Transforming Airline Operations with Non-stop Connectivity and Reliability

Intelsat’s inflight connectivity solution dramatically enhances inflight experiences for commercial air travelers around the world. Multi-orbit networks, electronically steered antennas, and virtualized space and ground systems deliver unprecedented levels of performance, allowing passengers to stream, text, and browse the internet as they would in their homes or offices.

However, the benefits of Intelsat’s capabilities extend well beyond the passenger experience. With increased reliability, robust speeds, and uninterrupted coverage anywhere a plane might fly, including over polar regions and in some of the most congested airspace in the world, Intelsat can deliver non-stop service that pilots, flight attendants, and airline operations teams rely upon to optimize routing, increase efficiency, and maximize safety.

Here is how Intelsat’s inflight connectivity solutions – the same systems already delivering superior passenger connectivity – can be leveraged and extended to enhance all aspects of flight operations: 

Connecting the Pilot’s Digital Briefcase:

The briefcases full of charts and other assorted paperwork pilots once brought into the cockpit have long since been replaced by electronic flight bags (EFBs). Pilots use connected devices loaded with a range of applications for optimizing flight routes, monitoring changing weather conditions, and enhancing overall situational awareness in the air. These applications all require internet connectivity and access to aircraft systems, such as positioning, in real time. Intelsat’s inflight connectivity solutions ensure that pilots have a private, secure network for sending and receiving valuable information in flight, leading to enhanced efficiency, reduced fuel burn, and a smoother flight for passengers.  

Empowering Flight Attendants:

Like pilots, flight attendants rely on in-cabin technology, including tablets and mobile devices, to process credit and debit card payments at the point of sale, retrieve information for passengers related to connecting flights and baggage, report any cabin defects, along with any number of additional functions that accelerate speed and quality of service. Intelsat’s inflight connectivity solutions allow flight attendants to access information in real time, minimizing the impacts of credit card fraud for the airline, and providing a more personalized experience for passengers.

Accessing Real-time Flight Data: A Veritable Gold Mine for Airlines

Not long ago, flight performance data had to be manually retrieved from avionics systems while the aircraft was on the ground. Often, by the time the USB drives or floppy disks could be accessed, the data contained within was outdated, destroyed, corrupted, or lost. By accessing aircraft systems data in flight, Intelsat makes real-time data streaming possible without the need for additional hardware, such as Aircraft Interface Devices. These data feeds allow airline operations teams on the ground to fully understand how a plane is functioning and capture potential maintenance issues before they become major problems that take an aircraft out of service. The data transfer enabled by Intelsat’s inflight connectivity service increases safety and reduces costs by helping airlines make on-the-fly route adjustments to optimize fuel efficiency or avoid areas of turbulence, all without impacting the safety of flight systems.

Given the extent to which all aspects of airline operations today rely on data and technology, the availability of reliable high-speed connectivity is non-negotiable. The traditional low bandwidth satellite connectivity services of the past, while still valuable for certain tasks, are unable to meet the demand. By installing and leveraging Intelsat’s multi-orbit IFC solution, the same service many airlines are already using to provide a superior and competitively differentiating inflight experience for passengers, airlines can enhance operations, from the cockpit to the cabin to the ground.