Air to Ground In-flight Connectivity
The 4G Connected Aircraft
Delivered from the ground up, Thales’s Air to Ground (A2G) 4G system is the leading high bandwidth IFC solution for European based passengers and aircraft operations on-board single aisle aircraft. As passengers demand greater in-flight connectivity availability at the same time many airlines are modernizing their fleets and growing cabin services to deliver digitally enhanced experiences on short-medium haul routes, A2G enables airlines to connect their fleets to the internet over the continent.
Economical, faster, lighter and easier to install and maintain
Unlike expensive Ka/Ku-Band Satellite based IFC systems that take time to install at scale across large aircraft fleets, A2G is a far lighter and less complex to install (in a matter of hours) system with proven reliability that can achieve ancillary revenue generation from day one. With no disruption, loss of revenue from installation downtime as well as performance being unaffected by weather conditions, airlines can now accelerate and optimise their connected aircraft operations through high speed broadband of up to 110 Mbps.
Seamless and uninterrupted performance
The A2G superior area coverage provides a service that is comparable with the quality, speed and security we are used to on the ground. A2G means far higher capacity per km² than satellite systems and just a tenth of the latency. Built on 4G connectivity, it offers the highest in-flight throughput by area that is currently achievable, along with seamless tower switching for continuously high-quality connections.
Enhancing Airline Operations & Passenger Experience
A2G facilitates long-term opportunities for increased ancillary revenue via e-commerce, brand enhancement, operational efficiencies and through-life cost savings across the fleet. It can also contribute to a reduced carbon footprint, with the system providing one of the highest data rate to installed weight ratio (MB/kg) in the market, making it an easy choice to digitalise the cabin securely and save weight by going paperless. With a reliable Wi-Fi connection, airlines can increasingly protect against credit card fraud through live transactions whilst also keeping passengers connected on the web as well as the airlines’ own application for in-flight purchases.
Why Thales?
With proven European Aviation Network (EAN) experience, Thales is an established leader in providing tomorrow’s airline connectivity, today. We are also leaders in cyber security, a position that has been earned over decades of dedicated and world-changing research and development.
A2G: Strength in numbers
- 40+ years’ experience in airborne connectivity solutions
- 2015: The year the EAN was first announced
- Installed on more than 330 aircraft in EAN alone
- 5x less installation downtime than a conventional Ka/Ku system
- 2024: First installation planned outside of EAN