DOHA (Agencies): Qatar Airways has launched the world’s first Starlink-equipped Boeing 777, offering ultra-fast, low-latency internet for passengers.
During an October 22, 2024, flight from Doha to London, passengers experienced free Wi-Fi with download speeds up to 350 Mbps, enabling smooth streaming, gaming, and video calls at 35,000 feet.
This makes Qatar Airways the largest airline in the MENA region to offer SpaceX’s satellite technology.
The airline plans to install Starlink on 12 Boeing 777-300s by the end of 2024 and expand it to its Airbus A350 fleet by summer 2025.
Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer emphasized the company’s commitment to enhancing the in-flight experience, saying that the partnership with Starlink will transform air travel by delivering connectivity across previously unreachable areas, including remote regions and oceans.
During the inaugural flight, Al-Meer even demonstrated the technology by video-calling SpaceX founder Elon Musk mid-flight, who praised the service and noted its continual improvement.
Qatar Airways’ fleet-wide Starlink rollout positions the airline as a leader in in-flight connectivity.
The company is the fifth and largest airline globally to offer Starlink Wi-Fi, joining others like JSX, Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, and ZIPAIR.