SES, Japan Airlines expand IFC to long-haul fleet
April 14, 2026
Japan Airlines (JAL) has selected SES, the leading space solutions company, to deliver new multi-orbit inflight connectivity (IFC) for its Airbus and Boeing long-haul fleet. Under the agreement, JAL will install SES’s multi-orbit electronically steered antenna (ESA) system on 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft (linefit), 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft (linefit) and 11 Boeing 787-9 aircraft (retrofit). Linefit deliveries are expected to begin in 2028.
JAL is enhancing the customer experience on its international long-haul fleet, building on its prior order of SES’s multi-orbit electronically steered antenna (ESA) system for its Boeing 737-8 aircraft, with deliveries expected to begin in 2027. Electronically steered antennas are low-profile and support multi-orbit operations, leveraging both geostationary coverage and Low Earth Orbit partner constellations to deliver broad coverage and low latency.
“Japan Airlines’ passengers will benefit from multi-orbit connectivity delivering fast, dependable internet access with wide coverage and low latency,” commented Enrique Villasenor, SES Vice President of Global Airline Partnerships. “Bringing this service to JAL’s A350 and 787 fleet builds on more than 10 years of partnership and supports the airline’s long-haul expansion of next-generation connectivity, advancing JAL’s leadership in inflight service innovation and its commitment to an exceptional customer experience.”
JAL’s inflight connectivity evolution builds on more than a decade of continuous investment in onboard digital services.
“SES has been a trusted partner of JAL since 2013,” added Junko Sakihara, Deputy Senior Vice President – Customer Experience at Japan Airlines. “We are proud to have been among the first airlines in the world to offer free service for all passengers flying on our domestic routes starting in 2017. Our decision to provide the SES inflight connectivity to our long-haul passengers is due to the multi-orbit redundancy, reliability and continuous innovation.”
SES has also announced a milestone toward offerability for SES’s multi-orbit antenna for installation by Boeing. This will allow airlines to receive new aircraft with the onboard network in place and connectivity service available immediately after delivery through a Boeing provided modification.
“We are proud of our partnership with Boeing and this outstanding progress,” said Mike DeMarco, president of Mobility at SES. “We are on track for full line-fit offerability, giving airlines a seamless path to select and install the multi-orbit electronically steered array (ESA) antenna solution during aircraft factory production.”
“Our collaboration with SES reflects Boeing’s commitment to delivering advanced, reliable connectivity to our airline customers,” said Destry Lucas, Director Airplane Connectivity, at Boeing. “We are making strong progress bringing multi-orbit connectivity into the production environment, enabling a more streamlined installation approach and supporting scalable, line-fit capable solutions.”
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