JetWave Enters Service in A380 Family via Singapore Airlines

Honeywell’s JetWave satellite communications system is now flying on the largest passenger aircraft in service, the Airbus A380.

In December, Singapore Airlines launched a brand new A380, and it’s the first of that family of aircraft to include our fuselage-mount JetWave antenna. Our Wi-Fi hardware now allows those Singapore Airlines passengers connect to Inmarsat’s GX Aviation, the first high-speed broadband service to span the world.

GX Aviation is the world’s first truly global high-speed in-flight connectivity solution offering reliable, seamless, high-speed, global coverage through a single operator. Passengers can live-stream TV, post real-time social media updates, and send emails while traveling virtually anywhere in the world — over land and sea.

Here’s how Get Connected described the first A380 flight with JetWave:

Around 100 VIP guests joined the landmark 14-hour trip from the Airbus Delivery Centre in Toulouse, France, to Singapore Changi Airport.

Aviation analyst Alex Macheras, said: “At its peak, there were 70 connected users inflight, and the speeds were super strong.

“Applications like WhatsApp were as if they were on the ground, with messages being delivered and received without any slight pause or interruption, nor delay.”

The solution on the A380 was provided through Zodiac Inflight Innovations and SITAONAIR.

JetWave was also along for the ride in October of last year on Singapore Airlines first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft put into service. That deal was also managed through SITAONAIR.

Honeywell JetWave will also soon power Wi-Fi on Philippine Airlines’ existing B777 fleets and new Airbus A350s and A321s. Our Wi-Fi hardware was selected to provide passengers with uninterrupted broadband access that’s almost like what they have at home or in the office.

All these new installations strengthen GX Aviation service in the Asia Pacific region. Other leading global airlines with JetWave and GX Aviation include Lufthansa Group, Qatar Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Air New Zealand, and many more.

With more than 1,000 JetWave deliveries to date, Honeywell continues its mission of connecting aircrews and passengers, regardless of altitude or where they are in the world.