Discover Airlines, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, announces a significant improvement in connectivity for its long-haul flights. Following the recent announcement that it will offer free messaging starting in summer 2025, the airline plans to be one of the first in the world to gradually integrate the modern Panasonic Avionics Wi-Fi system into its long-haul aircraft starting in fall 2025. This new system is expected to provide passengers with internet speeds of up to 200 Mbps, comparable to the performance of 5G networks on the ground.
Panasonic Avionics' innovative technology combines the use of geostationary (GEO) satellites with Eutelsat OneWeb's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) network. This combination is expected to not only enable higher internet speeds but also significantly reduce latency, resulting in overall improved and more reliable in-flight connectivity. Bernd Bauer, CEO of Discover Airlines, emphasizes that the introduction of this technology represents an important step in the digitalization of the flight experience and offers guests a true upgrade. He also sees potential for future personalization of the in-flight entertainment program and service offerings.
John Wade, a vice president of Panasonic Avionics, expressed his pride in working with Discover Airlines as one of the first customers for this multi-orbit network. He believes the extensively tested technology will become a popular choice for airlines in the future. Discover Airlines already offers in-flight internet under the name FlyNet®. The free messaging service will be introduced additionally, while various paid packages for faster internet access will be available in the future, with pricing based on the current FlyNet® offering. Internet packages already purchased from Lufthansa will also be valid for Discover Airlines.
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