Qatar Airways Makes the Move to Starlink for IFC Service

Photo: Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways, one of the largest airlines in the Middle East, has selected SpaceX‘s Starlink service to improve its in-flight connectivity (IFC) services to customers. Qatar Airways announced the deal on Oct. 13.

Qatar Airways said in a May 29 update that three Boeing 777-300 aircraft will first receive Starlink Wi-Fi connectivity by the fourth quarter of this year, with the entire modern fleet being upgraded with this cutting-edge technology over the next two years.

Starlink is already working with the likes of JSX, Hawaiian Airlines, airBaltic, and ZIPAIR, and rolled out the Starlink Aviation service last year.

Once the service is active, passengers will be able to use Wi-Fi speeds of up to 500 Mbps which can be used for a variety of internet-based services such as video streaming, gaming, enriched web-browsing and much more.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer commented: “This exciting collaboration with Starlink is a testament to our customer-first mindset and commitment to elevating our passengers’ experience to unprecedented heights, as we continue furthering our innovative offerings to meet and exceed passengers’ expectations throughout their journey with Qatar Airways.”

“With Starlink set to support the entire Qatar Airways fleet, passengers traveling between over 160 destinations around the world will be able to stay connected with the most advance high-speed internet service from space. In fact, as soon as passengers step onboard the plane the internet works seamlessly throughout their flight from gate to gate, and all from the comfort of their seats,” Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s vice president of Starlink Commercial Sales, said in an October statement.

This story was originally published in October 2023 and updated on May 29, 2024 with more details about the rollout