Hawaiian Airlines rolls out free Starlink Wi-Fi for passengers on its Airbus fleet
HONOLULU - Hawaiian Airlines in Honolulu has completed the rollout of Starlink's high-speed, low-latency Wi-Fi across its fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft. The airline announced that passengers on all Airbus-operated flights between Hawaii and the mainland U.S., Asia, and Oceania will now have access to free in-flight internet.
Hawaiian Airlines began offering Starlink on its Airbus A321neo planes in February and has now expanded the service to cover its entire fleet of 24 A330s. The airline plans to install the system on its Boeing 787-9s, but not on its Boeing 717 aircraft, which are used for shorter inter-island routes.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, provides in-flight internet using a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This setup allows for faster speeds and lower latency compared to traditional satellite systems, making it possible for passengers to access the internet even over remote regions like the Pacific Ocean.
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To connect to the satellites, the planes are equipped with flat-panel antennas mounted on the fuselage. These antennas maintain a continuous link with Starlink satellites, using phased array technology to ensure a stable connection throughout the flight. Hawaiian says passengers can connect to the Wi-Fi as soon as they board, with speeds fast enough for activities like streaming, working, and gaming.
"Becoming the first major airline to offer travelers Starlink at no cost is a remarkable achievement for our team, and we couldn't be more pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response from guests who have been enjoying our industry-leading connectivity onboard," said Evan Nomura, director of inflight entertainment and connectivity at Hawaiian Airlines.
Hawaiian Airlines cited Starlink's laser mesh network as a key factor in delivering reliable service across its global routes, including long-haul flights over the Pacific, with no interruptions since the system’s implementation.
