airBaltic will equip their entire fleet with SpaceX’s Starlink internet connectivity system. Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in over 40 countries. The carrier will work with SpaceX to achieve supplement type certification to begin installation.
On Tuesday (January 10, 2023), airBaltic announced that they will equip their entire fleet of Airbus A220-300s with SpaceX’s Starlink connectivity system. The carrier will work with SpaceX to obtain the required supplemental type certificate (STC) and expects to begin installation this year. Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in over 40 countries. The system’s low-earth orbit satellites are positioned at an altitude of 550 km, over 65 times closer than conventional geostationary satellites. Starlink can deliver up to 350 Mbps to aircraft, and with a latency as low as 20 ms, passengers can enjoy activities such as online gaming, VPNs and other high data rate activities.
In Tuesday’s announcement, airBaltic’s Chief Executive Officer, Martin Gauss, said,
“This marks a historic moment for our airline and the industry as a whole. Soon airBaltic will become the first airline in Europe to launch high-speed, unlimited, and free-of-charge satellite internet on board. We are excited to further improve our service to our passengers who will soon benefit from this internet connectivity onboard our flights within the airBaltic network in Europe and beyond. We are glad to have found the right connectivity provider – SpaceX’s Starlink – that fits our needs and meets our wishes. Having the most modern aircraft type on the market, it was the next logical step for airBaltic to implement the most modern available inflight internet solution on this fleet.”
Also commenting on the new connectivity partnership, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink, Jonathan Hofeller, added,
“By becoming the first European airline to implement Starlink fleetwide, airBaltic is setting a new standard in ensuring its passengers have an internet experience that they have come to expect in our modern age. With Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet, airBaltic passengers will have internet similar to or better than what they experience at home. Customers will walk on the plane and the internet will simply work, making the stress of login pages and downloading large files before takeoff a thing of the past.”
Established in 1995, Air Baltic Corporation SA (airBaltic) is a joint stock company with most of the equity (97.96%) held by the Latvian state and the remaining 2.04 percent held by other shareholders. The airline Group also includes Air Baltic Training SIA, Loyalty Services SIA, Baltijas Kravu Centrs SIA and Crew Resources AS. One of the most punctual carriers in the world, the airline connects the Baltic region to over 70 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and the CIS with a fleet of 39 Airbus A220-300s. airBaltic employs over 2,100 team members.
Source: airBaltic
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