Air New Zealand is the latest airline to onboard SpaceX’s Starlink technology to provide free, high-speed, low-latency inflight internet on domestic aircraft, starting in late 2024 and throughout 2025.
The first Air New Zealand domestic aircraft will have Starlink installed in late 2024 for an initial demonstration period of four to six months. In a world first, Starlink will also be installed on an ATR.
After a successful trial, Air New Zealand will look to roll out Starlink internet on other aircraft in its domestic fleet in 2025.
During the initial demonstration period, cabin crew will let passengers know if they can connect to the internet while on the flight.
Starlink offers reliable, high-speed, low-latency inflight internet that will allow Air NZ passengers to stream video content, work on board and instantly message while connected to multiple devices.
Air New Zealand Chief Digital Officer Nikhil Ravishankar said the partnership demonstrates the airline’s commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences at every point of the journey.
“We’re always looking at how new and innovative technology can deliver improved customer experiences and with the world’s largest satellite constellation, exploring in-motion connectivity on our aircraft with Starlink was a no-brainer,” he said.
Vice President of Starlink at SpaceX Jason Fritch said: “We’re proud to work with Air New Zealand to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet to their aircraft and extend this game-changing in-flight connectivity experience to more passengers around the world.”
Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to other global travel companies, including Qatar Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Norwegian Cruise Holdings Ltd, Royal Caribbean Group, Carnival Cruise Line and Hurtigruten Expeditions.
For more info, head to airnewzealand.com
