AirFi LEO, the Iridium Certus 100-powered connectivity solution from AirFi, is now live on seven airlines, with several more poised to launch service this year.

The solution, which powers real-time credit card authentication and inflight social messaging, broke cover late last year on an Airbus A320 operated by Faroe Islands-based Atlantic Airways — when passengers spotted the system’s miniature window-mounted antennas.

Since then, Spanish long-haul airline Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas has brought AirFi LEO to its Airbus A330s, and five more undisclosed carriers have rolled out the offering, which operates over Iridium’s L-band Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network.

“Several airlines have successfully implemented the product since we last spoke, although for a variety of reasons, many of them have done so quietly (also because some airlines have only equipped parts of their fleet and testing passenger acceptance before doing full fleet rollouts or announcements),” AirFi CEO Laura Rösges tells Runway Girl Network.

She confides that the IP-based solution is now flying on multiple Embraer types, the Airbus A321, several A330s, and some A320s in the Middle East. AirFi is also now preparing to install AirFi LEO on Boeing aircraft.

The leading provider of portable and aircraft-powered wireless IFE in industry, AirFi’s server units stream entertainment content to passengers’ own devices, and facilitate airlines’ buy-on-board programmes. AirFi LEO, meanwhile, adds a low-latency and easy-to-install LEO satellite-based light connectivity layer to AirFi’s semi-installed units, enabling airlines to battle inflight fraud by connecting the point-of-sale devices used by cabin crew when selling food & beverage and other retail items on board.

With AirFi LEO, airlines can also offer free social messaging for passengers, and crew can use a messaging service to stay in contact with the ground for operational and customer service improvements. WhatsApp is a popular choice for AirFi LEO customers, but AirFi has supported other social messaging applications.

Launching on Atlantic Airways’ A320s has been instructive, with AirFi “observing some inconsistency in one texting application use, but overall the connectivity performs as it should,” Rösges says.

AirFi is also growing its backlog. “Since our last public announcement about the backlog for AirFi LEO (which was 60 aircraft contracted) we are pleased to report that new contracts have been signed, although we are not at liberty to say who or where they are at this time,” the AirFi CEO reveals.

AirFi LEO deployments have remained generally on track, Rösges tells RGN, adding: “In some locations we’d like things to move a little faster. In certain places there have been some short delays due to conflicts with regard to MRO time, mainly [attributed] to hangar and staff availabilities in the summer.

“Interestingly, we’ve been seeing a lot of new interest from airlines in certain geographies where recent US political and economic policy changes have bred negative sentiment around working with US-based companies.”

Related Articles:

• AirFi LEO breaks cover on Atlantic Airways A320
• Iridium Certus enables wireless IFE providers to tackle fraud
• Press Release: AirFi appoints Laura Rösges as CEO

Featured image credited to Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas