Marking the first time a U.S. based ULCC has offered high speed Wi-Fi, Spirit Airlines has completed their initial installation on Airbus A320 and A321s. The carrier partnered with Thales to install the FlytLIVE high-speed connectivity solution.
On Wednesday (July 13, 2022), Spirit airlines announced that they have completed their initial high speed Wi-Fi installation on their Airbus A320s and A321s, becoming the first U.S based ULCC to offer the technology. Spirit partnered with Thales to install the high speed connectivity solution FlytLIVE to cover their network across the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, Spirit plans on introducing the fastest Wi-Fi of any U.S. carrier when all FlytLIVE-enabled aircraft are connected to the new very high-throughput SES-17 satellite by September 2022.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Spirit Airlines’ Chief Commercial Officer, Matt Klein, said,
“This is a real groundbreaking moment in the industry as Spirit adds in-flight amenities and product options that have previously not been available on ultra-low fare carriers. We're continuing to deliver the best value in the sky by providing options that are important to our Guests, like our high-speed Wi-Fi service, while keeping our focus on affordable fares to provide our Guests with More Go.”
Also commenting on the connectivity partnership, Thales InFlyt Experience’s CEO, TK Kallenbach, added,
“At Thales, we are proud to partner with Spirit Airlines in their mission to enhance the Guest experience and are truly excited to have 100% of their A320 & A321 fleet equipped with FlytLIVE. The system's reliability and performance is getting rave reviews from Spirit's passengers who can now stream to their heart's content.”
The new high speed Wi-Fi service will be part of Spirit’s À La Smarte ancillary product offering. Guests can either purchase Wi-Fi while onboard or at the time of booking from July 13, 2022, or via Spirit’s mobile app from August 10, 2022. Customers who pre-purchase Wi-Fi will be issued a voucher code for entry in the online Wi-Fi portal onboard. Services including browsing the web, e-mail, chat and social media plans start from $2.99, while the streaming service, which is 20 times faster, starts at $5.99. To connect, customers simply turn on their device’s Wi-Fi and select ‘Spirit_WiFi’, and then open their web browser and visit SpiritWifi.com to choose a plan, enter a payment or voucher code, and enjoy Spirit Wi-Fi.
Over 80 percent of Spirit’s fleet has Wi-Fi capability, with installations completed on the carrier’s existing Airbus A320 and A321 fleets. Expansion of the service to the airline’s A319s will be determined at a later date. This year, Spirit will receive 24 new A320neos for a fleet-wide total of 197 aircraft by the end of 2022, with 33 additional aircraft expected for delivery in 2023.
Source: Spirit Airlines / PRNewswire