Finnair has agreed a deal with satellite communications firm SES to provide wifi connectivity on its upcoming fleet of 18 Embraer short-haul aircraft.
The carrier is due to begin receiving its Embraer E195-E2 aircraft from the third quarter of 2027, which will be deployed on Finnair’s European network of routes. The SES internet system will be fitted onboard these new aircraft as part of the production process.
Luxembourg-based SES has also announced wifi connectivity deals with other airlines, including Air Astana and LATAM Airlines. SES is a competitor to Elon Musk’s Starlink wifi service, which has signed deals with a growing list of European airlines, including last week’s agreement with easyJet.
Simon Large, Finnair’s chief customer officer, said that offering onboard connectivity was an “increasingly important part of the overall travel experience”.
“We are excited to partner with SES to bring a home-like broadband experience to our customers,” added Large. “Customers will be able to stay in touch, stream content, work online and access digital services with the same ease and confidence they increasingly expect on the ground.”
SES provides a multi-orbit network to supply wifi to aircraft using “low-earth” orbit capacity from its partner, French satellite operator Eutelsat.
Finnair currently offers wifi on its existing fleet of aircraft through partnerships with ViaSat and Panasonic Avionics.