Canadian carrier WestJet and TELUS have tapped Starlink to provide inflight connectivity.
The connectivity option will be presented onboard WestJet aircraft from December 2024.
WestJet will be the largest North American and first commercial Boeing 737 airline to offer inflight connectivity powered by Starlink’s Low-Eart Orbit platform.
Starlink was selected as WestJet’s new inflight technology partner for its ability to deliver enough bandwidth and lowest latency internet for every guest onboard to live-stream videos or online game direct from their devices as if they were at home.
This new platform will take flight before the end of 2024, with plans to complete the installation on WestJet’s modern narrowbody fleet by the end of 2025. All wide-body aircraft are planned to be upgraded by the end of 2026.
The sting in the tail
With Starlink connectivity, in theory, it should be connected and go. Of course, WestJet is making it a little more difficult, with access to the new inflight system being exclusively provided to WestJet Rewards members free of charge thanks to TELUS.
WestJet travellers can easily become WestJet Rewards members by simply creating a WestJet Rewards account online at any time in advance of their WestJet-operated flight.
According to the airline, WestJet and TELUS will announce additional, exclusive benefits and perks for WestJet Rewards members and TELUS customers in the coming months.
In Quotes
John Weatherill, WestJet Group Executive Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer said:
“Through our strategic partnership with TELUS, we are setting a new standard in the Canadian airline industry by offering Starlink’s revolutionary inflight connectivity, and thanks to TELUS we are able to bring this inflight experience to WestJet Rewards guests for free,”
Zainul Mawji, Executive Vice-president and President, TELUS Consumer Solutions.
“The future of inflight connectivity and entertainment is here, and we’re excited to enter this long-term partnership with WestJet to enhance the flying experience for guests and bring more value to WestJet Rewards members and TELUS customers, whether they are on the ground or in the air”
Jason Fritch, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Enterprise Sales.
“With more than 1,000 aircraft committed to Starlink worldwide, high-speed, low-latency internet is the future of aviation connectivity and we’re excited to work with WestJet to bring Starlink technology to their guests in the coming months,”
More customers joining Starlink
Starlink is increasing its customer base, with Hawaiian Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand, ZIPAIR Toyko and airBaltic, as well as offering the product to private aviation too.
LEO has benefits in terms of bandwidth and latency, but it has limitations of coverage compared to GEO (which is where we see a steady cadence of Starlink launches on Falcon rockets, as they continue to fill the sky to increase coverage).
This is common on other LEO constellations too – which is why we’ve seen multi-orbit solutions rollout from OEMs, to cover those coverage gaps.
At Economy Class and Beyond, we published a Low Earth Orbit Connetivty primer and some of its benefits. It’s worth a read with some practical examples and demos so you can see why LEO can be a big jump forward that some are hoping for in inflight connectivity.
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