Next week will see the first Lufthansa Group flight take off with Starlink inflight connectivity services available on board. On Wednesday, 19th August a Lufthansa (DLH) Airbus A320neo – the first group aircraft with the new product – will take off with a cabin wi-fi experience the airline says will be as fast, or even faster, than their internet connection at home or in the office.
Lufthansa Group is working with Starlink to equip a total of 850 aircraft across all its airlines. The systems, supported by low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology, will be rolled out across the group’s airlines, namely Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Edelweiss, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa City Airlines, and Eurowings.
“I am excited to announce the launch of the new Lufthansa Group wi-fi on board our Group aircraft. With it, we’re making high-speed internet an integral part of the travel experience, across all travel classes and on all Lufthansa Group airlines. That is how we understand premium,” said Dieter Vranckx, chief commercial officer of the Lufthansa Group.
“By 2029, all of the Group’s approximately 850 aircraft will be equipped with the technology. Our product promise doesn’t end with the seats or the menu – today, connectivity is also an integral part of a truly outstanding onboard experience.” he added.
The Starlink internet service will be free to use for all Miles & More customers and Travel ID users, across all travel classes. Given the closely seated nature of an aircraft cabin there are of course a few conditions of use. Aside from the usual limits on potentially offensive content, passenger surveys by Lufthansa Group led it to stipulate that passengers should always wear headphones when playing audio and video content, to refrain from making voice and video calls, and not to broadcast live streams from aboard their aircraft.
