Frontier joins airlines betting on Starlink to lure travellers

The Denver-based airline is the first ultra-low-cost U.S. carrier to sign on with Elon Musk’s Starlink as the ​company competes with Amazon’s Kuiper for airline customers ​to provide in-flight Wi-Fi.

Frontier Airlines said on Tuesday it will launch in-flight Wi-Fi using SpaceX’s Starlink satellite ​internet and start installing it across its fleet ‌in early 2027.

The Denver-based airline is the first ultra-low-cost U.S. carrier to sign on with Elon Musk’s Starlink as the ​company competes with Amazon’s Kuiper for airline customers ​to provide in-flight Wi-Fi.

Airlines are increasingly turning to ⁠premium amenities to differentiate themselves from competitors. Frontier’s ​Starlink rollout follows the airline’s introduction of first-class seating ​and loyalty program changes aimed at winning over higher spenders.

“We’re continuing to invest in the products and services that matter most ​to our customers,” Chief Executive Officer Jimmy Dempsey said ​in a statement.

The carrier did not disclose the terms of the ‌deal. ⁠Installing Starlink can require a substantial investment, running into the hundreds of millions of dollars for large fleets.

Frontier is among the five Indigo Partners portfolio airlines that expect to ​install Starlink on ​more than ⁠1,000 aircraft.

Still, not all low-cost carriers are convinced the economics work. Ryanair and EasyJet ​have flagged the costs associated with in-flight connectivity, ​highlighting ⁠the debate over whether premium products can generate enough additional revenue to justify the investment for budget carriers.

Starlink ⁠uses ​thousands of low-Earth-orbit satellites, which generally ​provide faster connections and lower latency than traditional geostationary satellite systems.

আরও