LOT Polish Airlines has opted for Viasat’s inflight connectivity (IFC) solution to equip its 787 Dreamliner fleet. This will be the first time the Polish flag carrier delivers inflight WiFi to its customers, with the perk slated to be operational by early 2026.
LOT’s Dreamliners to offer Viasat WiFi
As part of its long-haul fleet refresh, the airline will furnish its 15 Boeing 787 Dreamliners with Viasat’s Ka-band, global IFC solution. With this onboard feature, passengers will be able to access a high-speed, high-bandwidth internet service capable of handling tasks such as video streaming and social media usage with ease.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
Izabela Leszczyńska, Director of Product Development and Customer Experience at LOT Polish Airlines, commented,
“As part of our cabin upgrade, which will provide a new quality of travel, we have partnered with Viasat, a global leader in connectivity, to implement our in-flight connectivity services. Soon we will be able to offer our passengers the much-awaited convenience.”
The aircraft will service LOT’s long-haul network out of its hub at Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW), with the onboard WiFi expected to be available starting early 2026. LOT does not currently offer inflight connectivity on any of its aircraft, so this will be a first for its customers.
Revamped widebody fleet
The airline is in the process of implementing a significant retrofit program that will transform its long-haul 787 fleet. LOT operates a fleet of eight 787-8 and seven 787-9 aircraft that fly to destinations as far as Bangkok, Beijing, Los Angeles and Tokyo, demonstrating the Polish national carrier’s impressive global reach.
Photo: LOT Polish Airlines
As passengers become more accustomed to onboard amenities like WiFi, LOT is upgrading its fleet for modern times. The retrofit will also see updated inflight entertainment (IFE) systems installed, new interiors, as well as brand-new seating as part of a partnership with renowned German seating firm Recaro.
Don Buchman, VP and GM, Commercial Aviation at Viasat, added,
“As LOT embarks on this new era of connectivity for passengers, we are excited to be providing them and their passengers with the ability to message, surf and stream while in the air.”
About Viasat’s IFC
More than 60 global airlines are users of Viasat’s IFC solution, including Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and launch customer JetBlue. Most recently, Icelandair announced its incoming fleet of Airbus A321LRs will have Viasat WiFi onboard, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the final quarter of 2024.
Viasat is in the process of launching its ViaSat-3 constellation, which will significantly enhance its product. Comprised of three satellites, each will be able to deliver more than 1 Terabit per second (Tbps) of throughput capacity, which Viasat states makes them the highest-capacity satellites ever.
Source: Simple Flying
