El Kouch continued: “We want to design the biggest App Store in the air where an airline could choose any apps for operations or passenger experience without needing additional certification. Airlines will be able to develop their own apps, but we also want to bring on board all digital innovators, all startups with fancy new ideas, new services. We want to help them bring their services, and same for digital majors like Netflix and Amazon. In our vision, the aircraft becomes an end-to-end digital platform where all data points are connected together from maintenance to catering to eventually ATC.”

By leveraging appropriate applications and services, airlines can turn this data into actionable insights. This transformation allows them to become what El Kouch referred to as “an AI-driven company” capable of making optimal decisions for operations and passenger experience while reducing costs, improving loyalty, and boosting ancillary revenues.

HBCplus is a key enabler of this vision. Under this linefit broadband IFC program, Airbus provides connectivity hardware and related services while considering certified terminals and radomes as part of the aircraft. Participating airlines can switch bandwidth suppliers—called managed service providers (MSPs)—without changing IFC hardware on their aircraft.

Operators can adopt Ka-band satellite-powered IFC starting this year or Ku-band IFC beginning in 2026. Safran Passenger Innovations provides both Ka- and Ku-terminals for Airbus under this program. The Ka-terminal is based on ThinKom Solutions’ Ka2517 VICTS hardware while Thales/Get SAT’s dual-beam electronically steerable antenna (ESA) forms the basis for Ku ESA.

Ka-band MSPs include Viasat, SES’s MEO/GEO multi-orbit service, and Hughes Network Systems under a new MOU. For Ku-band MSPs thus far selected by Airbus are Intelsat (which SES is acquiring) and Panasonic Avionics. Several airlines have already signed up for Ka-band HBCplus deals.

Launch customer Emirates along with Air Algerie, Air India, Ethiopian Airlines, and Philippine Airlines will use Viasat as their MSP while an undisclosed single-aisle customer has chosen SES as MSP.

“With HBCplus,” said El Kouch, “what we want at Airbus is to elevate passenger experience by making fast and reliable Internet access a reality throughout every step of the journey.” He added that current market offerings lack flexibility regarding satellite constellations relevant for specific airline routes: “[At present] it’s very difficult for customers to change service providers because it’s usually quite costly and risky.”

Airbus aims to make switching service providers easier with HBCplus: “With your smartphone today you don’t need a new phone when changing service providers; similarly applied conceptually here.”

Whether selecting Ka- or Ku-band IFC under HBCplus broadens operational benefits through onboard hardware such as Airbus’ Flight Operations Maintenance Exchanger (FOMAX) data router capturing real-time parameters alongside Skywise digital tools enabling health monitoring predictive maintenance ensuring accurate fast fleet dispatch decisions reducing unscheduled events improving turnaround times according El Kouch transmitting either via satcom connection or 4G/5G link ground pilots better informed NavBlue applications displaying accurate positions enhancing situational awareness live updates weather forecasts flight briefings reducing workload risk errors manual entry

Though favoring its new supplier-furnished HBCplus catalog retaining buyer furnished equipment BFE catalog inflight connectivity plans update traditional gimbaled antenna solutions rolling off lines arrangements example Croatia Airlines A220 Condor 2Ku A320/A321neos Korean Air GX A321neos RGN queried duration BFE program Ould-Ferhat responded "as long customers asking alive neither update upgrade strategy SFE technology" exception SPI ThinKom VICTS antenna reported RGN

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Featured image credited Mary Kirby