On Tuesday, 22 October, on a flight from Doha to London, Qatar Airways operated the world’s first Boeing 777 aircraft equipped with Starlink in-flight connectivity. The flight marks the first Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to be issued for operating Starlink on a Boeing aircraft.
Qatar Airways is the first carrier in the MENA region to offer passengers Starlink ultra-high-speed, low-latency inflight internet, and says it is “set to exceed” its initial target of having three Starlink-equipped aircraft operating by the end of 2024, by introducing 12 Boeing 777-300s upgraded with the service by the end of the year. Qatar Airways has further committed to rolling out the technology on its entire fleet of 64 Boeing 777 aircraft in 2025 – one year ahead of schedule – with its fleet of 58 Airbus A350s due to follow in the summer of 2025.
Engineered by SpaceX, the Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation will provide passengers reliable, high-speed internet that is capable of streaming entertainment content and live sports, or supporting online work on board. The Starlink service is free to use for all Qatar Airways passengers on equipped aircraft, and operates from gate to gate, with a simple ‘one-click-access’ procedure.
Qatar Airways’ group CEO, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said of the launch: “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’s 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.”
Leveraging advanced satellites with its 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.
“Over time you’ll find it just gets better and better. This is the minimum and it only gets better from here,” said Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX.
Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer video called Elon Musk during the airline’s first Starlink flight. You can listen in HERE.
