United Airlines faces scrutiny over partnership with SpaceX's Starlink after Elon Musk's controversial tweet

Research

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By Sky Industry News

Sep 16, 2024

United Airlines is set to introduce free Starlink Wi-Fi to its fleet, with the first installations expected next year. This move aims to provide faster and lower latency internet compared to competitors, based on experiences with Hawaiian Airlines and JSX.

Blogger and political candidate Seth Miller has raised concerns about this decision in light of a recent tweet by Elon Musk, founder and controlling shareholder of SpaceX, which provides Starlink connectivity. In his tweet, Musk noted that Donald Trump had faced two assassination attempts while the Democratic nominee for President had not.

"Has anyone asked United how it feels about the public calls for political assassination by the owner of its newly announced fleet-wide internet provider?" Miller tweeted.

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Musk later acknowledged that his tweet was poorly received and attempted an apology: "Turns out that jokes are WAY less funny if people don’t know the context and the delivery is plain text," he tweeted. He added, "Well, one lesson I’ve learned is that just because I say something to a group and they laugh doesn’t mean it’s going to be all that hilarious as a post on."

United Airlines likely does not align with Musk's politics. The airline has been recognized for its inclusive policies, supporting affirmative action in California, committing to choosing board members based on race, and imposing speech codes.

The decision to install Starlink appears to be commercial rather than political. The choice reflects a focus on quality, convenience, and price rather than any affinity with Musk. As one observer noted, "I did not at all take Musk to be calling for assassination rather he was making a point that maybe was in poor taste."

In 2021, when hosting Saturday Night Live, Musk remarked: “I reinvented the electric car and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship. Did you really think I was going to be a normal chill dude?”