Cebu Pacific Air (PSE:CEB), the Philippines’ largest flag carrier, will provide OnAir Internet service to passengers in its Airbus A330 fleet starting in 2013. The airline also has the option to install Wi-Fi on its fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft, for short haul flights, in the next phase.
Once Internet OnAir is in service, Cebu Pacific passengers will be able to access the Internetduring flights and make calls using Voice Over IP applications, using their Wi-Fi enabled personal electronic devices, such as Android™ phones and tablets, iPhone®, iPad®, BlackBerry®, and laptops. Cebu Pacific’s A330 fleet is scheduled to have Wi-Fi installed mid-next year, in time for the airline’s initial deployment of long haul services. CEB’s A330 fleet, planned for introduction in the third quarter of 2013, will allow Cebu Pacific to provide direct, non-stop flights to regions within the aircraft’s 11-hour flying range including the Middle East, Australia, parts of Europe and the U.S.
Manila-based Cebu Pacific will be the first long-haul, Low Cost Carrier in South East Asia to provide inflight Internet access.Consistent with its track record of innovation, CEB will be the first Filipino airline to provide Internet connectivity.
“Cebu Pacific has a highly social community of over 600,000 likes on Facebook and over 380,000 Twitter followers. We are very happy to provide our guests with the convenience of online connectivity while in-flight. CEB can now engage passengers through innovative web-based solutions that will further enhance their flying experience with us, said Candice Iyog, CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution.
“Cebu Pacific’s focus on social media makes inflight connectivity an obvious option, both so that passengers can stay connected throughout their journey, and so the airline can continue reaching its passengers,” said Ian Dawkins, CEO of OnAir. “Cebu Pacific is OnAir’s first low-cost, long-range Wi-Fi client in Asia. As the air transport market develops, we expect to see more LCCs operating long-haul routes and there is no doubt they will want to provide connectivity.”
OnAir’s use of Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband, combined with the most extensive network of regulatory approvals and roaming agreements, means its services are available around the world.
About Cebu Air Inc. (PSE: CEB)
Cebu Air Inc. is the largest carrier in the Philippine air transportation industry, offering its low-cost services to more destinations and routes with higher flight frequency within the Philippines than any other airline.
CEB currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 20 Airbus A320 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. Its fleet of 38 aircraft – with an average age of 3.6 years – is one of the youngest aircraft fleets in Asia. Between 2012 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 22 more Airbus A320 and 30 Airbus A321neo aircraft orders. In 2013, CEB will take delivery of 4 Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft to launch its long haul operations in the same year.
More information about CEB is available at www.cebupacificair.com
About OnAir
OnAir sets the benchmark for global inflight connectivity services, with 47 customers on five continents. We are the only provider to offer consistent global coverage for both inflight GSM and WiFi, thanks to around 80 regulatory approvals, 350 roaming agreements, and by using Inmarsat’s satellite networks.
OnAir’s products enable passengers to use their own mobile phones, smartphones, tablets and laptops in exactly the same way as they do on the ground, either through the onboard GSM network or the onboard Wi-Fi hotspot. The products are available as linefit or retrofit for all commercial aircraft, as well as government, VIP and business jets, and ships.
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 bothSwiftBroadband and Global Xpress services.
More information about OnAir is available at www.onair.aero
