Airlines that were early adopters of inflight connectivity (IFC) solutions like 2Ku are well positioned to benefit from next-gen offerings, including multi-orbit and hybrid networks as IFC technology advances. Co-Founders Daniel Welch and Craig Foster, Senior Research Consultants at Valour Consultancy, dove into how airlines leverage their experience to improve operational effectiveness and enhance passenger experience. Read their full conversation below.
SWB: For companies that were early adopters of technologies like 2Ku, how do you see them positioned to capitalize on the newer, more advanced IFC technologies available today?
DW: I think it comes down to maturity. These carriers have had IFC for several years, allowing them to shape performance expectations and understand what passengers expect to do on board. They know what they want in terms of passenger experience, including how the crew should interact with important frequent flyers. They’ve also built the business case, which is a significant effort, and have evidence to support the assumptions involved. They’re familiar with the CAPEX and OPEX associated with this service, as well as the design, hardware, and the pros and cons of different solutions. They understand the complexity of installing these systems, whether through retrofit or line fit, and the timing of those installations. Ultimately, it’s the maturity gained from learning through mistakes and being better prepared for the next generation of technology that sets them up for success. They simply know what they want.
CF: Thinking back to early adopters, airlines like Delta were ahead of the curve when they adopted 2Ku, which revolutionized the market with its low-profile antenna that reduced drag and outperformed older, fully gimbaled systems, providing better connectivity at a lower cost. These early adopters are well-positioned to take advantage of multi-orbit solutions and will likely be among the first to adopt them. Delta just announced they’re installing a LEO alongside the 2Ku antenna, KU-band version on some of their aircraft. Our view at Valour is that multi-orbit solutions are unlikely to be as widespread in business aviation as in commercial aviation, mainly due to the space constraints on smaller business jets. However, they may be more popular in the VIP and head-of-state sub-segment, where there’s a growing need for multiple redundant paths off the aircraft. This is similar to the military space, which uses primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency paths off the aircraft. Early adopters of 2Ku are likely to move toward multi-orbit solutions, particularly in the head-of-state segment of business aviation and the VIP market.
SWB: Let’s explore how airlines can go beyond meeting these expectations and truly exceed customer demands when it comes to offering IFC.
DW: To step back, airlines are increasingly using IFC to compete, especially on strategic routes with high competition and value. Through our quarterly tracker and schedule data, we’ve noticed airlines are deploying premium products on these routes, which include things like elite aircraft, premium seats, inflight entertainment screens, seatback power, and, of course, IFC. Airlines operating on these key routes are offering their best, fastest service, often for free, to exceed passenger expectations. The goal is to deliver a consistent, well-priced (or free) service that provides a ‘wow’ factor and meets passengers’ needs
CF: There’s also an element of using connectivity to surprise and delight passengers. The little touches can go a long way. I remember a white paper we put together that focused on these simple but effective things. For example, connectivity can notify passengers if a connecting flight has changed, making their journey less stressful. It can also inform them when their bag is safely on board. Even with current setups, like when moving out of coverage on polar routes, a simple message on the IFE screen to remind passengers to save their work can make a difference. These small touches don’t have to be about streaming 4K Netflix or other high-end features; with thoughtful use of connectivity, carriers can make a big difference.
DW: Yes, that’s a good point. Connectivity often goes unnoticed in terms of its operational applications. We’ve done reports on this in the past, and adoption is quite low because much of the focus is on the passenger experience, which is obviously important. However, many full-service carriers—what we call the ‘Royals’ in our way of segmenting the airline world—use tablets with their staff to welcome frequent flyers, ensure their comfort, and even assist passengers in economy. This isn’t just a business class offering. It’s similar to Craig’s point about small touches like baggage notifications. Additionally, it can be linked to the CRM system or ground infrastructure to track what passengers may have ordered before the flight. My advice is that this shouldn’t be limited to full-service carriers; all airlines should consider it. Over time, I think we’ll see more maturity in how airlines move beyond the passenger-focused services to include real-time operational applications.
SWB: With next-gen ATG and ESA competing to become the preferred connectivity solutions, how do you see the IFC landscape evolving?
CF: When I look at business aviation solutions, there’s no one-size-fits-all, and there never will be. As I mentioned earlier, the fleet diversity is vast—there are different airframes, mission profiles, operator models, and aircraft of all ages, including some very old ones. Operators at the top end of the spectrum are willing to invest heavily in resilience and will opt for multi-orbit, multi-band, and multi-technology solutions. On the other hand, individual owner-operators may not need these complex setups and likely don’t have space for them on their aircraft. In terms of age, it’s important to note that retrofits on aircraft older than 10 years are rare in this market. Many older jets will likely remain unconnected or stick with existing systems, as long as those systems are still supported by the service provider. I’ve mentioned the regional differences before, particularly in North America with air-to-ground solutions, which aren’t available anywhere else in business aviation. Also, when looking at LEO-based services, many countries still haven’t approved them, so regional availability is a key factor in decision-making. So, the solution will likely be a mix of options in business aviation. We’ll continue to see plenty of geo-based solutions on large jets, as well as multi-orbit solutions. Air-to-ground will be used where it makes sense, paired with LEO on aircraft that fly both domestically and internationally. For mid-size and small jets, especially outside of North America, LEO-only solutions will be common. And surprisingly, L-band will likely stick around for lower-value aircraft, where upgrading just doesn’t make financial sense. In business aviation, there are just so many different choices, and different solutions make sense for different airframes, operated in different parts of the world by different people.
DW: From a commercial aviation standpoint, I don’t see air-to-ground having the same impact as it once did, there was that single solution, but I believe we’ve moved past that. I’m aware that there have been some regional announcements of air-to-ground deployments, particularly recent ones in Asia Pac and the Middle East, so I don’t want to undervalue the potential of air-to-ground. But I do think it’s more of a secondary solution, one that may be useful for sovereign interests. Going forward, I think the future clearly lies with LEO, in some form. Where I see the evolution happening is in the openness towards what Craig referred to as resilience and redundancy. There’s a growing acceptance of secondary solutions on the fuselage, rather than seeing it as a challenge to have to drill extra holes. There’s increasing awareness of the benefits of having a backup network that provides redundancy in case the primary network goes down or becomes weaker. Looking further ahead, we might see IFC no longer relying on antennas installed on the fuselage. Direct-to-cell could become something that catches on. I’m not going to go into specifics, but it’s definitely an interesting area that could eventually change the dynamics of IFC as we know it. So, that’s how I see the market evolving.
SWB: What are the biggest challenges airlines and business jet operators face in offering IFC, and what advice would you give to help them overcome these obstacles?
DW: Okay, I think we’ve touched on this in some of the other answers, but there are probably two ways to look at this. The major challenge, when considering the addressable market, is still significant. There are still many aircraft and airlines that don’t have inflight Wi-Fi, especially low-cost carriers and regional carriers, which are so important to the sector today. Convincing their decision-makers to adopt IFC is probably the biggest challenge right now. The first hurdle for vendors is helping these carriers make that decision. For many of these carriers, the current commercial model, where they pay a fixed amount per aircraft per month, just doesn’t make sense. It’s a pure cost that’s difficult to justify. What we need is a vendor model that reduces or removes that risk. While it may never be completely eliminated, a more flexible, turnkey solution could help. This could include bringing in advertising, inflight entertainment, and retail services to help generate revenue, which in turn would support a viable business case for the vendor. I think we’ve seen some positive steps in this direction, but we’re not quite there yet as an industry. For carriers that already have connectivity, they’re looking for the service to become more predictable, delivering on the promises it’s often marketed with. They want consistent quality of service, reliable SLAs, and performance that meets higher expectations than what’s often available today. We’re starting to see improvements, like better speed test performance and more predictability with hardware, as vendors understand one another better. For me, this is still a challenge, but it’s one that’s gradually resolving, which is great.
CF: Yeah, I think, for me, and it’s pretty clear from my previous answer, there are just so many options in business aviation. To Dan’s point about sitting on the fence, dual provisioning is very common in this market, where you have a primary and secondary system installed, and sometimes even a third or fourth system. So, as an operator, you have a plethora of options to choose from, and it can be difficult to know where to start. There’s a general feeling that the commercial aviation market is a bit more mature. High-speed solutions have been around for a lot longer in that market, whereas business aviation is only just starting to gain traction. On top of that, we’ve seen a huge amount of mergers and acquisitions in the last few years, both at the satellite operator level and among service providers. This has expanded the range of multi-orbit, multi-band, and multi-technology options available, which has added to the confusion. The big issue that stems from all of this is the lack of interoperability between hardware and services. Once an operator makes a choice, they’re pretty much locked into that solution unless they’re willing to spend a large amount of money on a rip-and-replace, which they may be willing to do in business aviation given the higher budgets in that sector. Multi-orbit solutions may help to an extent, but what’s really needed in the future is true network-agnostic hardware. I think the industry will move in that direction, starting with antennas and progressing to things like software-defined modems. My advice to operators would be to ask vendors about their product roadmaps and how they plan to support interoperability in the future. The last thing you want is to be locked into a solution with no ability to access different services.
Commercial and business operators must find a balance between operational benefits and passenger expectations as IFC evolves. As the industry shifts towards more flexibility and interoperability, early adopters are well positioned to transition to advanced multi-orbit solutions. The key to future success is delivering reliable, high-quality service, adopting new technologies, and finding sustainable business models that make connectivity accessible in all markets.
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