Air Astana First to Install GX Aviation on Widebody Aircraft

Air Astana passengers are now able to experience high-speed broadband in-flight connectivity, with the airline’s first Boeing 767 featuring the service.

The Kazakh airline has installed the Rockwell Collins cabin system, which utilises Inmarsat’s GX Aviation capabilities to provide in-flight connectivity.

Depending on their individual needs, Air Astana passengers will be able to choose from three connectivity packages: The Light option will cover 15 Mb, the Business option will cover 50 Mb, and the Super option will cover 100 Mb. All services are estimated to operate at an average speed of 2 to 5 Mbps.

Andrey Gulev, Manager Commercial Engineering at Air Astana, said, "One of our core missions at Air Astana is to be on the cutting-edge of technology and constantly enhance our passengers’ experience whether it’s on board or on the ground. We proved this in 2016, when we became one of the first airlines to commit to Inmarsat's Global Xpress high-speed in-flight connectivity system with Rockwell Collins. We're delighted the service is now ready to launch and we are looking forward to hearing what our passengers think of being able to continue sending work emails throughout their flight or chatting to their friends on social media."

Frederik van Essen, Inmarsat Aviation Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development, said, “GX Aviation is the only solution in the market today that has been specifically designed for inflight broadband, offering unprecedented speed, reliability and consistency. Air Astana is the first airline in the world to offer GX Aviation on widebody aircraft, reinforcing their focus on technology innovation and passenger service excellence. We are delighted to celebrate this milestone with Air Astana and our partner Rockwell Collins.”

The new service is available to passengers on the first of Air Astana’s Boeing 767s, with system installation on its second aircraft planned to be completed in October 2017.

See also: Kazakhstan Tourism Update Interview from JATA 2016, Pictures from Almaty and Astana in Kazakhstan (2015), Interview with President and CEO of Air Astana - Mr. Peter Foster OBE (2015), Interview with GM of The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty (2015), HD Video of Astana (2011), Interview with Peter Foster, President of Air Astana (2011), Interview with Interim GM of Radisson Astana (2011), and HD Video of Almaty (2011).

See other recent news regarding: Rockwell Collins, Air Astana, Kazakhstan, Inmarsat.