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Satellite communications company Viasat has launched a new application hosting product that enables airlines to add in-flight retail and other services to their onboard Wi-Fi offerings.
The product has been named the Viasat Connected Partner Platform. Among the first companies to announce it was joining the platform was Scotland-based Bluebox Aviation Systems, a digital onboard retail systems provider. The company’s Blueview Retail system lets passengers order and pay for onboard products from their seat rather than wait for trolley service. Bluebox says this can increase retail revenue by 10%-20%.
California-based Viasat, which acquired satellite company Inmarsat in 2023 and operates a Ka-band global satellite network, also named digital retail company Onnevo, inflight games producer Gladi8tor, flight tracking company FlightPath3D, airport transfer booking platform Mozio, and car rental broker DiscoverCars.com as early Connected Partner Platform sign-ups, saying more announcements would soon be made.
Viasat Chief Commercial Officer Meherwan Polad said the company’s more than 60 airline customers make clear “they want the power to create a differentiated connected experience for their customers while also exploring monetization possibilities from onboard connectivity.” The Connected Partner Platform is aimed at meeting that demand.
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