Air India has selected the Hughes inflight connectivity solution to deliver Wi-Fi using a common connectivity platform across its mixed widebody fleet.
Hughes will leverage Airbus HBCplus for A350-1000 aircraft and the RAVE Aerospace solution for Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Beyond passenger connectivity, the solution will improve operational efficiency by enabling aircraft monitoring, crew applications, payment validation and flight-deck services.
Air India’s deployment uses the Hughes JUPITER Ka-band fabric and preserves a consistent onboard experience and common operational toolset across both Airbus and Boeing aircraft.
Hughes In-Flight Connectivity delivers committed performance and flexible business models designed to scale as passenger usage patterns evolve.
With global coverage and multi-orbit connectivity, Air India can standardise plans, pricing, entitlements and promotions while still tailoring offers by route, cabin or customer segment.
This approach supports a consistent customer journey as onboard connectivity becomes a core part of the airline’s brand and loyalty strategy.
Dr Satya Ramaswamy, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Air India, said: “Always-on broadband internet connectivity is a fundamental expectation of today’s digitally savvy consumers. Our strategic vision is to provide connectivity with home-broadband-like bandwidth and latency on Air India’s international and domestic flights so that connecting from our flights feels the same as connecting from home.”
He added: “In this journey, we are pleased to partner with Hughes as their global launch customer to offer an inflight connectivity service that takes into account the existing regulatory considerations and satellite coverage capabilities along the global flight paths of our wide-body aircraft, with a roadmap to seamlessly upgrade to home-broadband levels within the next two years.”
Ramesh Ramaswamy, Executive Vice President at Hughes Network Systems, added: “At Hughes, we are committed to advancing inflight connectivity that empowers airlines like Air India, a leader in digital capabilities in the airline industry, to deliver seamless digital experiences for their passengers. Our innovative platform not only enhances passenger experience but also drives operational excellence, positioning Air India to deliver an exceptional customer experience.”
Reza Rasoulian, SVP and GM of the Aviation Business Unit at Hughes, commented: “Hughes is honoured to partner with Air India as the airline modernises connectivity across its widebody fleet.”
He explained: “With Hughes In-Flight Connectivity, Air India can deliver a consistent, connected onboard digital experience across both Airbus and Boeing aircraft. This common solution allows Air India to harmonise their passenger experience, operational tools, deploy digital services faster across their fleet, and has a roadmap pole-to-pole, low-latency LEO connectivity with minimal aircraft modifications.”
