Airbus said on May 20 it is willing to consider a future role as an orchestrator for managing data across multiple inflight connectivity providers on its aircraft, or partnering with another company with these skills, if the aviation industry moves toward a ‘least cost routing’ approach similar to that used in the cruise sector. The comments were made during the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.
This topic matters as airlines and manufacturers are increasingly looking for ways to provide more flexible and efficient internet connections onboard, allowing them to switch between different service providers based on availability or cost. Such a shift could impact how passengers access Wi-Fi and how airlines manage their digital services.
Tim Sommer, Airbus vice president and head of connected aircraft program, said: “Technically, our architecture enables that very clearly with what we have. So yes, we need to see what the best business arrangement is in there.” He added: “We’d probably be looking for partners, and you mentioned names on the market who are able actually to manage that [we mentioned edge-to-cloud network platform and Crystal Cabin Award winner Quvia, specifically]. That’s not necessarily what we see as our core business to do that.”
Sommer also said: “Let’s see if we see a strong demand from the market to have Airbus in that position. I mean, we’re open to discuss that as well, but the important thing is, you have a system which allows you to do that, which has the technical capability to do it.” He continued: “And then, as the market is evolving quickly now, we will see what, in the end, plays out [and] who is going to take that role.”
Currently under its HBCplus program—a modular architecture set for delivery from 2028—Airbus manages an integrated solution from both system and aircraft configuration perspectives. For now airline customers must select a single managed service provider even if two separate networks are available onboard.
Boeing Global Services marketing director Steve Jaffe commented about similar possibilities: “Whether we could use this fairing to accommodate multiple connectivity providers is something we’d have to explore. That’s maybe the running stage when we’re walking right now. And the jogging is where we create this as a standard platform to accommodate multiple IFC provider antennas…”
As interest grows among airlines and technology firms regarding multi-vendor models for inflight connectivity management—highlighted by solutions like Quvia—the next steps will depend on industry demand and technical readiness.
