SIA Launches Broadband Internet Access on London Route
Today Singapore Airlines (SIA) has launched real-time, high-speed Internet access on its London to Singapore service, the first route to be ‘connected’ at 35,000ft.
With this service, provided by Boeing by ConnexionSM, passengers with a wireless enabled laptop can send and receive emails, connect real-time with their corporate virtual private network and stay connected as if they are on the ground.
It will be available on all three daily London to Singapore services from middle of the year, when SIA will also be the first airline in the world to offer live TV on board. By then, four channels of live TV featuring top international news providers will be available for viewing via passengers’ wireless enabled laptops. In later phases, sports channels will be added to the menu and passengers will be able to watch using their personal in-seat video screens.
“London is one of our flagship routes and I am delighted and proud that we are able to offer this first to our passengers boarding at London Heathrow. We now invite you stay ‘connected’ at 35,000 feet with colleagues, friends and loved ones at the click of a mouse. This new service brings SIA a step closer to our vision of a CyberCabin where passengers can continue to stay in touch while they are flying,” said General Manager UK and Ireland, Raja Segran.
SIA will introduce this service progressively on other long haul flights. By the end of 2005, the Connexion by BoeingSM service will be installed on more than 15 aircraft serving the long haul routes. In total, SIA expect to install Connexion by Boeing on at least 40 aircraft in the next few years.
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p>For the first two weeks following the launch, SIA is offering a special rate to passengers who sign up for the Internet Flight Plan (Plan 1) for flights exceeding 6 hours. During the promotion period, customers will receive a US$10 discount from the usual rate of US$29.95.
Should passengers have any query about the service whilst in-flight, a free text chat assistance service, manned by experienced customer care representatives from Connexion By BoeingSM, is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As an added service, passengers also have the freedom to switch between the two price plans even after signing onto the service, should they find it more economical to do so.
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