On Monday, Brussels Airlines launched its first flight featuring high-speed Wi-Fi on board. The service is provided by Starlink, the satellite network of SpaceX, the American aerospace company owned by billionaire Elon Musk.
Brussels Airlines aims to have 15 aircraft equipped with the service by the first half of 2027. Eventually, all Brussels Airlines aircraft and approximately 850 aircraft from the Lufthansa Group will offer Starlink Wi-Fi.
Free for all passengers with a Travel ID or Miles & More account
With Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi, passengers can enjoy internet speeds in the air that are often faster than their home or office connection. During the flight, passengers can watch videos, work in the cloud, and use other applications that require a fast internet connection.
The internet service is free for frequent flyers with a Miles & More account and for travelers who create a Travel ID profile. However, there a a few guidelines to ensure other passengers are not disturbed.
For example, users must always use headphones or earbuds when playing audio or videos, may not make voice or video calls, and may not broadcast live streams from the plane.
Target for general rollout is 2029
“I’m excited to see Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi being rolled out at Brussels Airlines,” says Dieter Vranckx, chairman of Brussels Airlines and Chief Commercial Officer of Lufthansa Group.
“With it, we’re making high-speed internet an integral part of the travel experience – across all travel classes. Our product promise doesn’t end with the seats or the menu. Today, seamless connectivity is part of what makes the onboard experience truly exceptional.”
The first Lufthansa aircraft equipped with Starlink entered service on August 19. Starlink is partnering with the Lufthansa Group to equip approximately 850 aircraft across the group’s airlines with Wi-Fi. Because the rollout is done on a per-aircraft basis, not every flight operated by a Lufthansa airline has Starlink yet. The target date for this is 2029.
According to the company, this makes the Lufthansa Group the largest airline group in Europe to equip its entire fleet with this modern high-speed internet solution.
