Emirates has introduced the low Earth orbit satellite communication service “Starlink,” provided by SpaceX, on its Airbus A380 aircraft.
In Newquay, United Kingdom, the airline installed three antennas and wireless access points on each aircraft. After completing certification, the aircraft are being ferried to Dubai. Installation work will soon begin at Emirates Engineering in Dubai as well, accelerating deployment across the entire fleet. Starlink has already been installed on 25 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
Emirates’ Airbus A380s were among the first passenger aircraft in the world to offer in-flight internet services. The initial bandwidth was less than 1 Mbps. With Starlink, the airline reports that it has achieved bandwidth exceeding 2 Gbps. The service will be offered free of charge. Going forward, live TV via streaming will first be made available on personal devices, and later on seatback monitors.
The low Earth orbit satellite communication service provided by Starlink is characterized by high-speed and low-latency connectivity. Starlink has already been adopted by airlines such as ZIPAIR Tokyo, Qatar Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, and United Airlines.
