WestJet Airlines will offer an internet connection service using SpaceX’s low Earth orbit satellite communication service, “Starlink”, starting December.
The service is provided in partnership with Canada’s major telecommunications company TELUS, and a strategic partnership has been signed for multiple years. It will be provided free of charge to WestJet Rewards members. There will also be additional exclusive benefits for TELUS customers.
The service will offer bandwidth capable of live streaming videos and online games, providing a high-speed internet environment with low latency. The installation will be completed on single-aisle aircraft by 2025 and on wide-body aircraft by 2026.
Airlines that have announced the adoption of Starlink include ZIPAIR Tokyo and Qatar Airways, with over 1,000 aircraft already scheduled for installation. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk commented that using Starlink on airplanes would feel like “using high-speed terrestrial fiber optic connections”.
