Qatar Airways expects to equip entire fleet with Starlink connectivity by end-2025: Group CEO

National carrier Qatar Airways expects to equip its entire fleet with Starlink ultra-high-speed, low-latency Internet “by the end of next year or beginning of the following year”, said the airline's Group Chief Executive Officer Badr Mohammed al-Meer.

Participating in a ‘Newsmaker interview’ at the Doha Forum yesterday, al-Meer said, “The project is moving forward...and on a very fast track. By the year-end, we will have it on 14 aircraft. By April or May 2025, we will have it on 50 or 60 aircraft. It is not taking us too long to install... but because we don’t have enough kits.”

Al-Meer said, “Being connected is very important. There is a very high demand from people to stay connected, either through phone calls, WhatsApp or streaming. Especially on long haul."

Al-Meer said, “The Starlink service will be offered free of charge for everybody on board”.

Engineered by SpaceX, Starlink is the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit that will provide passengers reliable, high-speed Internet so they can stay connected with friends and family, stream their favourite entertainment, watch live sports, play online games, or work efficiently at 35,000 feet – all for free and with a simple ‘one-click-access’.

As the first-ever service of its kind in the Mena region, the collaboration with Starlink marks a new milestone for Qatar’s national carrier. This strategic initiative will further elevate the airline’s "unparalleled" on-board experience.

In an earlier press release, Qatar Airways’ said, “This press release, along with accompanying multimedia files, was dispatched directly from the first Starlink-equipped flight at 35,000 feet. The Starlink-equipped aircraft will operate on select routes as the airline pushes forward its roll-out plans. This will ensure more passengers have seamless access to enhanced connectivity during their travels, elevating the Qatar Airways’ award-winning on-board experience to new heights and setting a new benchmark for in-flight excellence.”