Elon Musk said Tuesday that Delta’s chief executive “will lose his job over this,” escalating his criticism after the airline chose Amazon’s Leo satellite internet instead of Starlink for its in-flight WiFi.
Musk made the comment on September 29 while replying to travel writer Gary Leff, who reported that Delta’s CEO had criticized Musk while explaining why the airline passed on Starlink. The headline on Leff’s post quoted the Delta boss as saying “It’s All True What They Say About Him.”
Musk had said earlier Tuesday that Delta would lose customers over the Leo decision, saying “Delta will lose a lot of customers” in response to the airline’s choice for its fleet WiFi.
The latest comment shifts Musk’s criticism from Delta’s satellite internet decision to the airline’s chief executive, as Starlink and Leo compete for airline contracts.
Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite internet constellation, and it has been winning airline deals with carriers including United, American, Southwest and SWISS. Delta, one of the largest U.S. airlines, choosing Amazon’s Leo instead marks a rare high-profile loss for Starlink as it expands its in-flight WiFi business.
Just days earlier, Starship Flight 14 deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites, the first next-generation satellites to reach operational orbit. Starlink says one Starship launch carrying V3 satellites adds about 20 times as much network capacity as a Falcon 9 launch carrying V2 satellites, scaling up capacity as the in-flight WiFi competition with Amazon’s Leo heats up.
The next test will come when passengers begin using Leo at 35,000 feet, giving Delta customers a chance to judge the airline’s WiFi choice for themselves.
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