As airlines around the world generally move towards adding inflight internet services to their fleet, one is bucking the trend. Earlier this year flyDubai deactivated the satellite-based services on board. The carrier confirmed that decision via multiple channels, though it did not offer an explanation for why it made the decision.
The news comes on the heels of the carrier’s move to retrofit its older 737-800 aircraft with new seats and an updated inflight entertainment system on board. The new Recaro seats are fitted with Safran Passenger Innovations’ RAVE 4K Ultra screens.
Reviewing the flyDubai website, all mentions of inflight connectivity appear to have disappeared around January 2024.
The move is a setback for Anuvu, which provided the service to flyDubai’s fleet since 2016. Anuvu (then Global Eagle) scored the contract to fit the first tranche of the carrier’s 737 MAX fleet back in 2018. The airline had an order book for 175 MAXen at the time. Some 57 of those planes are now in the carrier’s fleet, along with 29 older 737-800s. All of the planes fleet-wide are now offline.
It also remains to be seen what flyDubai chooses to do for Wi-Fi service on its upcoming 787 fleet. The carrier confirmed an order for 30 of the type last November, with deliveries expected later this decade.
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