Icelandair to equip its 737 MAXs with ViaSat connectivity

 Icelandair has selected US technology company ViaSat to provide high-speed Wi-Fi for its incoming fleet of 16 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and 9s.

The aircraft retrofit will begin in March 2018 and continue through 2020, enabling Icelandair passengers browse the internet and stream content on flights to 18 North American and more than 25 European destinations.

“Our investment in new technology, from ViaSat, will deliver one of the best internet experiences in the skies,” Icelandair SVP sales and marketing Guðmundur Óskarsson said.

The system will connect the 737 MAXs to the ViaSat-2 Ka-band satellite network over North America and the Atlantic Ocean, switching to ViaSat and Eutelsat’s Ka-band KA-SAT network over Europe.

“This is a watershed moment for ViaSat, as this is the first time an airline will use our technology to offer full internet connectivity and internet streaming to passengers over the Atlantic Ocean,” ViaSat commercial mobility VP and general manager Don Buchman said.