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Virgin Atlantic Airways has introduced a partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink to supply their passengers with ultra-fast Wi-Fi.
This makes Virgin Atlantic the primary UK air provider to strike a cope with Musk’s firm.
CEO Shai Weiss introduced the partnership on Tuesday night, although declined to touch upon how a lot the deal was value, merely including that it was “loads”.
With this transfer, the corporate goals to turn out to be the UK’s first airline to have free, streaming-quality, limitless Wi-Fi throughout their entire fleet. Roll-out is anticipated to start within the third quarter of 2026 and be accomplished by the top of 2027.
The Wi-Fi might be out there in all cabins and might be free to entry for Flying Membership members. Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership is the corporate’s frequent flyer reward scheme and is free to hitch for all travellers.
Starlink is a community of satellites owned by non-public spaceflight firm, Area X. Through the use of the low-orbit, low latency constellation, the airline is promising a quick and dependable connection in even essentially the most distant areas.
Virgin Atlantic CEO Weiss pledged a $17 billion (€14.5bn) money injection into the airline to “full our evolution from a challenger to a pacesetter and a premium, long-haul flag provider”.
In a LinkedIn put up, he continued: “We’re investing billions to fly the youngest fleet throughout the Atlantic; the primary UK airline to have free, streaming high quality, fleet-wide Wi-Fi; extra premium seats and a full retrofit of the 787 fleet; alongside a brand new app. One of the best is but to return.”
The funding may even see the corporate including extra premium seating to their Boeing 787-9 fleet from 2028, the creation of latest clubhouses in New York’s JFK and London’s Heathrow airports, and a brand new loyalty scheme for purchasers who don’t journey commonly however come again 12 months after 12 months.
Virgin Atlantic Airways has additionally partnered with OpenAI to supply “real-time voice and emotionally clever AI concierge companies”.
Corporations together with Qatar Airways, Hawaiian Airways, United Airways, and AirBaltic have all signed offers with Musk’s Starlink to supply in-flight Wi-Fi.