Geneva, Switzerland, 26 May 2009 – EGYPTAIR and OnAir today announced agreement to install full Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir inflight passenger communications services on their fleet of twin-aisle Airbus 330-300 aircraft. These will be delivered over an 18 month period, starting August 2010, and will operate on European and North American routes as well as in the Middle East.
EGYPTAIR passengers will be able to stay connected inflight using their own mobile phones or smartphones to make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages and emails, and access the Internet. Using the Internet OnAir service, passengers will be able to access the Internet just as they do on the ground by connecting their laptops either wirelessly or via a wired connection. By OnAir providing both GSM/GPRS as well as Wi-Fi Internet, EGYPTAIR’s passengers will have the broadest range of inflight connectivity options available anywhere in the world today.
EGYPTAIR’s Chairman, Captain Sherif Saad Eldin Galal, said, “We are constantly looking to improve our offering to passengers. This latest technology from OnAir helps us further differentiate our service, and enables our customers to stay in touch with colleagues, family and friends while they travel.”
“OnAir is proud to be working with EGYPTAIR,” said Benoit Debains, CEO of OnAir. “The Mobile OnAir and Internet OnAir services together provide air travellers with a complete solution: a full range of service and the highest levels of performance whether they are using mobile phones, smartphones or their laptops – and with global coverage.”
Mobile OnAir uses the industry’s most advanced and extensive infrastructure for mobile communications, along with Inmarsat SwiftBroadband, high capacity services from Inmarsat 4th generation satellites. This gives EGYPTAIR passengers the best reach and performance available today.
Passenger can use Mobile OnAir to stay in touch as they fly on over 6,000 flights each month, to over 240 cities in over 50 countries across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. OnAir has operated more than 13,000 fully connected SwiftBroadband flights to date and has signed agreements with more than 15 airlines worldwide.
The EGYPTAIR announcement comes amidst mounting demand for inflight passenger communications. A growing number of commercial airlines and private aviation companies either currently offer OnAir inflight communications services or will offer them in the near future.
OnAir also serves corporate jets, private VIP and Governmental customers.
According to a recent passenger survey, 80% of passengers who have used Mobile OnAir services on selected flights would like these services to be available on every flight.
About EGYPTAIR
EGYPTAIR is the world-renowned national airline of Egypt, based in the cosmopolitan city of Cairo. In more than 76 years, EGYPTAIR has experienced extraordinary growth, taken the lead to be the first airline in the Middle East and Africa and the seventh in the world to join IATA and become a treasured brand.
Throughout its 76 years of service and, as a result of continuous investments, EGYPTAIR has successfully extended its network over the years to reach more than 1,624 weekly departures to 70 cities in 44 countries carrying more than 7.8 million passengers in 2007 /2008 with an increase of 20%. Currently EGYPTAIR has one of the most modern fleets with an average age of eight years which consists of 53 aircraft targeting to reach 75 aircrafts in 2013.
In 2004, EGYPTAIR demonstrated the scale of its commitment to the highest standards of safety by being the first IOSA certified airline in the Middle East and Africa. EGYPTAIR is a Star Alliance member since July 2008.
About OnAir
OnAir is the leading provider of inflight communications, enabling passengers to stay connected during their flight, and airlines to offer new services and generate additional revenues. Present on four of five continents, OnAir provides the only air-travel industry sponsored solution, now available to regular and low-cost airlines, to private and corporate jets, on Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and on long and short-haul flights. OnAir is the only provider of services based on SwiftBroadband, the latest high-bandwidth satellite technology from Inmarsat, which offers GSM and GPRS for voice, data and Internet.
OnAir was incorporated in February 2005 and is owned by SITA, the leading IT solutions provider to the air transport world and Airbus, the leading aircraft manufacturer. OnAir is a member of the GSM Association and an Inmarsat Distribution Partner for SwiftBroadband services.
More information about OnAir is available at www.onair.aero
Bonn/Hamburg, 31 March 2009 – T-Mobile presents its inflight communication solution at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg. Together with its partners, VT Miltope and ViaSat, T-Mobile shows the latest inflight broadband and GSM telephony solution for all major passenger aircraft.
With this solution, connectivity for the traveller can be expanded: With connectivity on the road, on the train or at the airport and now also in the sky the traveller enjoys seamless mobility. Through WiFi Hotspot in aircraft, passengers will have the possibility of broadband access via their own laptop or smartphone during their flight. Complemented by a GSM telephony solution, passengers can use their mobile phones to receive and send both text messages and emails, or do voice calls in exactly the same way as on the ground. Business travellers can stay in touch with their business partners, leisure travellers will be able to receive information on their travel destination and families stay connected with their loved ones. The inflight broadband solution presented in Hamburg with on-board portals can provide airlines with a competitive advantage and allow them to excel in customer services. Through the WiFi portal, passengers will be able to check real-time information quickly for connection flights, browse for onboard shopping products, or utilize loyalty programme incentives.
The combined effort of T-Mobile and its partners result in a unique offering for all airlines: An integrated, future proof connectivity solution that caters to all passenger connectivity and communication needs under one brand. T-Mobile contributes the expertise of a mass market mobile operator and the knowledge of how to design user friendly communication services. This will help ensure that the needs of the end-customer will be satisfied. T-Mobile’s sophisticated billing system will allow airlines to implement various payment methods. Interface with the airlines’ loyalty programs will also be possible. With these capabilities T-Mobile is able to accommodate the increasing demand by airlines for a worry-free end-to-end in-flight connectivity solution.
T-Mobile’s initiative is driven by a clear vision of tomorrow’s inflight entertainment situation. Passengers are expecting universal connectivity for all their phones and devices, bandwidth like at home and an intuitive user experience. Instead of offline in-seat devices, customers want to use the services and information they are used to for making flights as entertaining and efficient as possible.
Hamburg/Buxtehude, 31 March 2009 – KID-Systeme, the leader in aircraft cabin electronics, today announced at the Aircraft Interiors Expo that its GSM on Board inflight passenger communications system, used by OnAir, has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) supplement type certification for Boeing 737 aircraft. The Boeing 737, is operated by more than 500 airlines including Ryanair, the first airline to commit to a full fleet deployment of Mobile OnAir. EASA supplement type certification for the B737, in service for Ryanair, follows certification for the OnAir mobile telephony system on the whole Airbus A320 family of single-aisle aircraft.
Ryanair currently has over twenty aircraft flying with the KID-Systeme’s GSM on Board equipment and OnAir’s inflight passenger GSM voice and data services. Ryanair is in the process of retrofitting the equipment to the rest of its B737 fleet.
The Boeing retrofit installation design and Supplemental Type Certification (STC) process was managed by KID-Systeme with its partner ECS. A key feature of the STC retrofit design is the use of
an innovative distributed Line Replacement Unit installation concept, allowing the GSM on Board equipment to be installed during an aircraft’s regular maintenance check. The design of this system
enables activation during an over-night stop, meaning the aircraft does not have to be taken out of passenger service.
The GSM on Board equipment has been designed to minimise weight and space usage, particularly in areas designated for passenger use. The GSM server is located in the electronics bay under the cockpit; the leaky-line cable runs along the inside ceiling of the cabin; and the satellite communications equipment, picocell and onboard control equipment are located above the ceiling panels in the aft fuselage.
Patrick Schrot, Managing Director of KID-Systeme, said, “This EASA certification demonstrates the excellence of the programme run by KID-Systeme and ECS. It has also paved the way for Ryanair’s inflight passenger connectivity services and we have no doubt it will prove to be the tipping-point for the technology’s wide-spread adoption.”
KID Systeme’s GSM on Board airborne equipment has already been in commercial use on Air France, bmi, Royal Jordanian, TAP Portugal and Wataniya Airways, with further airlines signed up to start the
service in 2009 and 2010. It is unique in that it uses Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband technology, providing passengers with the widest range of inflight communications services currently available.
About KID-Systeme
KID-Systeme is the world leader in providing in-seat power solutions and is at the forefront of providing passenger connectivity solutions.
SKYpower was the world’s first 110V AC In-Seat Power Supply System. It has now been installed in over 200,000 seats by over 80 airlines, making SKYpower the single biggest In-Seat Power Supply System in the world.
GSM on Board is the technology behind the first inflight GSM/GPRS passenger mobile service on international flights. GSM on Board started flying in 2007 and will soon be available on a range of airlines across Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
As well as being headquartered in Buxtehude near Hamburg in Germany, where all design and manufacturing takes place, KID-Systeme also has Service Centres in Beijing, Buxtehude, Dallas, Dubai, Sao Paulo and Seattle. These Service Centres provide full servicing, combined with a 24/7 Aircraft on Ground support and spares service.
KID-Systeme supplies the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus but operates as an independent company.
For further information: www.kid-systeme.de
About ECS
ECS is a manufacturer and global supplier of proven electrical and structural products for the installation of avionics systems on-board aircraft. ECS offers advanced engineering services and certification support with in-house FAA designated personnel to provide approved design data packages, STCs with PMA approvals, and product conformity inspections.
Acknowledged as an industry leader for providing efficient and economical solutions for both retrofit and forward fit programs, ECS has worked closely with KID-Systeme to develop the critical components and certification engineering that makes the installation of GSM technology on-board Ryanair’s fleet possible. In addition, ECS has been selected by Airbus to provide certification engineering and installation provisions for incorporating their GSM technology on-board Boeing aircraft; as well as to develop integrated racks to install GSM systems on the A318, A319, A320, and A321.
ECS is also well known in the aviation industry for their leadership in developing the necessary provisions for the installation of GPS, EGPWS, TCAS, MODE S, Iridium, SATCOM, IFE, Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), and many other avionics systems for air transport, general aviation, and military programs.
Headquartered in Franklin Wisconsin-USA, ECS has satellite offices in Minnesota, Washington State, California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, London-UK, and Toulouse-France to help better serve aircraft operators and manufacturers worldwide.
For further information: www.ecsdirect.com
Munich, 24 March 2009 – TriaGnoSys (www.triagnosys.com) and Skuku (www.skuku.com) have today announced the formation of a partnership to provide the next generation of inflight GSM services. The technology allows the use of voice and SMS functions, without the need to install onboard GSM equipment. Instead it uses existing connectivity, including in-seat screens, seat-back phones and Internet. The technology will be on display at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, on TriaGnoSys stand 6C1.
To use the service, passengers simply insert their own SIM card into a SIM card reader. On aircraft with Internet connectivity, SMS messages can be sent and received using the IFE screen, and softphones can be used for voice calls. Seat-back phones can also be used to make and receive voice calls, as can Inmarsat and Iridium satellite phones.
Skuku technology uses SIM card data in ground GSM servers to provide roaming for voice and SMS. TriaGnoSys, experts in aeronautical communication, has developed the software to enable Skuku to be used on aircraft.
Colin Blou, VP of Sales and Marketing, Skuku, said, “From the passengers’ perspective, using the TriaGnoSys/Skuku service is very similar to current inflight mobile phone services. They can continue to use their mobile number and contacts list, and they are billed through their normal bills. The key difference is that they are billed at national rates without having to pay costly roaming charges.”
Axel Jahn, Managing Director of TriaGnoSys, said, “Airlines, as well as business jet owners and operators, can exploit the technology they already have on their aircraft to provide an additional passenger service. The installation process is a simple software upgrade, bypassing the need for the expensive and time-consuming fitting of hardware. In addition, Skuku technology can easily be integrated into current generation IP-enabled IFE systems.”
Jahn continued, “From the success of current inflight GSM services, it is clear that passengers want access to SMSs and voice calls during flights. This is a highly efficient way of providing that service.”
About TriaGnoSys
TriaGnoSys is the expert in aeronautical communication, information and media, enabling communications and information transfer from anywhere to anywhere. TriaGnoSys develops advanced communication products for GSM, UMTS, VoIP and multi-media data, that utlilise powerful compression rates to deliver low-cost and efficient data transmission.
TriaGnoSys solutions employ both satellite links, as well as direct air to ground links, to deploy its cutting-edge router software. TriaGnoSys delivers tailored industry solutions by building strategic partnerships with OEMs, system integrators and service providers.
TriaGnoSys Research and Development focuses on a broad range of mobile communication research fields on subjects such as mobile end-to-end solutions, next generation satcom and aircom, and combined navigation/communications applications and technologies. TriaGnoSys views every research project as a potential commercial opportunity.
TriaGnoSys has been involved in the development of a number of industry-leading projects, including Airbus/OnAir’s inflight mobile GSM service and Thales’ connectivity programme for Internet and cabin telephony. TriaGnoSys is headquartered in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, a European centre of excellence for satellite communications and satellite navigation.
For more information, go to: www.triagnosys.com
About Skuku
Skuku is an international company which has been specializing in network based telephony solutions since 2000. The company has recently launched a unique breakthrough solution for roaming that combines the GSM network and VoIP technology.
Skuku’s Research and Development complies years of experience and prides itself in its young and innovative approach to telecom. The company’s core competency is in converging IP and GSM technologies. Skuku believes in a joint mobile network which crosses borders and enables customers to call from everywhere in the world at local prices.
For more information, go to: www.skuku.com



