Boeing is hoping to sign up a fifth customer for its Connexion in-flight e-mail, internet and live television services by early 2002. With three US customers - American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines - and European launch carrier Lufthansa, the manufacturer is keen to add an Asian airline to the list, says Stan Deal, director of commercial sales.
The three US carriers became launch customers for Connexion in June in a deal to equip 1,500 aircraft in return for a stake in the company. Lufthansa followed the same month with a non-equity standard service agreement.
Connexion will be launched in North America in the second half of 2002, when Lufthansa will also launch its one-aircraft trial on North Atlantic routes. Service to other parts of the world will follow from 2003, with global coverage expected in 2004, says Deal.
Securing an Asian customer is "tremendously important", he says, with Asian sales efforts currently a big focus.
Boeing's initial focus is passenger entertainment, but it sees Connexion as a solution that's "expandable over time" to cockpit and cabin crew communication applications. The manufacturer sees Connexion as "e-enabling the aircraft to make it more efficient".
Boeing is progressing with Connexion development and testing and working with its launch customers to enhance the service, says Deal. Boeing and the three US carriers have yet to follow up their letter of intent with a final agreement, with that expected to be signed by year-end.
Connexion is going through a debugging process on a Boeing 737-400 test aircraft and 11 corporate aircraft, exposing the product to a typical airline environment and "running the system to its limits", he says.
Source: Flight International
