PAL to offer in-flight Wi-Fi
Philippine Airlines (PAL) will start offering both mobile and internet services to passengers this year.
The national carrier has signed a deal with Switzerland-based OnAir, which will see wireless technology rolled-out to PAL’s fleet of Airbus A330-300s and Boeing 777-300s, enabling long-haul passengers to make phone calls, send text messages and emails and access the internet while in-flight. The company said it had also secured roaming agreements with more than 350 mobile network operators for the global use of the Wi-Fi and mobile services.
“As the country’s leading airline, we must enable our passengers to stay in touch during flights. Connectivity is an absolute requirement for today’s travellers,” said PAL’s president and chief operating officer, Ramon Ang. “It’s important for us and our customers to have a service that is global, of high quality and flexible enough to suit the needs of all passengers.”
The PAL deal marks the latest contract won by OnAir in the Philippines. Last year Cebu Pacific selected the company to provide in-flight Wi-Fi to its fleet of A330s and A320s.
For PAL, it marks the continuation of the airline’s modernisation strategy. Since securing investment from San Miguel Corp in 2012, the national carrier has placed orders for 64 brand new aircraft from Airbus, and announced plans to expand its operations in Australia and the Middle East. The in-flight mobile and Wi-Fi services are expected to be launch by mid-2013.