In an effort to revolutionise the way passengers travel throughout New Zealand, Air New Zealand is collaborating with Starlink, an innovative satellite internet service provider, to offer free internet on board domestic flights.
In late 2024, Starlink will be installed on an ATR and a domestic jet, a world first. In 2025, Air New Zealand plans to expand the use of Starlink internet throughout its domestic fleet of aircraft following a successful trial.
In-flight internet from Starlink is dependable, fast, and low latency. All passengers will be able to utilise the internet like never before with latency as low as 30ms. Customers of Air New Zealand will have the ability to access the internet as if they were in their lounge at home, including features like instant messaging, working while aboard, and streaming video content.
“We’re always looking at how new and innovative technology can deliver improved customer experiences and with the world’s largest satellite constellation, exploring in-motion connectivity on our aircraft with Starlink was a no brainer.
Whether travelling for work or leisure, we know maintaining seamless internet connectivity is something that will transform the travel experience for customers. Our free and accessible WiFi onboard international flights has proved incredibly popular among customers, so we can’t wait to bring connectivity to domestic flights.
Don’t worry though, if you’re the type of traveller who loves some downtime while in the air, you’re under no obligation to connect and can still use the time to switch off from the world below!”
Nikhil Ravishankar, Air New Zealand Chief Digital Officer Officer.
“We’re proud to work with Air New Zealand to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet to their aircraft and extend this game-changing in-flight connectivity experience to more passengers around the world.”
Jason Fritch a Vice President of Starlink at SpaceX.
If you are interested in learning about new technologies in the Aviation sector, contact us today to learn about our MTB Aviation events.
