British Airways has announced it will provide free onboard wifi fast enough to stream videos after its parent company signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink.
The airline said it will start rolling out the technology on flights from next year, as part of a “£7 billion transformation”.
Its owner, International Airlines Group, has reached a deal with Starlink to provide internet connectivity on more than 500 aircraft across its carriers.
Starlink, which uses thousands of satellites orbiting Earth, is owned by Mr Musk’s SpaceX aerospace company.
British Airways said passengers will have access to free wifi “whichever cabin they’re travelling in”, and without needing a “special login”.
The airline currently offers limited wifi through its .air service on most of its aircraft.
This ranges from text-based messaging which is free to members of its loyalty club, to packages enabling passengers to “stream music, video content and films”, which costs between £4.99 and £21.99 depending on the duration.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ chief executive, said: “We’re continuing to focus on transforming our customer experience.
“Launching Starlink on both our long-haul and short-haul aircraft is game-changing for us and our customers, elevating their experience on board our flights by offering them seamless connectivity from gate to gate.
“Especially on short-haul, this will really differentiate us from our competitors.
“With our new wifi powered by Starlink, our customers will be able to enjoy lightning-fast, low-lag internet from the moment they board to the moment they land - even over oceans and remote regions.
“It’s wifi that feels like home, even at 38,000 feet.”
