Leading Argentine commercial airline Aerolíneas Argentinas has selected Intelsat, operator of the world’s largest integrated satellite and terrestrial network, to provide multi-orbit in-flight connectivity service on 18 Airbus A330 and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Intelsat say the airline will become the first in Latin America to offer service using Intelsat’s new electronically steered array (ESA) antenna.
Compatible with both geostationary (GEO) and low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellations, ESA delivers reliability and consistency along with low latency allowing airline passengers to text, browse or stream, wherever they’re flying. Redundant GEO capacity makes it ideal for routes over hub cities, while the LEO network offers low latency and polar coverage. Speeds of up to 275Mbps are possible.
The airline’s Airbus and Boeing aircraft will soon offer Intelsat’s new ESA, which is significantly lighter than other antennas in operation, has no moving parts, and is less than seven centimetres tall. Its design offers aerodynamics that reduce fuel burn and lower CO2 emissions. And, of course, it interoperates on both Intelsat’s family of GEO satellites and its partner’s constellation of LEO satellites.
Aerolíneas Argentinas has been the leading company in the Argentine commercial airline market since 1950. It flies to 37 destinations within the country. It also operates 20 international destinations within America and Europe.
Dave Bijur, the airline’s Senior Vice President for Commercial Aviation, says: “Aerolíneas Argentinas’ passengers will soon benefit from multi-orbit connectivity that will provide the same fast and dependable internet access they enjoy at home.”
