Saudia to enhance passenger experience with high-speed inflight broadband

The aircraft will connect to GX Aviation using an ultra-high performance terminal by GDC Advanced Technology, an industry leader in engineering and technical services, modifications and electronic systems.

As the first major inflight connectivity agreement in the Middle East since the Covid-19 pandemic began, Saudia will be GX Aviation’s launch customer in Saudi Arabia. In addition, it has become the first airline in the Middle East to select Inmarsat’s revolutionary new OneFi customer experience platform and the first in the world to select GX Aviation’s next-generation terminal, developed with GDC Advanced Technology. The terminal provides enhanced customer flexibility and is future proofed to meet the demands of planned and new constellations.

The selection enables Saudia to provide a world-class digital experience for passengers onboard 20 Airbus A321neo and 15 Airbus A321XLR. The airline’s first installation of GX Aviation is expected in late 2022 and once the service is live, passengers will be able to seamlessly browse the internet, stream videos, check social media, shop online and more during flights using their own personal devices. 

Captain Ibrahim S. Koshy, CEO of Saudia, said: “As the national flag carrier, Saudia is constantly innovating to support our fleet’s growth plans and was recently named the World’s Most Improved Airline of 2021 by Skytrax, the second time we have been awarded this honour in recent years. We understand the growing importance of high-speed inflight broadband, providing a seamless experience for guests to remain connected and entertained while flying with us. Inmarsat’s GX Aviation and OneFi solutions, together with GDC Advanced Technology’s next-generation terminal, will ensure our passengers have access to world-class connectivity on all flights operated by our Airbus A321neo and A321XLR aircraft.”