Air Baltic Becomes First European Airline to Offer Free Starlink

DALLAS - Latvian flag carrier Air Baltic (BT) is set to introduce complimentary high-speed internet on all flights for all passengers, irrespective of class of service. 

As part of the carrier's ambitious growth, this is a significant leap as BT becomes the first airline in Europe to offer the service and pave the way for others to follow.

BT's entire fleet of Airbus A220s will be equipped with SpaceX's Starlink internet connectivity system. Passengers will be able to log in and gain access right from the moment they board the aircraft.

Who's the Internet Provider?

As the airline states in a recent release, "Developed by SpaceX, Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in over 40 countries and counting around the world and began serving commercial aircraft last year with in-flight high-speed internet. 

"With satellites positioned in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 550 km, over 65 times closer than conventional geostationary satellites, Starlink achieves significantly lower latency and higher transmission speeds for its end users. Starlink can deliver up to 350 Mbps to aircraft".

"Historic Moment"

Martin Gauss, Chief Executive Officer of airBaltic, said, "This marks a historic moment for our airline and the industry as a whole. Soon airBaltic will become the first airline in Europe to launch high-speed, unlimited, and free-of-charge satellite internet on board. We are excited to further improve our service to our passengers who will soon benefit from this internet connectivity onboard our flights within the airBaltic network in Europe and beyond."

"We are glad to have found the right connectivity provider – SpaceX's Starlink – that fits our needs and meets our wishes. Having the most modern aircraft type on the market, it was the next logical step for airBaltic to implement the most modern available inflight internet solution on this fleet," he added.

The airBaltic fleet stands 39 strong - made solely of the Airbus A220-300, flying to over 70 destinations. Work to install the necessary equipment on all the jets and to secure the required approvals will commence this year.

https://airwaysmag.com/airbaltic-a220-business-review/

Featured Image: Air Baltic has focused its fleet around the venerable A220. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways