Japan Airlines offers free Intelsat IFC
January 3, 2023
By Chris Forrester
Intelsat has won a contract to supply Japan Airlines with its satellite broadband ‘direct-to-seat’ connectivity to J-Air’s Embraer E-190 aircraft.
Japan Airlines has installed Intelsat’s 2Ku system on the first of J-Air’s E190 aircraft and will be installing 13 additional aircraft by autumn 2024. The airline has been offering free wireless entertainment services since 2016. By adding 2Ku, this will make J-AIR the first regional aircraft in Japan to offer inflight entertainment and connectivity (IFEC) services, as well as the first E190 aircraft equipped globally with the Intelsat 2Ku system.
“We have worked closely with Intelsat to deliver the best connectivity experience on Japan Airlines and the JAL group fleet,” said Keisuke Suzuki, SVP/Customer Experience of Japan Airlines. “Intelsat’s capable and reliable 2Ku system will provide miles of entertainment to our customers making J-AIR the first regional aircraft offering the IFC services in Japan.”
“At Intelsat, our mission is to provide quality, reliable connectivity for work and entertainment which is essential for airline partners and passengers alike,” commented Dave Bijur, senior vice president of Commercial for Intelsat Commercial Aviation. “While having wireless entertainment was an excellent first step, J-AIR sees the importance of connectivity as well. Adding 2Ku will enable the same free inflight internet experience they have had since 2017 on the larger jets. For Intelsat, this is a great showcase for other E190 operators around the world who want to offer a free service to all their passengers.”
The service is now available on those initially-equipped flights.
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