United Airlines has temporarily suspended the use of Starlink Wi-Fi on its regional jets due to technical issues related to radio interference. The airline, which aims to enhance in-flight connectivity for passengers, discovered that the new Wi-Fi system was interfering with radio signals, leading to static during communications between pilots and air traffic control.
A spokesperson from United explained: "Starlink is now installed on about two dozen United regional aircraft. United and Starlink teams are working together to address a small number of reports of static interference during the operation of the Wi-Fi system, which is fairly common with any new airline Wi-Fi provider. We expect the service to be back up and running on these aircraft soon."
The issue has affected nearly 24 regional jets in United's fleet, specifically impacting the Embraer E175 aircraft. However, it does not pose any safety threat to passengers. The rest of United's fleet remains unaffected as they have not yet been equipped with Starlink.