Boeing delivers first B747-8 with AeroMobile inflight mobile service

Europe’s largest airline, Lufthansa, received the landmark delivery, which will open the path for all future B747-8s to be fitted with AeroMobile connectivity. The German flag-carrier has confirmed it will roll out mobile connectivity across its entire long-haul fleet of over 100 aircraft this year. 

A registered mobile service provider for the aviation industry, AeroMobile provides the mobile network for airline passengers to roam on inflight. AeroMobile has roaming agreements with more than 240 mobile phone operators worldwide, including German networks T-Mobile, Vodafone, e-Plus and O2 Germany, as well as AT&T and T-Mobile in the USA and EE, O2, Vodafone and Three in the UK.   

Lufthansa has 19 B747-8s set to enter their fleet. Nine of these aircraft have already been delivered and will be retro-fitted this year. The additional deliveries will leave the Boeing facility in Seattle fully line-fit with AeroMobile connectivity. Once all of the aircraft have been delivered, Lufthansa will have the largest B747-8 fleet in the world, all with full mobile connectivity. 

The aircraft, which accommodates 362 passengers and is the world’s longest passenger airliner, will be routed to destinations such as Washington, Mexico City, Hong Kong Delhi and Bangalore. As well as AeroMobile connectivity, the B747-8 will be delivered with the full Fly-Net offering of Wi-Fi and Live TV and Mobile. 

Two aircraft types have now been cleared for AeroMobile line-fit at Boeing; the B777-300ER, with recipients including Thai Airways, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines, and the B747-8. AeroMobile also operates on B747-400 and B737 aircraft. 

“It’s great news that Boeing will be rolling out AeroMobile connectivity on their B747-8 fleet and Lufthansa clearly recognises the value of offering this service alongside Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment. In fact, our research show that inflight mobile connectivity actually complements inflight Wi-fi and results in increased passenger satisfaction and additional revenue for airlines,” said Kevin Rogers, CEO of AeroMobile.

“Consumers expect to be connected 24/7 and being up in the air is no longer an exception. In 2013 we saw close to an 80 per cent increase in the number of passengers using their mobile phones in the aircraft cabin, data usage increased ten-fold and SMS traffic increased by 50 per cent.”