Comms provider Viasat Inc and Korean Air have signed a deal. Under the agreement, the Korean flag carrier has selected Viasat’s broadband system for its upcoming fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft.

Korean Air will receive a total of 30 Airbus A321neos by 2027 as part of a fleet modernisation plan, all of which will be delivered with the global satellite company’s linefit connectivity product. These will be operated on short and mid-haul flights between the airline’s main hub in Seoul and destinations across the Asia region.

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The airline found in a recent Passenger Experience Survey that 89 percent of Korean respondents would be more likely to rebook with an airline if quality inflight Wi-Fi was available – compared to 82 percent globally.

“Today marks an important milestone for Korean Air, as we embark on our first inflight connectivity partnership. Our selection process started in 2018 and we’ve been focused on selecting the right solution that meets our business needs and can help us realize the untapped potential of our onboard experience,” said Kenneth Chang, Korean Air’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

“We are proud to add Korean Air, a leading airline, as a valued inflight connectivity customer in this major market,” said Jimmy Dodd, SVP & President, Global Enterprise & Mobility at Viasat. “Key to our ability to service Korean Air’s new A321neo fleet is our robust satellite network, designed to deliver fast and reliable Wi-Fi for an exceptional passenger experience.”

The airline said that the selection was secured in partnership with hardware provider Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI) to develop the solution required by Korean Air. This included combining inflight connectivity airtime and Safran’s Inflight Entertainment and Connectivity hardware.