Virgin Atlantic takes the inflight entertainment on its A350s seriously, with RAVE Aerospace IFE systems, and content for its Vera platform supplied by Stellar Entertainment (audio programming) and All3Media International (movies and TV). This week (26th May) saw the airline take its entertainment a step further, with a special live inflight performance by Sugababes, the British girl group.
If you weren’t on the flight, you can still see the performance, and the exclusive onboard Q&A session, for yourself, as it was live-streamed from 35,000 ft to audiences around the world via the aircraft’s Starlink wi-fi system. The gig can be watched on Virgin Atlantic’s Instagram page.
The Sugababes members, Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy (great to see them back together) performed some of their biggest hits, including Push The Button, Too Lost in You and About You Now. The venue was a little smaller than they are used to: The Loft, which is the social space in Virgin Atlantic’s A350 Upper Class cabin.
The Sugababes said in a statement: “We always said the sky was the limit – turns out, it’s just the beginning! Taking live music to the skies and turning an airplane into a global stage is unlike anything we’ve ever done. The idea that fans around the world can experience it with us in real time makes it even more surreal. We can’t wait to make history at 35,000 feet. See you above the clouds.”
The inflight concert was more than just a marketing event and a surprise for customers on the flight from London to New York. It was a high-profile way to demonstrate the capabilities of its Starlink inflight connectivity system. Sugababes fans will appreciate that the IFC system wasn’t Overloaded, and indeed there were no Catfights.
Starlink’s advanced satellite constellation operates in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) to deliver high-speed, low-latency inflight wi-fi services to airlines. With thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit, Starlink can deliver multi-gigabit connectivity to aircraft using its Aero Terminal, which can support up to 1 Gbps per antenna.
The system was up to the task of livestreaming the Sugababes’ inflight gig, demonstrating it is capable of more everyday requirements of passengers, such as browsing the internet, streaming content to devices, working, taking brief audio calls and of course messaging.
The Starlink wi-fi service is being rolled out across Virgin Atlantic’s aircraft fleet, starting with the Airbus A350s, then progressing to its the Boeing 787 and Airbus A330neo aircraft. The airline plans to deliver full fleet connectivity in 2027. The service will be available in every cabin class: Economy, Premium, and Upper Class cabin.
The thousands of satellites can also service all Virgin Atlantic routes, including over oceans and remote areas, whether over North America, the Caribbean, Nigeria or the Maldives.
“This isn’t just about introducing wi-fi, it’s about showing what it can do,” said Juha Jaervinen, Virgin Atlantic’s chief customer officer. “By livestreaming a performance from 35,000ft, we’re demonstrating the power of Starlink to deliver a seamless, high-quality connection in the air, just as our customers expect on the ground.”
