The low cost company Wizz Air has announced that it will install Elon Musk’s internet

Wizz Air will be the first European ultra low cost carrier to commit to installing the system across its fleet. Until now, high-speed in-flight Internet services were mainly associated with scheduled airlines, wide-body aircraft and luxury classes. Wizz Air’s move may change the perception that a passenger who chooses a cheap ticket must almost completely give up connectivity during the flight.

Starlink is a satellite internet system operated by Elon Musk’s space company SpaceX. Unlike old satellite systems that were mainly based on satellites moving at a very high altitude above the Earth, the Starlink network consists of thousands of small satellites in relatively low orbit. The shorter distance between the plane and the satellites shortens the information transfer time and enables a higher browsing rate and a lower response time.

During the flight, an antenna mounted on the fuselage communicates with Starlink satellites passing over it. The system switches the connection between one satellite to another while the plane is moving along its route, and transmits the signal to a wireless network inside the passenger cabin. From the passenger’s point of view, the use should be similar to connecting to a wireless network at home, in a hotel or in a cafe.

The high-speed link may allow operations that until recently were limited or almost impossible in some aerial Internet systems, including watching movies and series in direct streaming, video calls, online games, uploading files and working remotely. The quality of the actual service depends on the number of connected users, the structure of the aircraft, the flight route, the satellite coverage and the terms of the agreement between the airline and the provider.

Wizz Air’s announcement comes after a series of deals signed by Starlink with airlines around the world. United Airlines has already installed the system on hundreds of regional aircraft, and installations on its mainline fleet are ongoing. The company plans to complete the deployment across the fleet by the end of 2027, and the service is offered free of charge to members of its frequent flyer club.

Emirates has begun installing Starlink on Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft, and plans to equip its entire active fleet with the service by mid-2027. These are 232 wide-body aircraft. The company said that the connection will be offered free of charge in all service departments. By the end of March 2026, the system had already been installed on 21 of its planes, and in April the company completed the first installation on an Airbus A380 plane.

American Airlines announced in May that it would install the system on more than 500 narrow-body planes, which are mainly used for domestic flights and short international flights. The deployment is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027. Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines have also joined the list of companies that have adopted the service.

Singapore Airlines has announced that it will begin installing Starlink in the first quarter of 2027 on Airbus A350 long-haul and ultra-long-haul aircraft and Airbus A380 aircraft. The company estimates that the deployment will be completed by the end of 2029, and the Internet will continue to be provided to passengers without restriction of use and free of charge on planes equipped with the system.

Other companies that already use the service or have announced that they will adopt it include Qatar Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Baltic, British Airways, Iberia, Welling, Aer Lingus and Laval. The Lufthansa Group also announced a plan to install the system in hundreds of aircraft belonging to the group’s companies.

For Lowcost companies this is a particularly complex decision. Their activity model is based on a cheap basic ticket and a separate payment for luggage, seat selection, food and other services. High-speed Internet may improve the passenger experience, but installing antennas on hundreds of planes involves shutting down planes for the work, maintenance expenses and a possible impact on fuel consumption.

The aerial internet does not cancel the airplane mode on the device. Passengers will still be required to switch the phone to flight mode according to the crew’s instructions, and then turn on the wireless connection and connect to the plane’s network. The use of normal voice calls on the cellular network remains subject to the airline’s instructions and the regulations applicable in each country.