Saudia Airlines launched its first fully internet-enabled flight as part of a pilot phase aimed at testing the service and gathering feedback from passengers and users.
The initiative reflects Saudia’s commitment to enhancing the travel experience
and providing comprehensive, high-efficiency digital connectivity, reported SPA.
Once officially launched, the service will be offered free of charge to all
passengers as part of Saudia’s efforts to support digital transformation and
adopt the latest technologies in the aviation sector.
The technology provides a seamless connection with speeds of up to 300 megabits
per second, with the potential to exceed 800 megabits per second in the future.
It enables passengers to browse the
internet, watch live streams, and hold virtual meetings through various
applications without interruption, while also allowing the use of multiple
devices and easy switching between them.
Minister of Transport and Logistic Services and Chairman of the Board of
Directors of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation Saleh Al-Jasser and Director
General of Saudia Group Ibrahim bin Abdulrahman Al-Omar watched a live
broadcast of a Saudi Pro League match during the trial phase aboard flight
SV1044 at an altitude of 35,000 feet.
The minister also conducted a live television interview with a news channel and
held a video call with Minister of Communications and Information Technology
Abdullah Alswaha during the flight.
Minister Al-Jasser expressed his admiration for the internet service, affirming
that it represents both a technological luxury and an essential service—a feature
that must be integrated as a strategic component of the Kingdom’s aviation and
air transport sector transformation programme.
He also urged those overseeing the project to expedite the necessary procedures
to implement the service across Saudia’s entire fleet.
Meanwhile, Al-Omar expressed his pride that Saudia continues its journey toward
enhancing the travel experience through innovative digital services.
He indicated that this service will soon be
available free of charge to all passenger classes on board, reflecting Saudia’s
commitment to providing a fully integrated digital experience.
He added that nearly 20 aircraft have already been equipped with the new
service and that the project will be expanded to cover the entire existing
Saudia fleet, as well as new aircraft joining the service.
It
will be fully completed once all necessary legal procedures are finalised.