Photo: Seamless Air Alliance

The Seamless Air Alliance has published what it is caling the first-ever standard for In-Flight Connectivity (IFC). The standard – Seamless Release 1.0 – establishes a Modular Platform Architecture for inflight connectivity. The Alliance said the system enables rapid adoption of new technologies without requiring customization or the complete replacement of equipment on the aircraft or fleet. 

Seamless Release 1.0 includes a set of testable requirements for airlines to use when developing sourcing requests. The Alliance said the standard eliminates airline’s risk of trying to predict how future developments will impact their choice of systems. The standard was developed by industry experts in Seamless Air Alliance’s member companies. Its founding members are Airbus, Airtel, Delta Air Lines, OneWeb, and Sprint. 

“Meeting increasing expectations for connectivity in the skies is fast becoming a driving factor in airline preference. Virgin Atlantic and the Seamless Air Alliance believe that standardization will allow airlines to be more empowered and more in control of their connectivity service offerings, allowing them to meet their customers’ expectations,” said Mark Cheyney, IFEC development manager at Virgin Atlantic.

“Passenger demands for in-flight connectivity are still ahead of the performance of systems putting increasing pressure on airlines to find a way to meet these expectations and gain passenger loyalty,” said Jack Mandala, Seamless Air Alliance CEO. “Seamless Release 1.0 changes the game by enabling airlines to take advantage of new capacity and innovations faster and more cost-effectively than ever before.”