Qantas will retrofit its existing international aircraft to provide “fast and free” Wi-Fi, the Australian carrier announced on Thursday, February 22.
The service will be rolled out in stages from the end of 2024, with the company’s fleet of A330s, B787s and A380s being upgraded to connect to global broadband service provider Viasat’s satellite network.
According to Qantas, the resulting Wi-Fi will have “sufficient bandwidth for all passengers to enjoy a fast and stable connection”, allowing them to stream movies, TV shows and live sports. It is said to become.
The airline said in a statement that its international Wi-Fi rollout has been delayed until global satellite technology can provide high-speed connections similar to those available on the airline’s domestic routes.
Vanessa Hudson, CEO of Qantas Group, said: “We know that staying connected is important for our international customers and we have deliberately waited for the same high-speed connections we use domestically to be available on our international routes. .
“New widebody aircraft we order in the next few years will be equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi, and today we are announcing that we will be equipping our existing long-range aircraft with it starting in late 2024. .The launch of new satellites will significantly expand coverage.”
The airline’s eight A330-200LR aircraft will be equipped with in-flight Wi-Fi capability for the first time as part of scheduled maintenance scheduled to begin in March 2024 and be completed by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Wi-Fi installation on B787, A380 and A330-300 aircraft is scheduled to begin in 2025.
New aircraft currently on order, such as the A350 and B787, will be Wi-Fi enabled upon delivery.
Jetstar, the airline’s low-cost subsidiary, will introduce in-flight Wi-Fi on its international wide-body planes starting in 2026 as part of a cabin overhaul of its Boeing 787s.
Group profit growth supports continued investment
Qantas also announced its first half 2024 results on Thursday, along with a multi-million dollar investment to overhaul its digital channels and streamline ground travel management. This includes a “significant evolution” of the airline’s website and app, including features such as enhanced baggage tracking, flight tracking and improved status updates during disruptions.
Hudson added that the carrier’s planned investments are focused on improving the customer experience and “restored pride and confidence in the national carrier.”
For the first half of FY24 (1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023), the airline reported underlying profit before tax of A$1.25 billion. Statutory profit after tax was A$869 million.
The airline said its revenue was down 13% compared to the same period in FY23 as fares and capacity continued to normalize.
While fare reductions reduced revenue per available seat kilometer, the Group’s total number of flights increased by 25% on an available seat kilometer basis, and the Group carried 3.3 million more passengers compared to H1 2023. .
The company said travel demand “remains strong across all sectors” and leisure continues to drive demand, while its business travel is now approaching pre-pandemic levels.
