Japan Airlines taps LEO IFC for 787-9s, eyes AIX reveal

Japan Airlines plans to bring Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite-powered inflight connectivity to both existing and new Boeing 787-9s, as part of a broader plan to refresh the twinjets’ interiors.

Under a contract announced at the Singapore Airshow, the oneworld alliance member has selected Boeing Commercial Services to perform IFC and cabin modifications on 11 in-service 787-9s, with the aim of “bringing them into alignment with the design and configuration of JAL’s planned deliveries of new 787-9 airplanes,” Boeing says in a statement.

“The connectivity modifications will enable the airplanes to connect to newer enhanced LEO satellite constellations, providing higher bandwidth and lower latency links to support faster and more reliable inflight connectivity for passengers and crew.”

Panasonic Avionics’ Ku-band geostationary (GEO) satellite-supported IFC solution is currently installed on Japan Airlines’ Boeing 787s, 767s, 777s and Airbus A350s. It’s not immediately clear if the GEO system on the 787-9s will be replaced wholesale with another IFC solution — a standalone LEO offering such as SpaceX Starlink or a hybrid LEO/GEO system such as those on offer from Panasonic and SES (formerly Intelsat). The latter has already been selected by JAL to be linefitted by Boeing to its 737 MAXs, with deliveries expected to start this year. SES could not provide immediate comment.

It’s also possible that the current GEO IFC could simply be augmented with a LEO-only electronically steerable antenna (ESA) to support multi-orbit IFC. After all, Panasonic now offers a LEO-only ESA augment to its GEO system. Like SES, it also offers multi-orbit ESA-based IFC using Gilat’s Stellar Blu hardware.

For its part, JAL is staying mum about its chosen partner, at least for now. “Please look out for a potential announcement around AIX,” a JAL spokeswoman tells Runway Girl Network in reference to JAL’s hopes that the IFC news will drop at the forthcoming Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg.

As part of its agreement with JAL, Boeing says it will “provide part kits and engineering support for the interior modifications, which will include updated seats and introduce new cabin furniture and other updated cabin design elements. Boeing will provide the provisions and complementary parts for the upgraded IFC system.” That sort of arrangement is essential, as the 787 has unique post-delivery retrofit requirements due to its composite airframe and Boeing is supporting new ESA-based IFC installs on the aircraft type via Service Bulletins and a new fairing system called the Boeing Aerodynamic Shroud.

RGN asked JAL if it intends to install the physical ESA at its own MRO facilities after Boeing Commercial Services retrofits the Boeing Aerodynamic Shroud to the airline’s existing 787-9s?

“This,” she responded, is “a matter that has not been finalized yet.”

On the interiors front, business class seats aboard JAL’s current 787s are based on Collins Aerospace’s spacious and feature-filled Apex platform, whilst the carrier’s new A350-1000s boast Safran’s impressive Unity suites. It remains to be seen if Unity will be adopted for the 787-9s.

When the 787-9s debut with new interiors, passengers can expect “a seamless, best-in-class onboard experience whether they are on a newly delivered airplane or an upgraded one,” assures Kyohei Takizawa, vice president of procurement for JAL.

Lindsey Douglas, who serves as vice president, Cabin, Modifications, Maintenance & Digital Services for Boeing Global Services, adds: “This program is about more than new seats and upgraded inflight connectivity, it’s about delivering a consistent, modern experience every time a passenger flies on a JAL 787-9.”