Le Lézard
Classified in: Tourism and vacations, Transportation, Science and technology
Subject: PDT

The Inflight Wi-Fi Revolution Now Arriving: United Signs Starlink Deal to Provide Industry-Leading Connectivity in the Sky - For Free


Starlink allows for gate-to-gate internet service and unlocks game-changing inflight entertainment experiences like access to live TV and streaming services, shopping, gaming and more, on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously

Starlink's low Earth orbit satellites deliver reliable, high-speed, low-latency internet and boost reliability over oceans and other remote areas previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals

Industry's largest agreement includes more than 1,000 aircraft

Testing begins in early 2025 with the first passenger flights expected later next year; United's culture of innovation again delivers big benefits to customers

CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United today set a new standard of inflight connectivity by signing the industry's largest agreement of its kind with SpaceX to bring Starlink's fast, reliable Wi-Fi service to the airline's mainline and regional aircraft fleet, for free.

United customers will soon enjoy the same high-speed, low-latency internet service in the air that they enjoy on the ground. The new, gate-to-gate connectivity will unlock game-changing experiences in the sky at scale that no other major U.S. airline provides like access to live TV and streaming services, social media, shopping, gaming and more, on seatback screens and personal devices simultaneously.

United expects to have Starlink on all United aircraft ? more than 1,000 planes ? over the next several years. Testing begins in early 2025 with the first passenger flights expected later that year.

Starlink service on United aircraft will be free.

Leveraging advanced satellites with its deep experience in both spacecraft and on-orbit operations, Starlink is engineered by SpaceX and delivers internet access around the world, including over oceans, polar regions and other remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals. United is the largest airline across both the Atlantic and Pacific and will be the first carrier in the world to commit to offering Starlink service at this scale.

"Everything you can do on the ground, you'll soon be able to do onboard a United plane at 35,000 feet, just about anywhere in the world," said United CEO Scott Kirby. "This connectivity opens the door for an even better inflight entertainment experience, in every seatback ? more content, that's more personalized. United's culture of innovation is, once again, delivering big for our customers."

"We're excited to team up with United Airlines to transform the inflight experience," said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer at SpaceX. "With Starlink onboard your United flight, you'll have access to the world's most advanced high-speed internet from gate to gate, and all the miles in between."

United's new Starlink Wi-Fi service will include experiences like:

In addition to using Starlink connectivity on personal devices, United customers also will have access on their seatback screens. United has nearly 100,000 seatback screens across its fleet, with plans to grow these numbers as the airline continues to take delivery of new airplanes and retrofit existing aircraft with its new United signature interiors. The inflight content is available in more than 20 different languages. The new United signature interiors include 16-inch HD touch screens in each United Polaris® business class seat, 13-inch screens in every United First Class seat and 10-inch screens in every United Economy seat. In addition to seatback screens in every seat, United's new signature interior also includes Bluetooth connectivity, power in every seat, larger overhead bins with room for everyone's rollaboard and LED lighting.

The new service will also benefit United's frontline employees ? United pilots, flight attendants, technicians and gate agents all use mobile devices to help run the operation and serve customers. As United rolls out the Starlink more broadly, it will give those teams the same rich capabilities in the air, as they have on the ground including when working in remote location or when traditional services might be impacted like during power outages or natural disasters.

United's Industry-Leading Innovations

United is recognized as one of the most innovative companies in the world and has recently launched a series of policies, products and services that are industry-leading:

About United

At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".

About Starlink

Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. As the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit, Starlink delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more. Starlink is engineered and operated by SpaceX. As the world's leading provider of launch services, SpaceX is leveraging its deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations to deploy the world's most advanced broadband internet system.

United Signs Starlink Deal to Provide Industry-Leading Connectivity in the Sky - For Free

 

SOURCE United Airlines


These press releases may also interest you

at 13:27
The Siemon Company, a global leader in network infrastructure solutions, is proud to announce it has won four Gold Level 2024 CIM Cabling Innovator Awards. The Cabling Innovators Awards program recognizes organizations and individuals who drive the...

at 13:25
The "Protein Expression Market Industry Trends and Global Forecasts to 2035: Distribution by Type of Protein Expression System, Protein Expression-related Offerings, Application Area, End-users, Type of Operation, Geography and Key Players" report...

at 13:22
Canada's Commissioner of Competition, Matthew Boswell, attended the G7 Competition Authorities and Policymakers' Summit to discuss the competition concerns raised by the rapid development and uptake of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, and...

at 13:15
TransLogictm, a Swisslog Healthcare company and a leading supplier in transport automation, will showcase its healthcare consultative approach at the Healthcare Design Conference + Expo (HCD). This premier event focuses on connections and the...

at 13:15
As the Passport Bro movement continues to gain momentum, primarily driven by a growing dissatisfaction with the dating dynamics in the West, particularly with American women, Situ Ve steps forward with a refreshing and thoughtful perspective. Having...

at 13:11
Quiddity Engineering is thrilled to announce the appointment of Robert (Rob) Thornton as Senior Project Manager for the newly established Environmental Division....



News published on and distributed by: