Qantas, ViaSat Sign In-flight Connectivity Deal

ViaSat signed Qantas Airways as an in-flight connectivity customer, with the two signing a memorandum of understanding regarding connectivity provisions for domestic Qantas flights, ViaSat said in a news release Monday. It said the deal represents its first Asia Pacific airline in-flight connectivity customer, as well as the first airline in that region to employ its hybrid Ku-/Ka-band antenna. ViaSat said the MOU stipulates that in-flight Internet trials will start late this year on Qantas Boeing 737s, with a full rollout across Qantas' domestic fleet to begin in 2017.