United Airlines has begun connecting regional jets to SpaceX's Starlink network. This ultimately provides free Wi-Fi to customers across the US airline fleet.
Chicago Head Office United said it plans to surpass 40 regional jets per month from May on March 7th until the end of the year, when StarLink technology needs to be remodeled across the 500-person regional fleet.
According to airline business fleet data, United operates 236 Embraer E Jets and 98 older ERJs in addition to the 182 MHIRJ CRJ Regional Jets.
Ultimately, carriers will upgrade their entire 1,000 narrow bodies and wide body fleets using technology “about 10 times faster than installing non-Starlink equipment,” United says. The complete process is expected to take several years.
United previously used Internet provider Gogo for Wi-Fi with Embraer and Mhirj Regional Jets.
Enhanced connectivity allows United passengers to access live streaming, gaming, messaging and e-commerce services during local flights.
The carrier says it will take about eight hours to install StarLink on local jets, including the time required to remove previous equipment. Each aircraft will suspend service for an estimated four days, compared to the average 10 or more days of downtime required by “other in-flight providers.”
According to United, the Starlink unit is a heavy-duty one, and it comes in 39kg (85lb) compared to the replacement, which is close to 135kg.
Elon Musk's Starlink is increasingly targeting commercial aviation contracts as Hawaiian Airlines and Air France are set up to connect to the constellations of small satellites in low Earth orbit.
Musk is also pushing to take over a $2.4 billion contract to overhaul the Federal Aviation Administration communications technology used to support air traffic control. According to the Washington Post, the deal was originally awarded to Verizon, but it seems likely that it will now be offered to SpaceX.
