Press Release

Issued by Sabena technics.

November 17, 2013

During the last two years the French Group Sabena technics and the Saudi Arabian company Alpha Star Aviation Services, a leader in the luxury vip charter market, have been successfully working together on various projects in order to enhance the comfort of their already best-in-class cabin environment and in-flight entertainment. Today Alpha Star's customers can experience an unprecedented high-speed internet connection at thirty thousand feet. As a matter of fact, Sabena technics put again its engineering skills and competences at Alpha Star's service providing their fleet with the first installation of double satellite-communication systems (satcom) on two vip A320s aircraft and on an ATR 42-600, as well as the set-up of a Live TV system on their Airbus A318 Elite, a very first on this type of aircraft.

Sabena technics' vip completion and modification center based in Bordeaux (France) performed the engineering, the kit manufacturing, the embodiment and the certification of Alpha Star's ATR double-satcom systems as well as the integration of the SwiftBroadband Satcom system on their A320s aircraft providing the maximum inflight internet data bandwidth (1086 kbps).

Thanks to these cutting-edge technologies, Alpha Star's passengers will be able to connect their usual devices to high speed wireless internet, make and receive phone calls while in flight and access a full spectrum of satellite video and audio programming (1064 channels). They will also benefit from a quiet environment while travelling on Alpha Star's Airbus A320s and A318 Elite aircraft thanks to the reduced cabin noise level and the acoustic insulation achieved by Sabena technics.

“Working with Alpha Star has been one of the most rewarding experience for Sabena technics and today our teams are working again to help Alpha Star pushing further the boundaries of technology and comfort,” said Rodolphe Marchais, chairman and ceo of Sabena technics.