Malaysia Airlines first to track all its planes by satellite

Malaysia Airlines made history and became the first airline to sign an agreement for space-based flight tracking of its aircraft.

The airline which lost a wide-body jet with 239 people aboard three years ago reached a deal with Aireon LLC, SITAONAIR and FlightAware LLC to enable it to monitor the flight paths of its aircraft anywhere in the world.

This includes aircraft flying over the polar regions and the most remote oceans, according to an emailed press release from Aireon.

The tracking service is made possible after Aireon’s launching a new satellite network with Iridium Communications Inc. that will allow it to monitor air traffic around the globe.

It’s projected to be completed in 2018.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, when disappeared.

Debris from the plane has been found washed ashore on African beaches, but the main wreckage was never located despite years of searching.