EL AL Launches Advanced Viasat In-Flight Wi-Fi on Transatlantic Flights

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Feb 19, 2019, 08:00 ET

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, announced today EL AL Israel Airlines has launched the Viasat in-flight Wi-Fi service on transatlantic flights. The in-flight Wi-Fi service will leverage the advanced ViaSat-2 satellite to bring high-speed, high-quality internet to key EL AL routes flying to and from major North American destinations including: New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, Miami as well as San Francisco and Las Vegas, when flights to these destinations begin in May and June 2019 respectively.

The Viasat in-flight Wi-Fi service offers an at-home or office experience in the sky, keeping flight crews connected for enhanced passenger service and enabling passengers using smartphones, tablets or laptop computers the ability to browse websites, connect to email and instant messaging, use apps and social networks and to stream music and/or films when in-flight. When flying on transatlantic routes, the system will connect to the ViaSat-2 satellite, which offers high-quality Ka-band capacity over the Atlantic Ocean, giving passengers a high-performing internet connection from across North America and the Atlantic Ocean to Europe.

EL AL CEO Gonen Usishkin commented, "We are well aware of our customers' needs and interests in having an onboard reliable Wi-Fi system. We are proud to present the best in-flight Wi-Fi product—delivered by our partner Viasat—that will enable connectivity for our passengers flying from Israel to North American destinations. We have invested great efforts to provide our customers on these routes with the most advanced, innovative Wi-Fi system in the aviation world."

Viasat chairman and CEO Mark Dankberg added, "We've had a long and successful partnership with the team at EL AL. Looking back at the start of our partnership, EL AL selected Viasat because they had confidence in our ability to make their vision for in-flight connectivity a reality—from optimizing passenger satisfaction with great in-flight Wi-Fi experiences to ensuring passengers could enjoy enriching entertainment when flying over the Atlantic Ocean. We're proud to be able to help EL AL realize their vision for the connected aircraft."

Today, the Viasat in-flight Wi-Fi service is available on the airlines' eight new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, eight Boeing 737-900 aircraft and two Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

EL AL offers three in-flight Wi-Fi packages—Basic, Social and Business—which can be purchased during the flight through the EL AL Wi-Fi portal via credit card, EL AL Matmid Club points or FLY CARD. EL AL's top Platinum Matmid members can enjoy the in-flight Wi-Fi service for free.

About EL AL
EL AL Israel Airlines, Israel's national airline, established in 1948, offers more nonstop flights than any other airline to/from Israel. EL AL currently flies to 36 destinations from Israel, serves hundreds of other destinations throughout the world via codeshare, and interline partnerships with many other carriers. EL AL offers a full Boeing fleet and began renewing its fleet as of September 2017 with the arrival of the first of its sixteen 787 aircraft. In 2018, EL AL flew over 5.6 million passengers. EL AL embodies Israel's values of innovation and caring and is known for its genuine Israeli hospitality.

About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat's Corporate Blog, or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements include among others, statements about connecting to North American destinations; the service experience; service packages and pricing offered by EL AL; the capabilities of the Viasat in-flight internet equipment; and the satellites used to provide the service. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: contractual problems; product defects; manufacturing issues or delays; regulatory issues; technologies not being developed according to anticipated schedules, or that do not perform according to expectations; increased competition; the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Viasat satellite systems in the US, or of its joint venture satellite in Europe; and other factors affecting the aviation sector generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in Viasat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including Viasat's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Viasat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.

Copyright © 2019 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat is a registered trademark of Viasat, Inc. The Viasat logo is a trademark of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Viasat, Inc.