Qatar Airways has achieved a big milestone by operating the world’s first Starlink-equipped Boeing 777 aircraft from Doha to London on Monday, 22 October, 2024.
This achievement establishes Qatar Airways, the World’s Best Airline as voted by SkyTrax 2024, as an industry leader in bringing advanced technology on board. The airline is the largest and first carrier in the MENA region to offer passengers Starlink ultra-high-speed and low-latency internet. Starlink is free to all passengers and operates from gate to gate.
The airline is also set to exceed its initial target of three Starlink-equipped aircraft, delivering 12 Boeing 777-300s upgraded with this innovative service by the end of 2024. This is with the commitment to introduce the technology to its entire Boeing 777 fleet in 2025, one year ahead of schedule, with the Airbus A350 fleet following in 2025.
This significant move highlights Qatar Airways’ commitment to bridging the gap between the skies and the ground by offering ultra-high-speed, low-latency internet. The Starlink-equipped aircraft will operate on selected routes as the airline pushes forward its roll-out plans. This will ensure more passengers have seamless access to enhanced connectivity during their travels.
Engineered by SpaceX, Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit. This orbit will provide passengers reliable, high-speed internet so they can stay connected with friends and family, stream their favourite entertainment, watch live sports, play online games, or work efficiently at 35,000 feet. This is all free of charge, and with a simple ‘one-click-access’.
Commenting on the newly Starlinked aircraft, Qatar Airways’ Group CEO Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said, “We are thrilled to launch our first Starlink-equipped flight, proving once again why Qatar Airways is at the forefront of the aviation industry. 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 reliable, seamless internet on board, we are connecting people to things they love the most even at 35,000 feet, making every journey with us a memorable one.”
On his part, Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO said, “Leveraging advanced satellites with its deep 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. Overtime you’ll find it just gets better and better. This is the minimum and it only gets better from here.”
With the launch of its first Starlink-equipped flight, Qatar Airways has achieved several industry-firsts, including the following.
- World’s first Starlink equipped Boeing Widebody 777
- First Starlink on Qatar Airways passenger aircraft
- First Starlink equipped passenger aircraft in the MENA region
- First Starlink Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for a Boeing aircraft
- Largest passenger aircraft equipped with Starlink
- Longest range Starlink equipped passenger aircraft