FAQs
About OnAir
OnAir has operated its SwiftBroadband-based services over 110,000 flight legs to 282 cities, connecting passengers from 72 countries.
Company
Q1 Who is behind OnAir?
A1 OnAir is a company formed in 2005, owned by SITA and Airbus, drawing on the strengths of the world's leading provider of air transport applications, communications and infrastructure, and the aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market. OnAir develops and markets services for commercial aircraft as well as for the corporate and governmental jets sector, and has now expanded its mobile service into the maritime sector.
Q2 What is OnAir's vision?
A2 OnAir's vision is to provide travellers with on-board solutions to stay connected as they travel.
OnAir is developing a full range of services, tailored to passengers' differing communications needs and preferences on different types of flights. Passengers are able to use their own portable electronic devices (PED), including laptop computers, mobile phones and handheld devices.
Q3 Where is the company located?
A3 OnAir is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with operations in Seattle, London, and Montreal.
Q4 What role does Airbus play in the joint venture?
A4 Besides bringing its wealth of industry expertise, Airbus manages the certification of OnAir solutions with aviation authorities. Airbus installs the equipment during the production of the aircraft (linefit) as Seller-Furnished Equipment (SFE), and offers a Service Bulletin (SB) for retrofit installation on in-service aircraft.
Airbus KID-Systeme is the equipment manufacturer of the OnAir connectivity solutions.
Business strategy
Q5 What does the future look like? Where will the growth come from?
A5 OnAir foresees significant growth in all its connectivity business segments. Already signed represent several hundred aircraft and demands for connectivity services is continuously increasing across all continents, A very large number of airlines and VIP & government aircraft operators are also expressing the same interest in connectivity services onboard their fleet. across all regions
Portfolio
Q6 What services does OnAir offer?
A6 OnAir allows people to use their own phones, laptops and other portable electronic devices on-board aircraft or ships - just as they do on the ground - keeping in touch with colleagues, friends and family.
OnAir services include voice, data and Internet solutions for long- and short-haul flights, on both Airbus and Boeing aircraft. OnAir also offers tailored solutions to respond to specific needs of corporate and governmental jets.
In 2007, OnAir introduced onboard mobile telephony services, allowing passengers to use their own mobile phones to send and receive text and multimedia messages. They were also able to exchange data over GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) - for example, accessing email using Smartphones (e.g. BlackBerry®, iPhone) and to make and receive calls.
In 2010, OnAir launched Internet OnAir providing wired and WiFi laptop access to the Internet and to corporate networks on those aircraft equipped with SwiftBroadband satellite equipment. In addition, the service can be accessed through the IFE system (depending on the airline setup).
Q7 Will services be limited to Airbus aircraft?
A7 No. OnAir services are operated on both Airbus and Boeing aircraft as well as on corporate jets. Early in 2010, OnAir announced expansion into the shipping sector, with the first cruise ship connected with Mobile OnAir.
Passenger experience
Q8 How do users access the services?
A8 Mobile phone and smartphone users switch on their device to connect to the onboard cell network, and they simply use their mobile as they do on the ground. Laptop users connect to the onboard WiFi network and open their browser to select OnAir Internet services. On some aircraft, passengers can also access the Internet from the IFE screen.
Q9 What service agreements do passengers need?
A9 For the mobile telephony service, passengers need a standard international roaming service with their home mobile operator. For Internet access, passengers pay through a credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, JCB or American Express) as they do when accessing the Internet from a hotel, airport lounge or other hotspot on the ground.
Q10 What are the charges?
A10 Mobile telephony rates are determined by the passenger's home mobile operator and are in line with ground-based, overseas roaming charges. Internet access charges will be in line with charges that business travellers incur at hotels and at other remote access locations.
Q11 Are users able to access services during all phases of the flight?
A11 Users access services during most of the flight. However, in line with regulatory requirements, use is not allowed during take-off and landing. Some airlines may choose not to operate the voice service at other times during flights - for example at night.
Air-to-ground link
Q12 What air-to-ground links are being used?
A12 Inmarsat's SwiftBroadband is used for both long and short-haul flights. This offers our aircraft customers both the latest technology and a scalable solution from a world-class provider. OnAir solutions are however designed on an open architecture that allows for integration with other air-to-ground links like Ku-band.
Q13 What passenger services does SwiftBroadband support?
A13 SwiftBroadband supports the following services:
- Mobile phone communications, including SMS, MMS and GPRS
- Internet & corporate network access
Q14 What is the SwiftBroadband coverage area?
A14 Inmarsat fourth generation (I-4) satellites are geostationary, in orbit at a distance of 35,786 km/22,223 miles from Earth. Each of the I-4 satellite covers about one third of the Earth's surface, with overlaps between coverage areas. The three I-4 satellites provide coverage globally, with the exception of the extreme poles.
Q15 Is SwiftBroadband scalable?
A15 Yes. Operators can add channels if they need additional bandwidth per aircraft.
Economics
Q16 What are the economics of OnAir services for airlines?
A16 OnAir provides low-weight solutions that create minimal drag, thus keeping recurring costs to a minimum.
Airlines recover the cost of installing and maintaining the equipment over time because they share in the revenue from the communications services on board. In addition, OnAir services open up entire new revenue streams, such as the sale of train tickets and special event tickets on board (for a commission or cost avoidance).
Q17 What are the operational/efficiency gains for airlines?
A17 There are several examples of how connectivity can improve operational efficiency for airlines. We see a lot of interest from airlines in the areas of AOC (Airline Operational Communications) and AAC (Airline Administrative communications). Telemedicine and cabin maintenance related communications are perfect examples of such services. The ability of an airline to prioritize and safely manage these different applications through one SBB satcom (that also serves cockpit ATS) is at the heart of the infrastructure offered by OnAir. There is no doubt that many more applications will be developed in the future to fully take advantage of having a connected aircraft.
MOBILE TELEPHONY
Passenger experience
Q18 Is there any evidence that passengers actually want to use mobile phones while flying?
A18 OnAir is ideally suited for travellers because it enables them to use their preferred communications devices such as mobile phones and BlackBerry-type devices, to stay connected.
Results from Mobile OnAir service to date, and from market research commissioned by OnAir, demonstrates that the majority of frequent business travellers wish to use their mobile phones or BlackBerry-type devices during flights in order to send and receive emails and text messages and to make and take calls. For example, 93% of passenger respondents on recent flights that offered Mobile OnAir services expressed a wish to see the service deployed on the full fleet.
A growing number of airlines either currently offer inflight communications services or plan to offer these in the near future. In fact, According to a 2008 survey sponsored by Airline Business & SITA, 42-44% of European airlines planned to offer some form of onboard mobile telephony over the coming 1-2 years. This speaks to the growing demand for these services.
Q19 Are passengers likely to be annoyed by mobile phone conversations? How can this disturbance be managed?
A19 Up until today, and with extensive experience of the service being in full operation, no problems have been reported. Our experience to date suggests only the passengers who haven't yet tried the service view voice as a potential problem.
A central feature of the service is the crew's ability to turn disable it at any time, or switch it to text and email only mode. Airlines can use the control feature however they see fit, to provide the most appropriate service for their passengers.
For example, a European airline may decide that, on a Sunday morning flight, the voice element will be turned off, but that on a day-time flight during the week, it will be kept on. It also seems clear that airlines will certainly turn at least the voice element off at night time on long-haul flights.
Q20 Are all mobile phones able to access the mobile telephony service?
A20 The service offered on board operates on GSM - the most popular standard offered in the world with more than 80% of worldwide mobile phone subscribers.
Q21 Is the service available regardless of the passenger's home operator?
A21 Yes, so long as the passenger's home operator has a roaming agreement with OnAir. OnAir has established roaming agreements with the majority of the world's mobile operators (275 agreements signed today).
Q22 Will you support 3G phones?
A22 3G phones will revert to their 2.5G functionality (GSM and GPRS) when connected to Mobile OnAir. Any 3G phone that does not support 2.5/2G GSM/GPRS functionality will not be able to access the service.
Q23 Do you support prepaid?
A23 Yes, we support prepaid service for passengers with a service subscription which supports international roaming.
Regulatory
Q24 Why have mobile phones been banned until now?
A24 Mobile phones are banned on aircraft because they can log onto, or attempt to log onto, a terrestrial network during the flight, and by doing so, start to transmit at their maximum power, exceeding levels acceptable in the aeronautical environment. This can interfere with on-board avionics and terrestrial cellular networks.
Mobile OnAir ensures that mobile phones on-board will not attempt to log onto terrestrial networks. The Mobile OnAir system emulates a local GSM network inside the aircraft, thus requiring much lower transmission power from mobile phones, and staying comfortably within the power limits for safe operation of the aircraft. In consequence there is no risk of interference with cellular networks on the ground.
Q25 What regulatory issues need to be solved for onboard mobile phone use?
A25 There are a number of points, including questions relating to spectrum use and the right to use mobile telephones as the aircraft moves over a number of different countries during a flight.
Billing & pricing
Q26 Are prices listed on board?
A26 Retail prices for subscribers are set by individual mobile operators as they are with all terrestrial roaming. As with ground services, passengers with different home mobile operators may experience some differences in pricing, depending on individual operator pricing schemes. Passengers have to refer to their home mobile operator for onboard service pricing as they always have done for any other roaming.
Technical solution
Q27 What system is required on board the aircraft?
A27 Mobile OnAir has four main components:
- A picocell to provide the radio interface to mobile phones in the cabin
- An onboard channel selector to ensure that onboard mobile phones operate in a mode compliant with certification and regulatory requirements
- A server to manage communications centrally, establishing calls with the ground segment over the air-to-ground link, and interfacing with aircraft systemsAn air-to-ground modem to allocate air-to-ground resources according to the demands of the server.
Q28 How does Mobile OnAir work?
A28 Passengers' GSM phones connect to an onboard mini-GSM network in an international roaming mode, i.e. the same mode as when users are travelling outside their home country and home operator's coverage. The mini-GSM network connects to the ground infrastructure via an Inmarsat SwiftBroadband satellite link. The OnAir ground infrastructure is connected to the public networks (mobile and fixed network operators).
Q29 How does the airborne system prevent mobile phones in use on the aircraft from detecting ground mobile networks?
A29 The airborne system includes two main components which serve to do this. The first, called a picocell, provides mobile services to phones that operate in a supported standard and have a roaming subscription - at a very low power level that prevents interference with the aircraft systems and terrestrial networks. The second component, the onboard channel selector, controls all mobile phones by creating a radio frequency environment, isolating them from outside the cabin - and, therefore, from mobile networks on the ground.
Q30 Is internet browsing available through mobile phones?
A30 Yes. GPRS works as it does on the ground, allowing mobile phones to exchange data, and allowing phones with an internet browser to surf the web.
INTERNET ONAIR
Passenger Experience
Q31 What does Internet OnAir enable passengers to do?
A31 Internet OnAir allows passengers to access the Internet from laptop computers, Wi-Fi enabled handheld devices, or the seatback inflight entertainment system. Passengers using laptops can access corporate networks and use a variety of Internet-enabled applications, such as email clients, Instant Messaging (IM) clients and web browsers. Passengers accessing Internet OnAir through a Wi-Fi enabled handheld device, such as a smartphone or Blackberry, can take advantage of most services that do not require a cellular signal. These include Internet-based activities such as email, web browsing, and more.
Q32 Can passengers access corporate network using Internet OnAir?
A32 The Internet OnAir service allows seamless and secure connection to corporate networks. IPSec, SSL and PPTP protocols are supported - laptops should be equipped with a virtual private network (VPN) client.
Technical solution
Q33 How does the solution work?
A33 Users with laptops connect to an onboard server either via a wireless link, such as WiFi, or via a wired connection, using the RJ-45 plug usually located in the armrest of the seat; alternatively via the seatback IFE screen. The server is connected to a ground infrastructure via an air-to-ground SwiftBroadband satellite link. The ground infrastructure is connected to the public networks.
Q34 What bandwidth does the system use?
A34 The bandwidth depends on a number of factors such as the avionics installed on the aircraft, and up to a maximum of 864 kbps.
Q35 Is the OnAir service secure?
A35 Yes; in accordance with data privacy guidelines, as well as security best practices for e-commerce sites, OnAir uses Secured Socket Layer (SSLv3.0) to protect any and all personally identifiable information (PII) submitted via a browser. In addition, your personal registration information is protected by your inflight user ID and password, so that others cannot access it.
Q36 What operating systems are currently compatible with Internet OnAir?
A36 The OnAir service is not OS-specific, and works with any operating systems as long as there is a compatible, Internet-ready browser such as Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher version.
Q37 What Web browsers are supported by Internet OnAir?
A37 On laptops, OnAir supports modern versions of the following web browsers: MS Internet Explorer; Firefox; Safari; Opera. On Wi-Fi enabled handheld devices, OnAir supports modern versions of the following web browsers: Internet Explorer Mobile; Opera Mobile; Safari browser and BlackBerry®
Marketing services
Q38 What new services will inflight connectivity deliver for airlines / passengers?
A38 The core benefit of connectivity is i) for passengers and ii) related ancillary revenues for airlines. Several airlines have recognized that connectivity also brings significant marketing opportunities in the areas of Customer Relation Management (CRM), Mobile Network Operator (MNO) sponsorship opportunities, disruption management, credit card validation and other marketing functions. For example the recently launched “Inflight Airline Portal” is a perfect opportunity for airlines to provide up-to-the-minute travel and service-related information to passengers.
ONAIR - CUSTOMERS
Currently in service
Q39 Who is currently offering OnAir services?
A39 In July 2008, TAP Portugal started a trial of Mobile OnAir on one A319.
The new Kuwait based Wataniya Airways launched in early 2009.
Royal Jordanian has equipped their A320s and entered into service in February 2009.
British Airways launched Mobile OnAir on its new premium business class only service from London City to New York in September 2009.
Qatar Airways launched Mobile OnAir on its brand-new Airbus A320 fleet in December 2009.
Oman Air celebrated the successful first flight using the full spectrum of OnAir mobile and WiFi Internet connectivity services on its new Airbus.
Several undisclosed VIP and governmental aircraft.
Hapag Lloyd's Flagship MS EUROPA (2010)
Q40 Do you have other customers signed?
A40 Other announced customers include:
- AirAsia: Airbus A320
- AirAsia X: Airbus A330
- Airblue: Airbus A320
- EGYPTAIR: Airbus 330
- Hong Kong Airlines: Airbus A330
- Kingfisher Airlines: Airbus A330 & A340
- Libyan Airlines: Airbus A320
- Qantas A380
- TAM (Brazil): Airbus A320
- Afriqiyah Airways: Airbus A320 / A319 & A330
- Saudi Arabian Airlines: Airbus A330
ANNEXES
Here you will find all news releases relating to OnAir developments since Aircraft Interiors Expo 2009. You can also view all our releases under the press centre section of our website www.onair.aero
6 May 2010
OnAir launches mobile event portal at Aircraft Interiors
5 May 2010
Comlux Selects OnAir for its Airbus A320 Prestige
27 Apr 2010
OnAir launches mobile event portal at EBACE
29 Mar 2010
OnAir terminates contract with Ryanair
2 Mar 2010
OnAir makes airline history with mobile and WiFi Internet access
10 Feb 2010
OnAir expands service capability
5 Feb 2010
OnAir selected to service Airbus A350 XWB
20 Jan 2010
2009 a breakthrough year for OnAir
11 Jan 2010
Afriqiyah Airways selects OnAir
5 Jan 2010
OnAir to connect Hapag Lloyd Cruises' MS Europa
15 Dec 2009
OnAir selects Halys for new inflight passenger services
7 Oct 2009
Saudi Arabian Airlines selects OnAir
28 Sep 2009
Mobile OnAir goes live with BA London - New York
17 Aug 2009
Libyan Airlines selects OnAir
26 Jun 2009
OnAir first to demonstrate full range of connectivity
23 Jun 2009
Hong Kong Airlines selects OnAir
26 May 2009
EGYPTAIR selects OnAir
03 Apr 2009
Qatar Airways selects OnAir
31 Mar 2009
OnAir and RDT introduces next generation inflight telemedicine
