Recently we’ve seen several airlines announce plans to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi, including airBaltic, Air New Zealand, and Qatar Airways. Hawaiian Airlines is probably going at the fastest pace when it comes to actually installing Starlink Wi-Fi, and the airline has now reached an impressive milestone, as flagged by Executive Traveller.
In this post:
All Hawaiian Airlines A321neos have Starlink Wi-Fi
Earlier this year, Hawaiian Airlines started the process of rolling out free, high speed Wi-Fi. The airline first worked on getting the Wi-Fi connectivity on its Airbus A321neo fleet. There’s now a major update, as the carrier’s entire fleet of 18 A321neos now features inflight connectivity. That’s a pretty impressive pace, when you consider the first aircraft only got this service installed in February.
Hawaiian Airlines’ Wi-Fi is being offered in partnership with SpaceX Starlink, which is the fastest inflight connectivity that you’ll find on any airline. Starlink offers reliable high speed, low latency inflight internet. With latency as low as 30ms, passengers can stream video content and much more.
Historically Hawaiian hasn’t offered any inflight Wi-Fi, which makes this development all the more exciting. It’s not even that Hawaiian is upgrading its Wi-Fi or making it free, but the airline is introducing it in the first place. How cool to go from no Wi-Fi, to high speed Wi-Fi that’s free.
Hawaiian Airlines A330s will get Starlink Wi-Fi soon
Hawaiian Airlines has plans to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi throughout its long haul fleet (defined as any aircraft not offering inter-island service). In addition to Airbus A321neos, you can expect Starlink will also eventually be installed on Airbus A330s and Boeing 787s. The only aircraft that won’t get Starlink are the Boeing 717s that exclusively operate inter-island flights.
So, with what timeline should we expect Hawaiian’s remaining fleet to feature Starlink, now that the Airbus A321neos have it?
- The first Airbus A330-200 should get Wi-Fi this summer (in June or July), and then the plan is for all 24 of these jets to feature Wi-Fi before the end of 2024
- Hawaiian has started taking delivery of Boeing 787-9s (with new business class suites), and those will eventually get Starlink Wi-Fi, though there’s not an exact timeline yet, as they’re being delivered without it
Bottom line
Hawaiian Airlines is rolling out Starlink Wi-Fi at an impressive pace. At this point all of the carrier’s A321neos feature Wi-Fi, and all A330-200s should feature Wi-Fi before the end of 2024. Then 787-9s will also eventually get this technology, though the timeline remains to be seen.
It’s great to see high speed, free Wi-Fi become an increasingly common feature.
What do you make of Hawaiian Airlines’ Starlink Wi-Fi?
There are currently no responses to this story.
Be the first to respond.