OnAir and THAI Connect Passengers during Flights

THAI Airways International’s (THAI) passengers will soon be able to use their mobile phones and laptops during flights. Under the agreement between the Thai Flag Carrier and OnAir, THAI’s brand new wide-body regional and long-haul inter-continental aircraft delivered between 2012 and 2017 will be equipped with inflight connectivity services. The Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir products will be available on selected flights serving international destinations in Europe as well as destinations within the airline’s regional network, including Japan.
 
The services will initially be installed on six Airbus A380 and seven Airbus A330 aircraft. The service implementation is expected by the end of Q2/2012, with full roll-out completed by 2014. It is part of a major investment program to modernize THAI’s in-flight products and ensure THAI’s position in top airline industry rankings.
 
“Inflight Connectivity is yet another innovative service for THAI passengers, with 35 new wide-bodied aircraft to be deployed throughout our expanding network globally over the next five years- As we’re raising the service levels for our passengers even higher, this marks a further milestone in taking our business into the very top league of global airlines,” said Mr.Teerapol Chotichanapibal, THAI’s Executive Vice President, Product and Customer Services.
 
Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir, said, “This agreement demonstrates that OnAir is the leading global inflight connectivity service provider. Our services are available across the world thanks to our extensive network of regulatory approvals and roaming agreements. We also have the satellite technology, in Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband, both for global coverage and to meet passengers’ connectivity needs today and in the future, with a clear deployment path to Global Xpress.”
 
To use Mobile OnAir, passengers simply use their own mobile phones in exactly the same way as they do when roaming abroad, for calls, text messages, email and mobile data. Internet OnAir lets passengers use their laptops, or any WiFi-enabled device, to connect to the Internet during a flight. It operates in the same way as a terrestrial hotspot; the passenger simply needs to enter credit card details and start surfing.

Source: OnAir