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From the OnAir CEO
"There are two things that have become clear about inflight connectivity in the past couple of months.
The first is that it is now inevitable. That doesn't mean every aircraft will have connectivity tomorrow: it takes longer than that. But it does mean it is now certain there will come a time in the next few years when it will be normal to use portable communications devices - whatever form they take - on planes. In that respect, flying will soon be no different from being on a train, in a taxi or in your own car.
Which brings me to the second point. People use mobile devices on aircraft in the same way they use them when they are travelling on the ground: for calls, text messaging, emails and mobile data. Even when inflight Internet is available, 95% of passengers still use the mobile phone network. And the Internet usage among the 5% is typically low bandwidth: of the top 20 websites used over the OnAir network, 40% of usage has been on Facebook. To put that into perspective, the next most used website is Google, at 10%.
More and more airlines want to provide inflight connectivity. The simple fact is that passengers want to stay connected."
Ian Dawkins |
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OnAir News Highlights | |
OnAir has won the trust of more than 35 customers across the world and is in operation with 13 airlines on five continents. The company is the only truly global onboard connectivity provider. |
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Visit us at EBACE
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more information about EBACE, click on logo |
OnAir will be exhibiting at the eleventh consecutive European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, which will take place May 17, 18, 19, 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. Visit us in Hall 6 at booth #1635 or arrange a meeting at vip@onair.aero | |
Our sponsor Inmarsat will also be at EBACE at booth # 1630.
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KIWI Passengers Stay in-Touch With OnAir
Air New Zealand extends inflight connectivity on domestic routes
Air New Zealand passengers will soon be able to keep in touch on more domestic flights, with the expansion of its inflight connectivity service to an additional two aircraft.
The first of Air New Zealand's new domestic A320 fleet, which features an exclusive black "Crazy about Rugby"livery, was the first aircraft in the country to be equipped with OnAir services in February 2011.
 Two aircraft are currently offering Mobile OnAir on selected domestic routes, with the additional two being deployed by the end of the this year. This makes Air New Zealand the first Pacific airline to roll out the services on a permanent basis.
The decision of the airline to expand OnAir services to two additional domestic aircraft shows there is a demand from passengers to be able to make and receive calls, send sms, and check emails in the plane.
The agreement sends another strong signal to the industry that inflight passenger communications has come of age - and is a must-have for airlines looking to remain competitive in the future. |
First Successful Year of Combined GSM and Inflight Internet
People communicate during flights in exactly the same way as when they are on a train, in a taxi or at the airport
OnAir's combined GSM and inflight Internet services have proven after a successful first year of operation that SwiftBroadband provides more than enough capacity to meet passenger needs.
The combined Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir services, first launched by Oman Air in March 2010, are also operating on Saudi Arabian Airlines and Egyptair. They allow airline passengers to use their mobile devices in the same way as international roaming or to tap into an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot.
Passengers predominantly use their mobile devices for calls, text messaging and email, as well as mobile data. More than half of the passengers who bought inflight Internet access used their tablet or smart phone, rather than a laptop, showing that people like the convenience of using their own, familiar, handheld devices.
We are all becoming more and more dependent on our mobile phones so it is natural that people want to continue using them during flights.The OnAir GSM services couldn't be more straightforward: just turn your phone on and use it. There is no need to enter credit card details because the costs are billed by the passenger's mobile operator in the regular bill.
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