REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA --  The flag carrier Garuda Indonesia and its subsidiary Citilink will provide free Internet service in domestic flights starting 2019. Free internet service is offered in cooperation between the Garuda Indonesia Group and Mahata Aero Tekhnologi (Mahata).

"Passengers of Garuda Indonesia and Citilink would use internet service free during domestic flights," Garuda Service Director Nicodemus Panarung Lampe said at a news conference here on Wednesday.

For that purpose Garuda Indonesia Group will install the service of GX Aviation system, the products of the Inmarsat Aviation in its aircraft. Garuda and Citilink passengers would be able to browse internet during the flights.

GX Aviation is the first and only high speed global wireless connectivity service in the world sent through the network of High-Throughput Satellites (HTS). The connectivity service is fully owned and operated by Inmarsat in cooperation with Lufthansa Technik as the provider of hardware, technology, designs, and certification for the project while Lufthansa System as the provider of software, Nicodemus said.

"This service is in line with the commitment of the Garuda Indonesia Group as a national airline to meet the need of passengers in the digital era," he said.

Chief executive of Citilink, Juliandra Nurtjahjo, said tight competition in the aviation industry necessitates us to have vision in technology and to optimize modern service to keep the loyalty of passengers.

"It is not only to strengthen the market, but the free In-flight Wifi service is also aimed at activating the new yet untapped market," Juliandra said

Chief Executive of Mahata, M Fitriansyah, said the internet service in aircraft would be a new start for a revolution in aviation.

"This a big step we are taking together with Citilink and Garuda," Fitriansyah said.

In 2013, Garuda Indonesia in cooperation with a number of service providers, provided Wifi service in all of its B777-300ER and Airbus A330 aircraft serving international flights.

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