Private equity investors and Aircell's management team have provided the in-flight broadband company with US$35 million to pay for service expansion.

The funding round brought in no new investors. It increased the amount raised from existing companies and investors to more than US$500 million.

The Itasca, Ill.-based company supplies commercial airlines with Gogo in-flight Internet and email access. It has major operations in Louisville, where its in-flight services for private planes are based.

The investment round will pay to expand both its commercial aviation and private plane service, Aircell's announcement said.

In 2011, Aircell expects to add three planes a day to the number of commercial airliners with its service, both among airlines adding Gogo to more planes in their fleets and new carriers, including Denver-hubbed Frontier Airlines, introducing the service.

Gogo is available on 1,050 planes in the United States today. Its private plane service has more than 6,000 customers, the company said.

Aircell's existing investors include Ripplewood Holdings, a private equity group; and Blumenstein/Thorne Information Partners and other investment entities associated with former Aircell CEO Jack Blumenstein and entrepreneur Oakleigh Thorne, the company's announcement said