Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier Viva has selected SES’s multi-orbit, electronically steerable antenna-based inflight connectivity solution for 100 Airbus narrowbody aircraft, according to a June 2 announcement. The new inflight connectivity hardware will be installed on 60 Airbus A320s and 40 A321s in Viva’s fleet and is powered by SES’s geostationary satellite network along with Eutelsat’s OneWeb Low Earth Orbit satellite service, for which SES acts as a distribution partner.
An SES spokesperson said that a total of 11 Viva aircraft are already operating with the new solution. Images released by Viva show an A320 registered XA-VAQ fitted with the equipment. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The deal highlights SES’s continued expansion in the Americas’ inflight connectivity market. The company recently secured business with Abra Group—the Latin American holding company for Avianca, GOL, and Wamos Air—and also counts Air Canada, American Airlines, and LATAM among its regional clients.
Viva will become the first Mexico-based airline to offer onboard Internet service using the SES ESA-based multi-orbit offering. According to previous comments from SES management to Runway Girl Network, the firm sees a target market of thousands more aircraft that could benefit from its partnership approach providing “almost consultant-type services,” especially tailored for small, mid-sized and low-cost carriers.
“Connectivity today is not a luxury – it’s part of how people live, work, and travel. Our goal is to make flying fit seamlessly into our passengers’ digital lives, instead of forcing them to disconnect. With this service, being in the air no longer means being offline,” said Pablo Gómez Gallardo, chief digital officer at Viva.
Mike DeMarco, president of mobility at SES, said: “SES’s partnerships with growing airlines like Viva highlight how carriers throughout the Americas are leading the way when it comes to the most advanced connectivity. SES is the engine that powers inflight connectivity, a trusted partner that makes airline operations easier.”
SES’s multi-orbit IFC solution—including ESA hardware supplied by Gilat Satellite Networks—is currently moving through approval processes as buyer-furnished equipment at both Airbus and Boeing.
