FlyExclusive, SmartSky Expands Wi-Fi Partnership Ahead of IPO

In a joint interview with FLYING, the CEOs of both companies discussed their partnership, the expectation of inflight connectivity, and flyExclusive's planned IPO.

Michael Wildes

Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 06:08 PM ET

Verified

The Part 135 operator also expanded its partnership with SmartSky Network, the fast-growing air-to-ground (ATG) inflight connectivity provider. [Courtesy: flyExclusive]

Key Takeaways:

flyExclusive is going public via a $600 million SPAC merger and plans to expand its fleet by acquiring up to 14 Cessna Citations.
The company has expanded its partnership with SmartSky Network, emphasizing reliable inflight Wi-Fi as a critical customer expectation and for operational data transfer, leading to diversification from previous providers like Gogo.
SmartSky's CEO highlights that air-to-ground technology is often best suited for fast-moving business jets, providing superior reliability and performance compared to satellite solutions for this segment.
flyExclusive's CEO is optimistic about the IPO, viewing their vertically integrated and customer-experience-focused business model as a stable foundation for growth, despite market competition and SPAC struggles.

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After announcing last week that it would become a publicly traded company through a $600 million special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger, flyExclusive also shared that it was planning to purchase as many as 14 Cessna Citations from Textron Aviation.

The news comes as the Part 135 operator also expanded its partnership with SmartSky Network, the fast-growing air-to-ground (ATG) inflight connectivity provider. During the 2022 National Business Aviation Association’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (NBAA-BACE) held in Orlando last week, the companies teamed up to display SmartSky’s latest technology onboard a flyExclusive jet, following the installation of the ATG hardware on a series of Cessna Citation Xs at flyExclusive’s facilities in Kinston, North Carolina.