Two main aircraft builders AIRBUS and BOEING have separately announced during recent days the launching of strategic partnership to offer in-flight email and Internet access to airline passengers, providing high-speed Internet connectivity services on long-range aircrafts

AIRBUS announced it's partnership with Tenzing Communications Inc of the USA. As part of the partnership, Airbus is acquiring a 30 per cent share in the company, under a recently announced deal. Tenzing thus becomes Airbus' preferred supplier for in-flight email and Internet solutions. Based in Seattle - USA, Tenzing Communications Inc. was founded in 1998, its core business is as a connectivity solutions provider. It is dedicated to making communication easy for travellers, allowing them to use their laptops and existing email addresses for a continual connection to the outside world.

The ability to send and receive emails in flight is highly valued in today's increasingly connected world, particularly among frequent business travellers on long-haul flights across multiple time zones. Coverage with the Tenzing technology is global, allowing its use anywhere.

Tenzing has already successfully concluded several in-flight airline trials of its email and Internet service, including one of more than six months with Air Canada. It has also signed up several leading customers - including Cathay Pacific Airways, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Airways, all three of which will begin equipping their aircraft later this year.

The Tenzing solution can be fitted to all Airbus aircraft - either in production or as a retrofit to those in service.

On the other hand, Boeing and Lufthansa announced their offer to airline passengers for the online "flying office"

In cooperation with the provider Boeing, Lufthansa is realising the "flying office" by providing high-speed Internet connectivity services on all the aircraft in its long-range fleet.

Both partners aim to equip a first commercial Boeing 747 jet with the system in 2002. The following year Internet access will become a regular component of Lufthansa's in-flight service.

Working conditions on board Lufthansa's Boeing aircrafts are comparable to the familiar online applications on ground, thanks to the high transmission speed of broadband service, passengers will be able to work online and transmit larger files such as presentations without any problem. In addition, the system will enable normal access to corporate intranets and e-mail servers.

The state-of-the-art connectivity service is based on the satellite communication system developed by Connexion by Boeing; this system provides high-speed Internet access on Lufthansa aircraft.