Qatar Airways has taken the future of in-flight connectivity to new heights by operating the world’s first Starlink-equipped Boeing 777 aircraft from Doha to London on Tuesday, 22 October 2024. With this roll-out, Qatar Airways has become the first airline 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.
Passengers can now stay entertained and connected throughout their journey, streaming their favourite shows and live sports, enjoying online gaming, or working seamlessly at 35,000 feet – all completely free of charge
The national carrier of the State of Qatar is also set to exceed its initial target of three Starlink-equipped aircraft by introducing 12 Boeing 777-300s upgraded with this innovative 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.
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.
Engineered by SpaceX, Starlink is the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit that 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 – all for free and with a simple ‘one-click-access’.
Thrilled to launch the first Starlink-equipped flight, group chief executive, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, Qatar Airways said: “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 the things they love the most even at 35,000 feet, making every journey with us a memorable one.”
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,” said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
With the launch of its first Starlink-equipped flight, Qatar Airways has achieved several industry-firsts, including:
- 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
The Starlink-equipped aircraft will operate on select routes as the airline pushes forward its roll-out plans.
