JEDDAH — The Saudi Airlines Group has signed four agreements to upgrade communication systems, raise operational efficiency, and improve the experience of guests on board its fleet of aircraft, which is among the latest in the region and the world. The agreements were signed during the group’s participation in the Dubai Airshow 2021.

One of the four agreements is with Inmarsat, the world leader in mobile satellite communications, and GDC Technics, a leader in engineering, technical services, and electronic systems, to supply 35 of the group's new Airbus A321neo and A321XLR aircraft with the GX Aviation network, a broadband connection that provides advanced connectivity through a high-performance port.

Through this agreement, Saudi Airlines Group is the first entity in the Kingdom to use the GX Aviation network to provide communication services during flights, and the first in the Middle East since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to adopt this modern technology.

It will also be the first airline in the world to choose the new One-Fi platform to provide guest connectivity services and a lightweight second-generation port with the GX Aviation network.

Saudi Airlines Group also signed an agreement with Boeing to provide a package of services based on digital analytics, in an effort to raise the operational efficiencies of its fleet of 787 Dreamliner and 777 models.

The Group signed an agreement with Panasonic Avionics, in a unique step towards providing the finest audio-visual content viewing experiences for its guests, under which the Saudi national carrier will be provided with the NEXT IFE entertainment system.

The agreements also included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Prince Sultan Aviation Academy, affiliated with the group, and L3 Harris, one of the largest aviation and defense manufacturers in the world, under which they will cooperate to install and evaluate AIRSIDESIM flight simulators for ground handling training. — SPA