On January 7, 2025, airBaltic announced that it had successfully conducted a certification test flight of its new SpaceX’s Starlink internet connectivity on one of its Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
This flight, which departed and landed at the airline’s main base in Riga, Latvia (RIX), is one of the necessary steps required in order to obtain the required certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
In a public statement after the conclusion of this first test flight, airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss said: “This is a game-changer in the future of air travel, and the test flight brings us one step closer to revolutionizing the travel experience for our passengers. We are thrilled to lead the way in Europe and be the first airline in this region to offer, for free, Starlink’s reliable, high-speed internet. By integrating Starlink, we are set to elevate the travel experience for passengers across the airBaltic network throughout Europe and beyond.”
Starting in Q1 2025, airBaltic aims to equip its entire A220-300 fleet with Starlink’s system, which is based on a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The Riga-based carrier will then be able to offer free, high-speed broadband to all of its passengers.
airBaltic already tested Starlink’s technology on one of its aircraft while on the ground back in March 2024.
Over the last few months, a number of prominent airlines, amongst them Qatar Airways, Air France and United Airlines, have announced plans to equip their fleets with Elon Musk’s Starlink system. As of January 2025, the largest airline offering free internet access via Starlink is Hawaiian Airlines.