Elon Musk and Qatar Airways Group CEO discussed Starlink over video call using the technology amid the airline debuting Starlink Wi-Fi on a flight. (Credit: Qatar Airways)
Qatar Airways debuted Starlink Wi-Fi on one of its planes earlier in the week.
The Boeing 777 jet completed a long-haul Doha-to-London flight on Tuesday, making it the airline’s first to feature the satellite-based internet from Elon Musk-led SpaceX’s Starlink.
“Starlink is now live on a 777 for the first time and will soon be available for all passengers flying on @QatarAirways!” Starlink said in a Tuesday X post about the debut flight.
In this photo illustration, the American satellite internet constellation and subsidiary of the aerospace company SpaceX owned and operated by Elon Musk, Starlink, logo seen displayed on a smartphone with an economic stock exchange index graph in the (Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Qatar’s first Starlink-equipped plane and flight is part of an initiative the airline is undertaking to introduce the technology to its whole fleet and offer it to passengers, according to the carrier.
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The airline said in a press release it is the “largest and first carrier in the MENA region to offer passengers Starlink ultra-high-speed, low-latency internet.”
Other carriers like United Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air France and Air New Zealand have also partnered with Starlink to offer onboard Wi-Fi. Some cruise ships also use Starlink.
Musk and Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer spoke about Starlink during a video call that utilized the aircraft’s Starlink internet. Al Meer was up in the air at the time of the call, along with Qatar Tourism Chairman Saad Bin Ali Al Kharji. Qatar Airways provided footage of the call to FOX Business.
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The SpaceX CEO told them that he thought they would “find it [Starlink] just gets better and better” as his company continues to improve the service.
BOCA CHICA BEACH, TX – AUGUST 25: SpaceX founder Elon Musk during a T-Mobile and SpaceX joint event on August 25, 2022 in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. The two companies announced plans to work together to provide T-Mobile cellular service using Starlink (Photo by Michael Gonzalez/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Qatar Airways said the Boeing 777 featuring Starlink Wi-Fi “will operate on select routes as the airline pushes forward its roll-out plans.” Passengers can use the service at no charge.
Starlink will appear on a dozen Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300s before the end of the year, the airline said, marking an increase from its prior goal of three.
Qatar Airways passengers can expect to see Starlink internet on all of the airline’s Boeing 777 planes in 2025, according to the carrier. Its Airbus A350 jets will get it that summer.
The airline’s commercial fleet includes Airbus models like A320s, A350s and A380s and Boeing models like 777s, 737 MAXs and 787s, according to its website.
01 July 2024, Hamburg: An A 350 of the airline Qatar Airways has landed at Hamburg Airport after its first flight from Doha. Qatar Airways is to operate daily flights between Hamburg and the Qatari capital Doha in future. Photo: Georg Wendt/dpa (Phot (Georg Wendt/picture alliance via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Qatar Airways first unveiled its plans to install Starlink internet on aircraft at the end of May.
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“High-speed, low-latency internet is the future of aviation connectivity, and we’re excited to work with Qatar Airways to start flying Starlink on their fleet by the end of this year,” Starlink Engineering Vice President Mike Nicolls said at the time.
The SpaceX subsidiary’s satellite-based internet service is used in over 100 different countries by several million people, according to Starlink.
