WiFi Provider # Panasonic Avionics Long-haul Ku-band WiFi and IFE on widebodies for major international carriers. [Check Your Flight](/) [Compare: Starlink](/starlink) [All Airlines](/airlines) ## Provider Snapshot Tech Ku-band geostationary satellite Coverage Global oceanic + continental Typical Speed 5–40 Mbps Operators in DB 21 ## Where you'll find it Aviation only Widebody-focused — Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Saudia, Aer Lingus. No cruise, rail or maritime business. ## About Panasonic Avionics Panasonic Avionics is an aviation-only in-flight entertainment (IFE) supplier whose connectivity arm provides Ku-band satellite WiFi to long-haul international airlines. Panasonic terminals are on a large slice of the world's widebody fleet, often paired with the airline's seatback IFE. Unlike Starlink, Viasat or SES, Panasonic does not serve cruise, rail or ferry customers — its product is purely aviation. The systems work but are increasingly outclassed by LEO services like Starlink. Technology Ku-band satellite (geostationary, third-party leased capacity) Coverage Global, with strongest coverage on transatlantic and transpacific corridors Typical Speed 5–40 Mbps typical; constrained on full long-haul flights ### History Panasonic Avionics began as Matsushita Avionics Systems in 1979 and grew into the dominant IFE supplier of the long-haul widebody era. Its connectivity service ("Panasonic eXConnect") launched in 2012 using Ku-band capacity from third-party operators including Intelsat and SES. The system has been widely deployed on airlines including Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, ANA, and others. Panasonic announced a multi-orbit roadmap incorporating LEO capacity, but most carriers transitioning to LEO are picking Starlink directly. ## Operators using Panasonic Avionics (21) ### Flights (21) [ EI Panasonic Operator Aer Lingus All Providers panasonic 6/20/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/ei) [ AI Panasonic Operator Air India All Providers panasonic 7/12/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/ai) [ AA Panasonic Operator American Airlines All Providers viasat, intelsat, panasonic 7/4/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/aa) [ OZ Panasonic Operator Asiana Airlines All Providers panasonic 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/oz) [ OS Panasonic Operator Austrian Airlines All Providers panasonic 4/23/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/os) [ CX Panasonic Operator Cathay Pacific All Providers panasonic, intelsat 3/4/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/cx) [ CI Panasonic Operator China Airlines All Providers panasonic, inmarsat 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/ci) [ BR Panasonic Operator EVA Air All Providers panasonic 4/7/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/br) [ AY Panasonic Operator Finnair All Providers viasat, panasonic 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/ay) [ IB Panasonic Operator Iberia All Providers panasonic 6/11/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/ib) [ JL Panasonic Operator Japan Airlines All Providers panasonic, intelsat 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/jl) [ JA Panasonic Operator Japan Airlines (JAL) All Providers panasonic, intelsat 4/2/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/ja) [ LJ Panasonic Operator Jin Air All Providers panasonic 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/lj) [ KL Panasonic Operator KLM Royal Dutch Airlines All Providers viasat, panasonic 6/22/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/kl) [ LH Panasonic Operator Lufthansa All Providers panasonic 8/3/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/lh) [ MH Panasonic Operator Malaysia Airlines All Providers panasonic 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/mh) [ SQ Panasonic Operator Singapore Airlines All Providers starlink, panasonic, viasat 5/4/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/sq) [ LX Panasonic Operator Swiss International Air Lines All Providers panasonic 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/lx) [ TA Panasonic Operator TAP Air Portugal All Providers panasonic 4/2/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/ta) [ TP Panasonic Operator TAP Air Portugal All Providers panasonic 2/27/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/tp) [ TG Panasonic Operator Thai Airways All Providers panasonic 6/11/2026 VIEW → ](/airlines/tg) [Airlines](/airlines) [Cruise](/cruise) [Rail](/rail) [Ferry](/ferry) [Bus](/bus) [See Starlink Operators](/starlink) ## How Panasonic Compares Panasonic's Ku-band is a workhorse but underwhelming compared to Starlink — typical speeds are a fraction of LEO performance, and latency is satellite-typical (~600ms). Singapore Airlines, one of Panasonic's flagship customers, announced in May 2026 that it will transition to Starlink. Expect Panasonic's footprint on premium long-haul to erode substantially over 2026–2029. | | Panasonic | Starlink | | --- | --- | --- | | Orbit | GEO / ATG (~600ms latency) | LEO (~20–44ms latency) | | Typical Speed | 5–40 Mbps typical; constrained on full long-haul flights | 100+ Mbps typical, 350+ peak | | Latency | ~600ms (GEO) / 60–100ms (ATG) | ~20–44ms | | Trajectory | Defending installed base | Rapid airline adoption | ## Frequently Asked Questions Which airlines use Panasonic WiFi? Panasonic Avionics WiFi has been deployed on Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, Cathay Pacific, ANA, Saudia, Aer Lingus, and many other long-haul international carriers. Several of these — most notably Singapore Airlines — are now in the process of transitioning to Starlink. Is Panasonic WiFi free on flights? It varies. Some airlines (Singapore Airlines for KrisFlyer/PPS members and premium cabins, Lufthansa Travel ID) include Panasonic WiFi for free. Others charge per flight or per duration. Pricing depends entirely on the airline, not Panasonic. How fast is Panasonic in-flight WiFi? Typical speeds are 5–40 Mbps to the aircraft, with per-passenger speeds usually in the 1–10 Mbps range when the cabin is busy. Speeds are sufficient for messaging, email, light browsing, and some standard-definition video, but generally too slow for HD streaming or video calls. Panasonic vs Starlink — which is better? Starlink is dramatically faster (typical 100+ Mbps vs Panasonic's 5–40 Mbps to the aircraft) and has 20× lower latency thanks to LEO orbits. Panasonic's advantage is incumbent installed base and IFE integration; for raw connectivity quality, Starlink wins. Is Panasonic moving to LEO satellites? Panasonic has announced plans to integrate LEO capacity into a multi-orbit network, including partnership discussions with various LEO operators. As of 2026, however, most airlines making the LEO switch are signing directly with Starlink rather than waiting for Panasonic's multi-orbit product. ## Sources - [ →Panasonic Avionics aviation ](https://www.panasonic.aero/) - [ →Singapore Airlines selects Starlink (May 2026) ](https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/media-centre/news-alert/) - [ →Panasonic Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panasonic_Avionics_Corporation) ## Compare Other Providers Panasonic (current) [Gogo](/providers/gogo)[Viasat](/providers/viasat)[Intelsat](/providers/intelsat)[Anuvu](/providers/anuvu)[Inmarsat](/providers/inmarsat)[Hughes](/providers/hughes)[SES](/providers/ses)[MedallionNet](/providers/medallionnet)[Icomera](/providers/icomera)[21Net](/providers/21net)[Marlink](/providers/marlink)[Telenor](/providers/telenor-maritime)[VSAT](/providers/vsat)[Cellular](/providers/cellular-bonding) [Starlink](/starlink)[Amazon Leo](/amazon-leo)[All Airlines](/airlines)[Free WiFi Guide](/guides/free-wifi)