Global satellite operator SES announced on Tuesday it has landed a deal to provide inflight connectivity (IFC) services to Uzbekistan Airways, whilst also expanding an existing IFC deal with Thai Airways, which in turn launched a separate IFC service with Intelsat.
Under the first deal, Uzbekistan Airways will integrate the Open Orbits network into its IFC services on its upcoming A321neo aircraft starting in 2026. That will enable the airline to introduce high-speed internet for passengers, including long-haul routes.
Meanwhile, Thai Airways has agreed to integrate Open Orbits on its future B787 aircraft, which will be line-fitted with delivery scheduled in 2026. Thai Airways is already adopting Open Orbits for its A321NX and B777 aircraft, with deliveries beginning in H2 2025, under a previous deal in October 2024.
In both cases, the new IFC services will be delivered via Neo Space Group (NSG), one of SES’ Open Orbits connectivity service partners. SES Open Orbits promises in-flight internet speeds of up to 300 Mbps.
SES said its Open Orbits network is available via Airbus’ HBCplus Programme and on Boeing aircraft through Safran Passenger Innovations AeroConnect terminals.
“We have seen a very good reaction in the market to our initial offering of MEO-GEO services, and we are very excited to see more airlines embrace our value proposition of a consistent and resilient service globally, a customised passenger experience and the ability to scale up quickly and efficiently,” said Andrew Ruszkowski, global head of aviation of SES, in a statement.
Separately, satellite operator Intelsat – which SES is in the process of acquiring – announced on Tuesday that Thai Airways has started offering “streaming quality” IFC services on two of its Airbus A330-300 aircraft using Intelsat’s 2Ku IFC offering, with more A330-300s joining the fleet in the second half of this year.
At launch, passengers will be able to use unlimited text and chat services free of charge to all passengers, while unlimited internet access will be available to different tiers of Thai’s frequent flyer program.
