In October 2023, Qatar Airways announced that it would partner with Starlink to offer superfast Wi-Fi on board its aircraft. However, the airline was light on details then, perhaps because Starlink was not ready for certification for the aircraft types that fly in Qatar’s fleet.
Qatar Airways will introduce Starlink connectivity on board.
At the Airlines Interiors Expo, Qatar Airways and Starlink announced the timeline for the launch of their partnership. Qatar Airways currently offers consistently high and cheap wifi on board their aircraft (branded Super Wi-Fi). But Starlink, which uses the Low Earth Orbit to provide superfast wifi, will take the mantle shortly and you can expect speeds as high as 500 megabits per second once this happens.
Qatar Airways has become the largest airline around the world to partner with Starlink, for now. Hawaiian Airlines has gone live with it, and it will soon be available on airBaltic and Air New Zealand (on a trial basis). With Qatar Airways coming on board, the airline intends to offer it on a complimentary basis, and you can use it for gaming, streaming, VPN access and more.
Yesterday, Qatar Airways announced that three of their Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will be fitted with Starlink by the fourth quarter of 2024. The full fleet will get Starlink connectivity within the next two years (2026).
Qatar Airways Group CEO, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer and Mike Nicolls, Vice President of Starlink Engineering at SpaceX
On the occasion of announcing the tie-up, Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said:
This exciting collaboration with Starlink is a testament to our customer-first mindset and commitment to elevating our passengers’ experience to unprecedented heights, as we continue furthering our innovative offerings to meet and exceed passengers’ expectations throughout their journey with Qatar Airways.
Bottomline
Qatar Airways plans to introduce SpaceX’s Starlink Wi-Fi on their aircraft. The first 3 Boeing 777-300ER with this connectivity option will fly within 2024, and the whole fleet will become equipped with Starlink later in the year. This should translate into ultrahigh-speed Wi-Fi on board in the coming times on board the aircraft.
What do you think of Qatar Airways introducing Starlink Wi-Fi?
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I love starlink on cruise lines.
Anxious to try it on airlines.