Until now, when traveling by plane, we were doomed to either complete disconnection from the network or to horrendously expensive in-flight internet plans, and this is also not the case with all airlines, only with larger ones and on long-haul routes. However, this is slowly changing. All thanks to satellites, specifically those from Elon Musk. Starlinks, which are extremely popular in areas without access to the network, and also support the fighting Ukrainians, have found a new application.
Starlink is a satellite internet system developed by SpaceX, consisting of thousands of small satellites orbiting in low Earth orbit. Thanks to this solution, it is possible to provide broadband internet even in places where traditional network infrastructure is unavailable: in a lake house, in the mountains, during a camping trip or, more recently, in the air.
And it is precisely air that is key here. Such a pioneering step was taken by the Latvian airline airBaltic, which, in cooperation with Elon Musk's SpaceX, offered passengers free, fast internet on board its newest aircraft, the Airbus A220.
The first commercial flight with Starlink internet access took place on February 21, 2025 on the route from Riga to Munich.
– This is a historic milestone for airBaltic and a true revolution in European aviation. As the first European airline to integrate Starlink from SpaceX, we are redefining what it means to connect in the skies. This is not just an improvement – it is a breakthrough in air travel. We are proud to be at the forefront of this change and to deliver the future of connectivity to our passengers today, said Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic.
Passengers could enjoy a free connection with a download speed of around 50 Mb/s from the very first step on board, which is sufficient for free browsing of the internet, remote work, and even streaming movies. Perhaps with time and the development of technology in the aviation version, the speed will increase even more. SpaceX declares that it is able to reach up to 500 Mb/s.
Tests for now, but soon the whole fleet
SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Business Operations Chad Gibbs announced that within a year, airBaltic’s entire fleet of 49 Airbus A220s will be equipped with Starlink technology, providing passengers with internet access from boarding to landing.
Polish passengers will also be able to benefit. The Latvian carrier flies between Riga and Warsaw, Krakow and Rzeszow.
AO.
