Inmarsat has signed a contract to provide high-speed inflight connectivity services for passengers onboard Lufthansa’s European continental fleet. Under the agreement, Inmarsat will equip more than 150 Lufthansa airlines aircraft with Global Xpress (GX), with additional Lufthansa Group aircraft being added in due course. The first of these aircraft will be equipped and tested in early summer 2016. Lufthansa will additionally be trialling the European Aviation Network in 2017.
The commercial satellite operator and mobile communications service Inmarsat recently formed a strategic alliance with Deutsche Telekom to provide internet connectivity short and medium haul airliners flying across Europe via the European Aviation Network. This will use satellite connectivity from a new Inmarsat S-band satellite service with an LTE-based ground network developed and run by Deutsche Telekom. Lufthansa will be the first European hub airline to capitalise on innovative connectivity services in the sky.
