AMSTERDAM and CARLSBAD, Calif., April 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, will bring connectivity to 18 of the airlines' Boeing 737-800 fleet and 21 of its Embraer E195 aircraft. The 737-800's are expected to be outfitted with Viasat's latest in-flight connectivity (IFC) equipment by the end of 2021, and in service by early 2022, and specifics around the Embraer E195 fleet will be announced at a later time. Both fleets will operate European flight routes only.
Viasat's IFC equipment is currently installed on two KLM narrow-body Boeing aircraft. During the first week of service, which began today, KLM will encourage passengers to trial the service free-of-charge and provide insights to further optimize the onboard Wi-Fi experience.
In-flight connectivity service tiers
KLM will initially offer three in-flight connectivity packages—Messaging, Surf, and Stream—on all Viasat-equipped aircraft. The Messaging option will give all passengers 30-minutes of free text messaging via WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, among other messaging apps. The Surf and Stream options, which can be purchased in-flight, will give passengers the ability to do more on board, with options to surf the internet/email as well as enjoy full video and audio streaming.
"Being internet connected when on-the-go is a top priority for our customers," said Boet Kreiken, executive vice president, Customer Experience, KLM. "That's why we're working with Viasat to specifically define and tailor an in-flight Wi-Fi approach that meets current and future IFC requirements on short- and medium-haul European flights. We believe this new collaboration will enable us to deliver more memorable connected experiences when passengers fly on Viasat-equipped KLM aircraft."
Don Buchman, Viasat's vice president and general manager, Commercial Aviation added, "KLM came to us seeking an IFC partner that could deliver new, affordable ways to engage and entertain passengers in-flight, with options that included streaming, scrolling and staying connected. In understanding their needs, we delivered a high-value IFC service that can support rising data requirements and the latest internet trends—anytime and on any short hop European flight."
How connectivity works onboard
Internet connections are made possible by connecting passenger devices directly to Viasat's expansive high-capacity Ka-band satellite network, including KA-SAT, ViaSat-2 and other owned and partner satellite systems. During the flight, passengers can opt for the free messaging service, or upgrade to one of the fee-based connectivity services, which can be purchased during the flight through the KLM Wi-Fi portal. Viasat's onboard equipment is designed to be forward-compatible with Viasat's next-generation satellite constellation, ViaSat-3—which will give KLM additional future satellite capacity and expanded coverage, once ViaSat-3 is in service.
For more information on KLM flights equipped with Viasat technology, visit here. More information on Viasat's commercial aviation solutions can be found here.
About KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
For over a century, KLM has been a pioneer in the airline industry. KLM is the oldest airline still operating under its original name and aims to be the leading European network carrier in customer centricity, efficiency and sustainability. The KLM network connects the Netherlands with all of the world's key economic regions and is a powerful engine driving the Dutch economy.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is part of the Air France–KLM Group. KLM is also a member of the global SkyTeam Alliance, which has 19 member airlines.
For more information about KLM, please visit KLM.com, KLM Newsroom, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat's Corporate Blog, or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include among others, statements about the service experience and offerings; the capabilities and performance of the Viasat in-flight internet equipment; the number of KLM aircraft to be connected and the timing to connect the full KLM fleet, the forward-compatibility of the onboard equipment, the satellites used to provide the service, and the expected global coverage and capacity gains that will be provided by future Viasat satellites. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: risks associated with the operation of the satellite(s) used to supply these services, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of ViaSat-3; contractual problems; product defects; manufacturing issues or delays; regulatory issues; technologies not being developed according to anticipated schedules, or that do not perform according to expectations; and other factors affecting the aviation sector generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in Viasat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including Viasat's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Viasat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Copyright © 2021 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat signal are registered trademarks of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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SOURCE Viasat, Inc.
Viasat, Inc. Contacts: Scott Goryl, Public Relations, Global Enterprise & Mobility, +1 760-893-2796, Scott.Goryl@viasat.com, Paul Froelich/Peter Lopez, Investor Relations, 760-476-2633, IR@viasat.com, KLM Contacts: KLM Media Relations, +31 20 649 45 45, mediarelations@klm.com
