CASE STUDY: Discover Airlines transforms Flight Operations with advanced eSIM connectivity

Author: Jonas Becker, EFB Administrator, Discover Airlines

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Jonas Becker, EFB Administrator at Discover Airlines shares the connectivity solution that has added value to Operations as well as improved connectivity

This case study is about bringing an eSIM connectivity solution into Discover Airlines but, first, I’ll give readers a brief introduction to the airline in question.

DISCOVER AIRLINES

Discover Airlines is the Lufthansa Group’s quality leisure airline in Germany, flying travelers from Frankfurt and Munich to the most beautiful holiday destinations in the world. A cutting-edge product tailored to the needs of leisure travelers and the crew’s welcoming service, make flying with Discover Airlines a real pleasure. Since the summer of 2021, Discover Airlines has complemented the Lufthansa Group’s offering in the growing segment of leisure travel. Guests benefit from an end-to-end booking process and seamless transfers at the Frankfurt and Munich hubs as well as at many global destinations of the Lufthansa Group and its partner airlines. Discover Airlines is headquartered in Frankfurt, currently employs around 2,200 people and its fleet will grow to 30 aircraft by the end of 2025.

CHALLENGES OF THE OLD SOLUTION

Reliability and efficiency are essential to Discover Airlines’ operations, especially for the Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) that crews use. Using our old solution, crews had regular SIM cards from our national communication provider but, because many of our flights leave the European Union, there was often no included connectivity. They would arrive in a country but would not have connectivity and would have to buy a pass. It was another step in the process; quite cost intensive, but also time consuming and not controllable. We needed a cost-effective global connectivity solution to prevent high roaming costs, particularly in Africa, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, plus uncontrolled data usage and more costs.

FINDING A SOLUTION FOR TODAY

At the same time, eSIM-only iPads ushered in a new era for airline connectivity. The latest iPads have transitioned to being without a SIM slot; so, Discover Airlines needed a reliable eSIM solution that could scale across thousands of devices. They didn’t want a solution that relied on QR codes for activation, as this approach was not scalable for large deployments. This was a challenge in two parts.

First, it’s hard to find connectivity solutions that are tailored to the needs of airlines. Many providers might cover 150 or 160 countries, but you can be sure that two or three of your destination countries will not be included. They don’t really have good products for the airline industry. However, of necessity, the airline industry is mostly served by those providers today. As far as I know, just one of those standard providers really has an aviation product. So, it was a major priority to find a provider that offers connectivity for all the countries that we serve. It’s easier for airlines which only have European destinations but, for every hub airline, it will get more complicated.

Second, there’s the issue of cost. Those traditional carriers mostly have hefty charges for countries such as Maldives where it was not uncommon to see prices like 20 euros per megabyte, although that is the exception. At the other end of the scale, in the USA, the same price is just part of a cent, really cheap. But imagine a briefing package, which will consist of 1020 megabytes or so, multiplied by 20 euros per megabyte; it costs more than one of the passengers’ holidays.

The first challenge was to find a provider who has the coverage. The second was the challenge of the costs. That gave us a list of just a couple of providers. Also, we decided that, while making the change, we would integrate the new solution into our existing MDM (Mobile Device Management) platform.

FINDING A SOLUTION

Initially, Discover Airlines approached emnify looking for a cost-effective, globally scalable connectivity solution that gave them complete and instant control over their IoT connectivity. However, as Apple transitioned to eSIM-only iPads – the devices used for EFBs – we also saw the need to future-proof the airline’s setup. Managing connectivity at scale without physical SIMs became essential to reduce operational complexity, speed up deployments and maintain control over data usage – all while ensuring reliable global coverage. It wasn’t all about saving costs; in fact, we chose to spend more strategically but, by choosing the right solution, have significantly elevated the level of service for our crews. That has, in turn, increased their job satisfaction with the processes being much easier and faster to complete. The business case for the change was more like a process case. By partnering with emnify, we gained instant, scalable connectivity that drastically reduces operational complexity when deploying, enhances security and optimizes costs – ensuring that pilots always have access to mission-critical applications, no matter where they fly.

Discover Airlines partnered with emnify to avoid QR-code-based activations instead using a fully automated eSIM provisioning process integrated into its MDM platform. MDM integration was essential to ensure secure, scalable and policy-controlled eSIM deployment for the airline’s fleet. The integration between emnify’s platform and Discover Airlines’ MDM application enabled instant deployment and connectivity, at the click of a button, for the airline’s EFB iPads, without the need to manage physical SIM logistics.

IMPLEMENTATION

From the first contact with emnify, it took a bit more than half a year before we could have the first devices rolled out. But from a technical perspective, we were much faster. Much of the implementation process was just about designing the product itself, negotiating the terms and so on. Because of Discover Airline’s specific needs, it was also new for emnify to set up a in terms of pricing and so on. That meant that the whole project lasted for seven or, eight months but technically it was more like two or three months.

The solution implementation involved scaling the eSIM and its implementation on the EFBs; because of the new iPads, it was a faster rollout. The new model of iPads was the turning point. The solution was developed together as a partnership with emnify and Discover Airlines, because, essentially, Discover Airlines already had an MDM platform that they wanted to integrate with the emnify solution. First, that eSIM was deployed over the air, without actually having to scan QR codes. And then second was the fact that they could automatically integrate it into their existing platform.

© Discover Airlines

Process changes to get the best from emnify

Previously, we had been bound to physical SIM cards, which were handed out to the crew members and, of course, they had to be in the inventory plus handling them and all the logistics related to them. With the new iPads and connectivity solution we switched over to a digital inventory with all our devices known to emnify. We send them a list of all our devices with their eIDs; that’s a 15-digit number for a device which is used for eSIM deployment. Each device has one, and we just send all our device inventory to emnify so that they know them. They create a SIM profile in the background, and they’re just there. As soon as we deploy a device for the first time, or after a repair, if it was changed, if the owner changed, we just automatically push the profile to the device without any physical interaction. Overall, the implementation was a smooth change-over.

The emnify services used by Discover Airlines are:

• eSIM deployment Over-the-Air (OTA): This enables instant provisioning without requiring QR codes, allowing iPads to immediately connect upon enrolment in the MDM system with minimal effort required. OTA eSIM deployment is important for new iPads as we add to the existing fleet or upgrade to newer devices once old ones become obsolete.
• Device Policies: emnify enables secure, remote control of connectivity settings across thousands of iPads – ensuring pilots receive devices with instant, compliant connectivity. By integrating eSIM provisioning with the existing MDM, Discover Airlines scaled deployment without manual configuration, giving pilots uninterrupted access to mission-critical applications from day one.

BENEFITS GAINED WITH THE NEW SOLUTION

Solution: Cost optimization and custom security controls

emnify provided a fully managed eSIM and connectivity solution that combined cost control with security enforcement.

Optimized global data plans

Flexible pricing allowing for data connectivity in almost any country, even in the case of emergency such as unscheduled flight diversions.

Automated Policy Enforcement

Automatically applied security and data usage policies to all connected devices, ensuring compliance and preventing unauthorized access or data consumption.

Multi-Network Connectivity

Ensured uninterrupted service across more than 540 networks in more than 190 countries; providing flexibility for changing or added flight routes, even in remote locations.

Custom DNS (Domain Name System) Filtering for Security and Cost Control

By restricting access to only mission-critical application servers, such as those for weather reports and flight planning, the airline prevented unnecessary data consumption. This ensured no unexpected bills were incurred due to misuse, such as inadvertently downloading bandwidth-heavy apps like Netflix or YouTube.

© Discover Airlines

Automated Data Limits and Real-Time Alerts

Monitored data usage and email alerts that are provided, limit data consumption and prevent bill shock, including large iOS updates or unexpected app behavior. This approach helps maintain cost control and allows for quick intervention to address potential overages.

Real-Time Visibility & Control

Provided IT teams with centralized monitoring of connectivity status, usage trends, and potential issues, with the ability to apply remote troubleshooting measures.

Beyond security, the automated onboarding and real-time observability have streamlined our fleet management; reducing operational overheads and improving compliance with industry regulations. Discover Airlines don’t just want a connectivity provider, we need a partner who understands aviation compliance, privacy and operational requirements. What used to take weeks, deploying iPads with connectivity now happens at scale, instantly, with a single command.

WORKING WITH emnify

We found emnify really agile and responsive from the first day. Communications were excellent and they really took care of the case and designed a solution to fit with Discover Airline’s needs: we always had contact with the commercial engineering teams. As soon as we had an issue, they always had an idea how to fix it. Usually, three days later, I would get an email saying, “We thought about this, and suggest we do this. If that’s okay for you, we will move on and build it for you.” That’s how it was and generally it’s working really well.

IMPACT

Discover Airlines has successfully navigated the transition to eSIM-only connectivity, ensuring instant, no-touch deployments, easier workflows and more control over connectivity costs. By leveraging emnify’s scalable eSIM solution, the airline has gained greater control over deployments, simplified device fleet management and future-proofed its connectivity strategy. Additionally, the integration of robust security measures, including automated policy enforcement and data usage controls, has ensured the protection of sensitive data and compliance with industry regulations. As the airline industry continues to evolve, this collaboration demonstrates how airlines can adapt to new technology while maintaining operational excellence and security.

© Discover Airlines

FUTURE PLANS

 There are several other use cases, where we need worldwide connectivity and we are sure that we will also find a solution for them together with emnify: it’s really convenient to have everything in one portal, and the administration is really convenient. That’s the big advantage of the new solution over our old solution. As EFB administrator, I can check each SIM card to see that it is working fine and where it is connected; in which network is the SIM card registered right now? I can also see whether there any issues and how many data are consumed, and can extend the limit if I want to. So, I can really select for each SIM profile immediately what I want to do with the profile, and we can also have combined inventory. For example, our cabin devices will also migrate to emnify, and that’s totally combined, so we don’t have to separate it. I can also migrate eSIM profiles from one device to another with just a click. It sounds so trivial but, in terms of improving device fleet management, it’s far from trivial. That ease of operation was not the case with our previous solution where we had to read up, write an email that I needed, some cards, and then I would get them in a package with DHL. So quite different.

SUMMARY

One year ago, I was at the point where I thought, we need a solution for this problem. At first, it seemed that there was no product that’s designed for an airline that needs connectivity in a way that will fit with that industry’s specific needs but now there is one. It’s really an airline tailored solution with people who understand our requirements. It’s a game changer because the normal process for an airline or for an EFB administrator such as me would be to contact all your connectivity providers, probably the ones in your country and the bigger ones, and explain your requirements to see whether they could set-up something. That’s difficult, inconvenient and time using. So, having the combination of a global network with DNS filtering, is really a game changer for the industry.

So, if you’re looking for a better and airline focused connectivity solution that saves time and is more useful, then I hope that this case study has proved useful for you.