CANCUN, Mexico – Within the framework of the ALTA Forum 2023, sources from Aerolíneas Argentinas confirmed to Aviacionline that the airline is progressing in the implementation of onboard internet service for its short, medium, and long-haul fleet.
According to these sources, there are still details to be defined regarding how the offer will be segmented, whether it will provide a basic service included in the ticket price, and technical issues on how it will coexist with the current IFE (In Flight Entertainment) service.
The bulk of the company’s fleet, its Boeing 737-800 / MAX, already have the capability to distribute content through a WAN (Wireless Area Network), a feature used by the Bravo! Aerolíneas application. The implementation of this external connectivity service would thus be relatively simple, leveraging the installed technology.
Although it will depend on the progressive replacement program of the Embraer E190AR by the E195-E2, as we anticipated in this article, the new generation of regional jets from the Brazilian manufacturer has this capability provided as a standard.
The company’s intention is also to incorporate it into its long-haul fleet, so the current Airbus A330-200 and any eventual A330neo replacements should be equipped with this technology. Currently, the only operator offering Wi-Fi connectivity onboard flights to and from Argentina is Delta, with an initial free messaging offer and data packages per hour and for the entire flight.
Norwegian Argentina was the first national operator to offer onboard Wi-Fi in 2018, although the service lasted just one year. When the airline was sold to JetSMART, which operates Airbus A320, they returned their Boeing 737-800 with this feature to the lessor.
