SES gains altitude for in-flight connectivity with Boeing, Japan Airlines

Space services company SES has proclaimed a milestone in capability of its multi-orbit antenna for installation for Boeing aircraft, and inked a multi-orbit in-flight connectivity (IFC) deal with Japan Airlines (JAL) for its Airbus and Boeing long-haul fleet.

Designed to operate across both low-Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary (GEO) satellite constellations, SES’s satellites are designed to global coverage, redundancy and low-latency performance. Its multi-orbit electronically steered array (ESA) system already has 500 installations complete and 1,000 commitments in the pipeline. ESAs are low-profile and support multi-orbit operations, using both geostationary coverage and LEO partner constellations to deliver broad coverage and low latency.

The deal with Boeing is intended to allow airlines to receive new aircraft with the onboard network in place and connectivity service available immediately after delivery through a modification provided by the leading aircraft manufacturer.

Through this collaboration, Boeing will install the SES in-cabin hardware network on production aircraft during factory production, what is said to be the first key milestone towards offering its multi-orbit system as a fully line-fit connectivity offering across all Boeing commercial programmes.

As part of this service, Boeing will install the complete in-cabin network and manage coordination of the external equipment installation. The offer will initially be introduced on Boeing 737 aircraft followed by the 787 Dreamliner.

“Our collaboration with SES reflects Boeing’s commitment to delivering advanced, reliable connectivity to our airline customers,” said Boeing director of airplane connectivity Destry Lucas. “We are making strong progress bringing multi-orbit connectivity into the production environment, enabling a more streamlined installation approach and supporting scalable, line-fit capable solutions.”

Mike DeMarco, president of mobility at SES, added: “We are proud of our partnership with Boeing and this outstanding progress. We are on track for full line-fit offerability, giving airlines a seamless path to select and install the multi-orbit ESA antenna solution during aircraft factory production.”

Meanwhile, Japan Airlines has selected SES to deliver IFC for its Airbus and Boeing long-haul fleet, supporting the airline’s stated commitment to an onboard experience that enables passengers to stay connected with fast, dependable internet access.

Japan Airlines is a long-time SES customer, and believes the deal will enhance the customer experience on its international long-haul fleet, building on its prior order of SES’s multi-orbit ESA system for its Boeing 737-8 aircraft for which deliveries are expected to begin in 2027.

Under the agreement, Japan Airlines will install SES’s multi-orbit ESA system on 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft (linefit), 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft (linefit) and 11 Boeing 787-9 aircraft (retrofit). Linefit deliveries are expected to begin in 2028.

The airlines believes that its inflight connectivity evolution builds on more than a decade of continuous investment in onboard digital services. “SES has been a trusted partner of JAL since 2013,” said Junko Sakihara, deputy senior vice-president of customer experience at Japan Airlines.

“We are proud to have been among the first airlines in the world to offer free service for all passengers flying on our domestic routes starting in 2017. Our decision to provide the SES in-flight connectivity to our long-haul passengers is due to the multi-orbit redundancy, reliability and continuous innovation.”