Qatar Airways launches world’s first Starlink-equipped flight

QATAR – Qatar Airways has partnered with Elon Musk’s Starlink to roll out high-speed internet across its fleet.

Qatar Airways operated its first Starlink-equipped Boeing 777 aircraft from Doha to London on October 22, making the airline the largest and first carrier in the MENA region to offer passengers Starlink ultra-high-speed, low-latency internet.

Starlink is free to all passengers and operates from gate to gate.

With this development, Qatar Airways aims to provide consistent in-flight connectivity across its routes, supporting personal and work-related needs during travel.

The national carrier is also set to exceed its initial target of three Starlink-equipped aircraft by introducing 12 Boeing 777-300s upgraded with this service by the end of 2024. 

Qatar Airways has further committed to rolling out the technology on its entire Boeing 777 fleet in 2025 – one year ahead of schedule – with the Airbus A350 fleet following in the summer of 2025.

Engineered by SpaceX, Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit. 

It will provide passengers with reliable, high-speed internet so they can stay connected with friends and family, stream entertainment, watch live sports, play online games, or work efficiently while in the air—all for free and with simple one-click access.

“By providing Starlink 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,” Qatar Airways’ group CEO, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: 

Qatar Airways joins other airlines, such as United and Air France, which have also announced partnerships with Starlink to roll out WiFi services onboard.

Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit. It will provide passengers with 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—all of this will be free of charge on QR flights, with ‘one-click’ access.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE