Qatar Airways has deployed its first aircraft, fitted with the SpaceX Starlink connectivity platform.
The move follows an agreement announced at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2024.
The first aircraft to be fitted was a Boeing 777, with the airline planning to roll out Starlink connectivity to its entire Boeing 777 fleet within a year.
This numbers 57 Boeing 777-300ER and 7 Boeing 777-200LR.
It operated a flight between Doha and London Heathrow as its launch service.
The airline is the largest and first carrier in the MENA region to offer passengers Starlink ultra-high-speed, low-latency internet. Starlink is free to all passengers and operates from gate to gate. The move allows passengers to stay entertained and connected throughout their journey, streaming their favourite shows and live sports, enjoying online gaming, or working seamlessly at 35,000 feet, with “One-Click” access.
In terms of deployment, the airline is pushing to deploy at speed, with them set to exceed its initial target of three Starlink-equipped aircraft by introducing 12 Boeing 777-300s upgraded with this service by the end of 2024.
Qatar Airways has further committed to rolling out the technology on its entire Boeing 777 fleet in 2025 – one year ahead of schedule – with the Airbus A350 fleet following in the summer of 2025.
In Quotes
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed 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.
“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.
“By providing Starlink reliable, seamless internet on board, we are connecting people to the things they love the most even at 35,000 feet, making every journey with us a memorable one.”
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk added
Leveraging advanced satellites with its deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations, Starlink delivers internet access around the world, including over oceans and other remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals.
“Overtime you’ll find it just gets better and better. This is the minimum and it only gets better from here”
Hitting firsts – but pace will be important.
With the launch of its first Starlink-equipped flight, Qatar Airways has achieved several industry-firsts, including, the first widebody aircraft with Starlink, the first Starlink Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for a Boeing aircraft, the largest aircraft fitted and the longest range aircraft deployed with the product.
However, the pace and expectations will be important. Qatar Airways seems confident that it has met the Supplemental Type Certificates for Starlink to be installed safely and fly on Boeing 777. It will now come down to the number of raydomes and antennas that can be delivered to Qatar Airways and its engineering teams, as it takes aircraft out of service to allow for the de-installation of current solutions and installation of Starlink Antennas, Raydomes, Modems and other associated equipment to make the rollout of the product a success.
I’ll be interested to see if they can hit their planned target of 12 installations by the end of the year – and the rest of the fleet within a calendar year.
Editors Note: I know I’m a few days behind. I’m in catchup mode for the rest of the week…
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