Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom have announced the European Aviation Network (EAN) inflight Wi-Fi service can now be accessed by passengers on more than 250 aircraft across the continent.

The solution has been available to over 20 million passengers to date, travelling on more than 200,000 flights throughout Europe and is currently available with British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, all part of International Airlines Group (IAG).

Mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat and Deutsche Telekom developed the network in partnership with other European companies including Thales, Nokia, Airbus, Cobham and Eclipse Technics.

Philip Balaam, president of Inmarsat Aviation said: “EAN has transformed the inflight broadband market in Europe, offering unprecedented performance that has been truly embraced by airlines and their passengers. Usage has consistently increased since it entered commercial service and EAN experienced record data traffic in the summer and autumn months last year, reflecting an even stronger desire to stay connected amongst passengers flying during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“An important factor in crossing more than 250 aircraft activations, including British Airways’ entire short-haul fleet, has been the record-breaking installation time we have achieved with EAN – less than nine hours per aircraft. This will ensure a smooth rollout on remaining IAG aircraft and we’re excited that even more passengers will soon have access to the industry’s best-in-class inflight connectivity, providing the same quality of broadband that people expect on the ground, from the comfort of their cabin.”

Rolf Nafziger, senior vice president of Deutsche Telekom Global Carrier and Global Business commented: “EAN is perfectly adapted to Europe’s unique telco infrastructure and a true game-changer in inflight connectivity. For passengers, it offers an unparalleled connectivity experience while in the air above the European continent. For carriers, it provides a highly compelling business case due to its lightweight, small and low maintenance equipment.”

The companies say EAN is highly advanced and its fully integrated system delivers consistent high-speed broadband on flights, enabling passengers to seamlessly browse the internet, stream videos, check social media, enjoy real-time interactive applications such as gaming, and more.