Virgin Atlantic has picked Viasat for in-flight connectivity on its new Airbus A330-900 aircraft. Viasat’s IFC package will connect devices with fast video streaming, browsing, messaging, and social media through its network of Ka-band satellites.

Installed equipment will be forward-compatible with the Viasat-3 next-generation satellite constellation. This will provide Virgin Atlantic with additional capacity and expanded global coverage.

The IFC equipment will be factory-installed on 16 new Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-900s in Toulouse. This will ensure in-flight internet service will be available on each aircraft on delivery. Virgin Atlantic’s fleet of Airbus A330-900s will enter service with flights between the Americas and the United Kingdom in the second half of 2022.

According to Viasat, the challenge for connectivity is meeting demand on the busiest routes. Passenger demand is far higher in large airport hub cities such as London and New York, and on busy flight corridors. Viasat says its network has the capacity to meet rising demand for the most intensive applications and usage.

Don Buchman, Viasat’s vice president for Commercial Aviation, said “We’re thrilled that Virgin Atlantic – an airline with innovation and customer service at its core — has chosen Viasat as its IFC partner on its new Airbus aircraft. We have a strong history of delivering quality IFC on long-haul flights and look forward to bringing our technology and service capabilities to Virgin Atlantic and its customers.”