In further news from APEX Expo, and from Airbus, it has been announced that Intelsat’s multi-orbit network offerings, relying on LEO and GEO satellites, will be available to airlines and aircraft lessors through Airbus’ Airspace Link (HBCplus) solution.
With this news, Intelsat, the operator of one of the world’s largest integrated satellite and terrestrial networks and a provider of inflight connectivity (IFC), is set to become the largest service provider in Airbus’s flexible IFC service catalogue.
“Understanding that no airline is like any other, Intelsat has long offered flexibility and choice to its customers, including fit-for-purpose equipment options, and a variety of business models and passenger service offerings,” said Dave Bijur, Intelsat’s SVP of commercial aviation. “With Airbus, we are offering a new level of sophistication and flexibility that leverages the high throughput of GEO satellites with the low latency delivered by LEO satellites.”
Starting with aircraft deliveries targeting the first half of 2026, airlines will be able to select Airbus’ Ku-band ESA terminal, which is designed for simultaneous connections to Intelsat’s GEO network and LEO networks, such as OneWeb. This data routing plan is claimed to deliver IFC services with high resilience, low-latency and high throughput. As part of the agreement, Airbus will manage the HBCplus system installation in linefit and retrofit aircraft projects, as well as the related in-service support.
“Intelsat’s innovative use of GEO and LEO satellites to seamlessly offer a blended multi-orbit solution fits the disruptive nature of the Airspace Link open ecosystem,” said Maximilian Ruecker, Airbus’s VP of cabin procurement for seats, IFE and electronics.
