British Airways and its parent company, IAG, are considering teaming up with Starlink to provide faster Wi-Fi on planes.
Starlink, run by SpaceX, uses thousands of satellites orbiting closer to Earth to deliver internet, promising speeds closer to what people are used to at home.
IAG, which also owns Spain’s Iberia and Ireland’s Aer Lingus, hasn’t made a decision yet. They’re also talking to Amazon, which is working on its own satellite internet system, Project Kuiper. But the system is far from getting online, compared to the pace of Starlink, which is able to launch its own satellites into space.
“We are working a lot, both with Starlink and with Amazon’s Kuiper,” Gigante said, in an interview with Bloomberg. “We’ve got some really exciting things coming up, but that’s going to be for next year.”
U.S. airlines have a head start on making internet better on plans because Starlink is certified for use by the Federal Aviation Administration. However, European airlines like British Airways need additional certifications, which slows down the rollout.
Starlink has already signed deals with airlines like United Airlines, Qatar Airways, and AirBaltic. Amazon’s Kuiper, meanwhile, plans to launch its first satellites next year and start offering service by the end of 2025.
