2019/18/02 – Air Senegal has installed and activated Inmarsat’s GX Aviation inflight connectivity solution on its newly delivered Airbus A330neos, making it the first African carrier to do so.
The West African airline signed a firm order for two A330neos in February 2018, the first of which arrived at Dakar Blaise-Diagne International Airport on Jan. 31. The aircraft is being deployed on flights between Dakar and Paris.
SITAONAIR is providing the GX connectivity service alongside its Mobile ONAIR phone service, so in addition to accessing the internet during flight, passengers will also be able to make phone calls and send text messages.
SITAONAIR CEO David Lavorel said inflight connectivity is a growing innovation area in Africa. “Our telecommunications experts have been at the heart of the significant work done with regulators and we look forward to advancing further for the benefit of the region.”
Inmarsat described the Air Senegal deal as a “milestone for GX Aviation in the important, fast-growing African market.”
According to a white paper released by the London School of Economics on behalf of Inmarsat, the adoption of inflight connectivity in Africa could result in additional revenues of up to $587 million for airlines in the region by 2035.
ATW
Sahel-Elite |Image: Air Senegal A330neo/Airbus
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali) 