British Airways is set to revolutionise its onboard experience by introducing free, video-streaming Wi-Fi across its fleet, powered by Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service.
The move, part of a significant £7 billion transformation initiative, will see the high-speed connectivity rolled out on flights from next year.
The airline’s parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), has finalised an agreement with Starlink to equip over 500 aircraft across its various carriers.
Starlink, a division of Mr Musk’s aerospace firm SpaceX, operates a vast constellation of thousands of satellites orbiting Earth to deliver its internet service.
Passengers will benefit from complimentary Wi-Fi access "whichever cabin they’re travelling in", without the need for a "special login".
Currently, British Airways provides a more restricted Wi-Fi service through its .air platform on most aircraft.
This offering ranges from free text-based messaging for loyalty club members to paid packages, costing between £4.99 and £21.99, which allow for streaming music, video content, and films.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ chief executive, emphasised the significance of the upgrade. "We’re continuing to focus on transforming our customer experience," he said.
"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." He added that the service would "really differentiate us from our competitors, especially on short-haul."
Mr Doyle further highlighted the quality of the new service, promising: "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."
It comes after United Airlines became the first major U.S. carrier to offer free Starlink wifi on a mainline flight.
Last month. United Boeing 737-800 fitted with the ultra-fast internet system flew from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Houston, before flying to Fort Lauderdale and returning to Houston.
The airline expects to install Starlink on up to 15 mainline 737-800 planes each month — more than half of United's regional fleet already offers Starlink.
