height – which is typically around 35,000 feet (around 10.7KM) in the air. The service will deliver better WiFi connectivity to all passengers when compared to the current offerings. The upgrade will bring faster Internet speeds for browsing, video streaming and social media.

AirAsia is currently one of the leading airline customers for Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband service and will upgrade to GX Aviation, the world’s first in-flight broadband solution with reliable, seamless high-speed global coverage provided through a single operator. Installation is expected to commence this year, with the service to go live in 2018 on all A320 and A330 planes.

Source from Rokki