Virgin America has partnered with broadband and tech services firm ViaSat Inc for enhanced high speed Wi-Fi for the carrier’s 10 new A320 jets due for delivery from September.
Claiming to be 8-10 times faster than existing in-flight Wi-Fi, ViaSat’s technology offers 140 gigabits per second connectivity enabling high quality video streaming.
Using this new technology,Virgin America will be the first commercial airline to offer Wi-Fi that can operate in both Ku- and Ka-band satellite networks on the same aircraft.
"The idea behind our in-flight entertainment and connectivity offerings has always been to offer travelers more content, more interactivity and more of the choices they have access to on the ground," said Ken Bieler, Director of Product Design and Innovation at Virgin America.
"Since 2009, our guests have come to rely on and expect Wi-Fi access on every flight, and we’ve continued to improve our Wi-Fi product offering over the years.
Virgin is still the only US airline providing Wi-Fi on every plane in its fleet.
The carrier also recently announced a planned upgrade for its ‘Red’ in-flight entertainment system.
