Cebu Pacific to introduce inflight Wi-Fi

CEBU Pacific Air, 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 Internet during flights and make calls using Voice Over IP applications, using their Wi-Fi enabled personal electronic devices, such as Android phones and tablets, iPhones, iPads, BlackBerry devices and laptops. Cebu Pacific’s A330 fleet is scheduled to have Wi-Fi installed in the middle of next year, in time for the airline’s initial deployment of long haul services. Cebu Pacific’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 US.

Manila-based Cebu Pacific will be the first long-haul, low cost carrier in South East Asia to provide inflight Internet access. It 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. Cebu Pacific can now engage passengers through innovative Web-based solutions that will further enhance their flying experience with us,” said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president 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. (PR)