DIGIVESTASI - SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced that the satellite-based internet service Starlink is now operational on over 1,000 airlines. This announcement highlights the significant expansion of Starlink, which uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, in the aviation sector. Through his social media account on X (formerly Twitter), @elonmusk, Musk stated that the internet connection on planes using Starlink continues to offer high speeds.

"Starlink is now operational on over 1,000 planes! Using Starlink on a plane feels like you’re on high-speed fiber optic internet on the ground," said Elon Musk on Thursday (July 25, 2024).

However, Musk did not detail the list of airlines that have connected to Starlink's internet service. Meanwhile, the official Starlink account, @Starlink, on X mentioned that Starlink provides high-speed internet to passengers. Starlink also plans to continue expanding its internet service to other airlines.

"Starlink keeps passengers connected with high-speed internet from the moment they board the plane. We currently have contracts to connect over 1,000 planes and are continuing to grow worldwide!" said the statement from the account. Canadian airline WestJet is one of those that have signed an agreement with Starlink. WestJet, through a blog post on its official website, announced that starting December 2024, the airline will provide high-speed internet from Starlink in Canada.

"WestJet and TELUS will be the first in Canada to leverage Starlink technology to deliver best-in-class high-speed internet starting December 2024," it said on Thursday (July 25, 2024). WestJet will become the largest commercial Boeing 737 airline in North America to offer in-flight connectivity supported by Starlink technology, which includes the world’s largest satellite constellation.

Starlink was chosen as WestJet’s new aviation technology partner because of its ability to provide adequate bandwidth and the lowest latency internet. The new platform will be deployed before the end of 2024, with plans to complete installation on WestJet’s modern narrow-body fleet by the end of 2025. All wide-body aircraft are planned to be upgraded by the end of 2026.

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