OnAir Newsletter
February 2011 
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Best Wishes For 2011
 

Ian Dawkins


 
"On behalf of all of us at OnAir, I'd like to wish you a successful 2011. With in-flight connectivity reaching a tipping point, this year will prove that it's now a must-have for airlines and no longer just a nice-to-have."
Ian Dawkins, CEO, OnAir
OnAir News Highlights

About OnAir

OnAir provides industry-leading, on-board connectivity solutions that enable passengers to stay connected while they travel, and airlines and shipping lines to differentiate themselves through offering distinct services to customers. Present aboard airlines on five continents, OnAir provides the only air-travel industry sponsored solution for commercial airlines, private and corporate jets, Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and for long and short-haul flights. OnAir is the first provider of services based on SwiftBroadband (SBB), the latest high-bandwidth satellite technology from Inmarsat, which offers GSM, Data and Internet. 
 
OnAir was formed in February 2005 by SITA, the leading IT solutions provider to the air transport world and Airbus, the leading aircraft manufacturer.  OnAir is a member of the GSM Association and an Inmarsat Distribution Partner for SwiftBroadband services.
 
Today onAir has 35 customers, of which 20 are currently in service, including 13 airlines. The company also has regulatory approvals from 74 countries and 335 roaming agreements. 
TAM Airlines Expands OnAir In-flight Connectivity

Fleet of 26 aircraft to be equipped in response to passnger demand
 
Whether onboard an Airbus A380, a Boeing B787 or Solar Impulse's circumnavigator, OnAir keeps passengers in touch with home and the office.

Brazil's national airline, TAM, today announced that it will extend its OnAir GSM service to another 26 aircraft, all of which will be operational this year. This reinforces our position as the leader in truly global in-flight passenger communication solutions.

TAM2The connected aircraft are expected to start flying in the second half of this year. TAM will set up a dedicated production line to install the system on the Airbus A319, A320, and A321 aircraft at its Technological Center in S�o Carlos, State of S�o Paulo.

All the aicraft operate domestic routes and will fly to most of the 45 destinations covered by TAM in Brazil. 
 
TAM is the first airline in the Americas to offer on-board mobile phone services. Since October 2010, one Airbus A321 - operating between S�o Paulo/Guarulhos, Recife, Natal, Fortaleza, Salvador and Porto Alegre - has been equipped with the OnAir system. The service, based on Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, allows passengers to connect to a cellular network from their personal GSM handsets.
OnAir Onboard First Round-the-world Solar Airplane
  
"SwiftBroadband satellite Connectivity Specialized Partner" of the Solar Impulse project 
Solar Impluse
Night Flight AFP pool by Fabrice Coffrini
  OnAir is supplying the Solar Impulse HB-SIA aircraft with SwiftBroadband satellite technology and a specially designed ground infrastructure to assure global air-to-ground communications for the aircraft whenever and wherever it flies.

 

OnAir is working with Swisscom and has set up the ground infrastructure which is now fully operational. The SwiftBroadband connectivity has also been activated and a thorough test programme is currently ongoing in line with the schedule of the overall project.