IAG explores inflight WiFi options with Starlink and Amazon

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Airbus A380 | Airbus

By Sky Industry News

Dec 25, 2024

Airline group IAG is in discussions with satellite internet provider Starlink to potentially equip its aircraft with the company's inflight WiFi service. The group, which includes British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Vueling, and LEVEL, is also considering Amazon's Kuiper Systems as an alternative.

Annalisa Gigante, IAG's head of innovation, confirmed the talks in an interview with Bloomberg. She stated that the airline group is exploring options "both with Starlink and with Amazon's Kuiper" to provide free inflight WiFi to passengers. Gigante added, "We’ve got some really exciting things coming up, but that’s going to be for next year."

Several global airlines have already chosen Starlink's product for their fleets. Air France, Qatar Airways, and United Airlines are among those using Starlink's WiFi service at 35,000 feet due to its reliable connectivity.

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Starlink's technology relies on a Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. In contrast, other systems typically use satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO). Meanwhile, Amazon is developing 'Project Kuiper,' which aims to launch over 3,000 satellites by the end of the decade.

Currently, IAG has a deal with internet provider Inmarsat—acquired by Viasat last year. British Airways plans to equip its entire fleet with WiFi by 2025; however, its short-haul aircraft still lack this capability.

Gigante noted potential regulatory challenges for IAG in implementing Starlink compared to U.S.-based carriers since European authorities have not yet certified it for use on aircraft. This requires separate certification processes from those approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States.

A spokesperson from Starlink responded via email to Bloomberg stating that "this is not accurate," regarding concerns about regulatory hurdles.

Airlines such as airBaltic aim to become early adopters of Starlink within Europe. Hawaiian Airlines recently completed equipping its Airbus A330 fleet with Starlink technology while Qatar Airways has installed it on select Boeing 777s.

United Airlines' agreement with Starlink covers nearly 1,000 aircraft across its fleet—a significant achievement for the provider as onboard WiFi becomes increasingly expected by passengers today.