Qatar Airways has announced it has operated the first flight of a Boeing 777 aircraft with Starlink powering inflight internet.
Qatar Airways has announced it has operated the first flight of a Boeing 777 aircraft with Starlink powering inflight internet.
The Starlink-equipped flight on the 777 operated between Doha and London on October 22, is the first step of the Doha-based carrier's plan to rollout free inflight internet with Starlink aboard its entire Boeing 777 fleet within the year.
Engineered by SpaceX, Starlink is the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to provide high-speed internet. Starlink is capable of providing internet coverage across oceans and remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals.
On Starlink-equipped flights, Qatar Airways passengers can enjoy high-speed, low-latency internet from gate-to-gate for free.
According to Qatar Airways, the airline will exceed its initial target to equip Starlink on three aircraft by introducing 12 Boeing 777-300s with the service by the end of 2024. Qatar Airways has further committed to rolling out the technology on its entire Boeing 777 fleet in 2025 – a year ahead of schedule – followed by the Airbus A350 fleet during the summer of 2025.
During a inflight video call between Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Al Meer said: “We are thrilled to launch our first Starlink-equipped flight, proving once again why Qatar Airways is at the forefront of the aviation industry.”
Al Meer added: “This milestone, paired with our commitment to rapidly roll-out Starlink across our entire modern fleet, demonstrates our relentless pursuit of offering passengers an in-flight experience that transcends the constraints of traditional air travel.
Qatar Airways will operated the Starlink-equipped aircraft on select routes as the installation of the required equipment goes forward.
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