[SatNews] Satellite operator SES S.A. (NYSE Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) and Global Eagle Entertainment (“GEE”, Nasdaq: ENT) announced they have signed important capacity deals for services on three SES satellites. These agreements are part of a strategic partnership to deliver in-flight connectivity and services to airline passengers around the world. 

Under the latest agreements, GEE will utilize Ku-band wide beam and High Throughput Satellite (HTS) spot beam capacity aboard the SES-12, SES-14 and SES-15 satellites. The three spacecraft, currently under construction, are scheduled for launch in 2017. 

SES-14 and SES-15 offer a complementary coverage over busy air travel routes across the Americas and North Atlantic regions, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, while SES-12 will serve the burgeoning aeronautical market across Asia and the Middle East. As GEE expands its services to new airlines and regions, it can quickly and seamlessly leverage capacity across the global SES fleet of more than 50 satellites. 

“This new series of capacity agreements with SES represents an exciting milestone for GEE, as we continue to deliver the leading satellite connectivity solution to airlines around the world,” said Dave Davis, CEO of Global Eagle Entertainment. “Together with SES, our companies are driving the next phase of in-flight connectivity for our current and future airline customers. The HTS satellites, coupled with SES’s broad network, will enable a sophisticated user experience and the most reliable, high-quality content and global connectivity to airlines and their passengers traveling around the globe.” 

“SES continues to make major investments in the expansion and innovation of our global satellite fleet. This helps to ensure that our high-powered spacecraft and coverage are tailored to meet the exciting growth in in-flight connectivity and other mobility markets around the world,” said Ferdinand Kayser, Chief Commercial Officer of SES. “Our collaborative work with GEE is aimed at enabling this in-flight connectivity solutions leader to go anywhere it wants to grow and innovate to meet the needs of airlines and the connectivity demands for passengers on the move.”