SES, Japan Airlines to Expand Multi-Orbit Inflight Connectivity to Long-Haul Fleet

SES, a leading space solutions company, today announced that Japan Airlines (JAL) has selected SES to deliver new multi-orbit inflight connectivity (IFC) for its Airbus and Boeing long-haul fleet, supporting the airline’s ongoing commitment to an onboard experience that enables passengers to stay connected with fast, dependable internet access.

Under the agreement, JAL will install SES’s multi-orbit electronically steered antenna (ESA) system on 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft (linefit), 10 Boeing 787-9 aircraft (linefit) and 11 Boeing 787-9 aircraft (retrofit). Linefit deliveries are expected to begin in 2028.

JAL, a leader in world-class service and inflight connectivity and a long-time SES customer, is enhancing the customer experience on its international long-haul fleet, building on its prior order of SES’s multi-orbit electronically steered antenna (ESA) system for its Boeing 737-8 aircraft, with deliveries expected to begin in 2027. Electronically steered antennas are low-profile and support multi-orbit operations, leveraging both geostationary coverage and Low Earth Orbit partner constellations to deliver broad coverage and low latency.

“Japan Airlines’ passengers will benefit from multi-orbit connectivity delivering fast, dependable internet access with wide coverage and low latency,” said Enrique Villasenor, SES Vice President of Global Airline Partnerships. “Bringing this service to JAL’s A350 and 787 fleet builds on more than 10 years of partnership and supports the airline’s long-haul expansion of next-generation connectivity, advancing JAL’s leadership in inflight service innovation and its commitment to an exceptional customer experience.”

JAL’s inflight connectivity evolution builds on more than a decade of continuous investment in onboard digital services. “SES has been a trusted partner of JAL since 2013,” said Junko Sakihara, Deputy Senior Vice President – Customer Experience at Japan Airlines. “We are proud to have been among the first airlines in the world to offer free service for all passengers flying on our domestic routes starting in 2017. Our decision to provide the SES inflight connectivity to our long-haul passengers is due to the multi-orbit redundancy, reliability and continuous innovation.”