Elon Musk’s Starlink signs second deal to provide in-flight internet

Bengaluru — Elon Musk’s Starlink will provide in-flight wireless internet on Hawaiian Airlines’ transpacific fleet, the airline said on Monday.

Under the deal, the companies are in the initial stages of implementation and the wireless internet is expected to be installed on select aircraft next year, Hawaiian said.

Starlink, a unit of SpaceX, has been in talks with various airlines for months to provide the in-flight internet service as it seeks to expand its reach beyond consumers and households in rural areas of the globe with little to no internet access.

Hawaiian said it will equip its Airbus A330 and A321neo aircraft, as well as an incoming fleet of Boeing 787-9s with Starlink’s satellite internet connectivity service.

Starlink signed its first deal with semi-private jet service JSX last week, which involves equipping 100 planes with Starlink terminals.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Delta Air Lines has held talks with Starlink and conducted exploratory tests of its technology.

SpaceX has sought regulatory approval from the US Federal Communications Commission to operate Starlink on planes and shipping vessels and has previously tested the internet network on a handful of Gulfstream jets, as well as military aircraft.

Hawaiian said it is not planning to deploy the service on its Boeing 717 aircraft, which operate short flights between the Hawaiian Islands.

Reuters