In early 2023, Latvia’s airBaltic announced plans to introduce free, high speed Wi-Fi throughout its fleet. There’s now a major update — just over two years after the announcement, the first aircraft is taking off with this service, and it’s also the first commercial jet of a European airline to feature Starlink.
In this post:
airBaltic begins free Starlink Wi-Fi rollout
airBaltic plans to equip its entire Airbus A220-300 fleet with SpaceX’s Starlink internet connectivity system. Not only is it great that the Riga-based carrier is introducing Wi-Fi, but it’s even being offered on a complimentary basis. The connection is available gate-to-gate, with no login even required — you can just connect to the network and start browsing.
Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in around 120 countries (and counting), and started being offered on select commercial aircraft as of 2022. Because satellites are positioned in low-earth orbit at an altitude of 550km (over 65 times closer than conventional geostationary satellites), Starlink has significantly lower latency and higher transmission speeds for its end users.
Starlink can deliver up to 350 Mbps to aircraft, and with latency as low as 20 ms, passengers can use VPNs and engage in other high data usage activities.
Initially installation was supposed to start as of late 2023, though that timeline didn’t stick. The process of getting an aircraft certified to have Starlink is complicated, as it requires STC (supplemental type certification) approval. The good news is that once that’s achieved, the actual installation process is quick.
airBaltic’s first Airbus A220-300 with Starlink Wi-Fi has just entered service. Specifically, it’s the six-year-old jet with the registration code YL-CSL. This is the first jet from a European airline to feature Starlink, so that’s pretty cool.
We don’t yet know how long it will take for the entire fleet to have Wi-Fi, though presumably it’ll take at least a year (best case scenario). It might even take significantly longer than that, given that airBaltic engages in so many wet lease agreements.
Here’s how airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss describes the airline introducing Starlink Wi-Fi:
“We are excited to lead the way in Europe by offering high-speed, unlimited, and complimentary inflight connectivity onboard our flights. This first test brings good insights and moves us closer to enhancing our service for passengers travelling within the airBaltic network in Europe and beyond.”
“We are grateful to our partners at SpaceX’s Starlink for their unwavering support throughout this transformative journey. Their shared ambition and dedication perfectly complement airBaltic’s values. As we operate one of the most modern aircraft types on the market, it was the next logical step for airBaltic to introduce the cutting-edge Starlink inflight internet solution onboard this fleet.”
What an exciting development for airBaltic
airBaltic is such an impressive yet quirky airline that’s often overlooked. The company has an efficient fleet consisting exclusively of 50 Airbus A220s, with a further 40 of these planes on order. airBaltic was the launch customer for the A220, and is one of the world’s largest A220 operators.
The A220 provides a phenomenal passenger experience, thanks to the spacious cabin, 2-3 layout (so there’s only one middle seat per row), large lavatories, and generally modern feel. That already makes airBaltic one of the most pleasant airlines to fly within Europe.
Now if you add in free high-speed Wi-Fi, the airline will truly offer a differentiated experience, unlike what you’ll find on most other airline in Europe.
I still find the economics of airlines introducing Starlink Wi-Fi to be interesting. Not only are they offering a hugely elevated inflight connectivity experience, but every single airline that has announced plans to introduce Starlink has also committed to making it free.
I suspect that in reality, the entire industry is moving toward eventually offering free Wi-Fi, and airBaltic is just leading the way. In the meantime, airlines like Air France, Air New Zealand, Hawaiian Airlines, Qatar Airways, SAS, United, and WestJet, have similarly announced plans to introduce Starlink Wi-Fi, with some airlines having started the installation process.
Bottom line
airBaltic is taking its passenger experience to the next level, with the introduction of free Wi-Fi, in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink. The carrier’s first Airbus A220 is now flying with Starlink, and more planes should be fitted with this service in the coming weeks and months. This also marks the first European airline to offer this service.
What do you make of airBaltic introducing Wi-Fi?
I have read that Starlink actually mandates airlines to offer it for free, although I was not able to confirm this.
Cool to see AirBaltic do this. I wonder if they will also "turn on" the connection on their many wetlease flights?
All holier-than-thou readers, who constantly trash Musk for his political views, make sure NOT to connect to the Starlink network. Or are you - shocking revelation - hypocrites?
I never have connected to Starlink and don't foresee a situation where I will. I like using flying time as a way to disconnect from the world. Sorry I hurt your feelings by talking about your idol, though.
Saw a video of someone doing a speed test on the flight. Over 100mbps speeds. Pretty damn impressive
I wonder how many of my tax dollars are being stolen from federal agencies to boost profits for this internet company
Don't worry, you're gonna get a $5,000 "reimbursement" check and a large dose of inflation to make up for it!
So, would this development of events will put BT on your map this year? I think when you pair this with new seats with USB ports and nice pre order service, you have an airline with basically no competition from inflight product perspective in Europe.