As connectivity demands continue to increase for today’s business aviation passengers, more and more operators are adopting cutting-edge satellite technologies on their business aircraft to meet those expectations. And with some passengers opting to use business aircraft due to health and safety precautions around COVID-19, there is great opportunity for operators catering to that market to deliver a superior passenger experience, including reliable connectivity. This shift is exemplified by operators like KaiserAir, who adopted the LuxStream solution to ensure that business passengers had the ability to conduct their business seamlessly from the air.
In a recent webinar hosted by Aviation Week titled “What the Fastest Internet Connectivity Available Means for Your Business,” aviation industry experts discussed how services like LuxStream are helping operators such as KaiserAir deliver a superior passenger experience via leading connectivity offerings. The panel consisted of Bruce Quade, Senior Program Manager, Cabin Connectivity Services at Collins Aerospace, Giuseppe Ferraioli, Senior Manager, Sales Aviation at SES, and Rick Brainard, Director, Maintenance Marketing and Business Development at KaiserAir.
Brainard spoke to the unique needs of business passengers and the connectivity requirements that come with running a business from the air. Those requirements are what drove KaiserAir to select the LuxStream service for their business aircraft. “Wherever [the aircraft] went, it was reliable,” he stated. “The coverage was fantastic and still is. And both systems today are working flawlessly.” In addition to the connectivity reliability, Brainard also noted the connection speed’s comparability to what’s available on the ground, both of which are important offerings for business travelers.
He also spoke to the importance of transparency and open lines of communication with both SES and Collins Aerospace’s ARINCDirect team, noting that their superior support and customer service played a large role in expanding the solution to different types of aircraft in their fleet. “With the combination of ARINCDirect and SES, we have found partners that completely have our back,” remarked Brainard.
For aircraft operators, these experts offered a thorough overview of LuxStream service details, pricing, and the customer support model from Collins Aerospace. “Our goal is to be the place that customers can go for support,” stated Quade of Collins Aerospace’s Business Aviation Digital Services team. “This service is the end-to-end solution for all [of our] customers.” That level of support is crucial in the business aviation market, which relies on agility, responsiveness, and quick turnarounds.
These expectations from business passengers regarding reliable connectivity are only going to become more complex and sophisticated. It behooves business carriers to critically assess their current connectivity offerings and ask themselves how they can most effectively meet the demand of the business traveler of the future.
You can watch the entire discussion with KaiserAir, Collins Aerospace, and SES on demand here.
