Vueling launches EAN inflight connectivity

Spain’s Vueling has become the first LCC to offer European Aviation Network inflight WiFi, with an initial “soft launch” on five Airbus A320-family aircraft. “The rollout will progressively continue over the coming months, with installations expected to be completed on its fleet of more than 110 Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft by early next year,” Vueling said Monday. EAN is Europe’s first integrated air-to-ground (A2G) and satellite connectivity network in Europe, and the second in the world after the US. The A2G component of EAN works from land-based masts, rather than satellites. That means aircraft can be fitted with smaller, lower-drag antennas, making it faster to install and less expensive than satellite-based connectivity. EAN installation takes under nine hours per aircraft, minimizing downtime. A2G does not work over large oceans, however, so EAN also includes satellite links. Vueling said the EAN rollout forms one of the “significant investments” under its NEXT strategy, which spans customer experience, operational resilience and digital innovation.<br/>