Hawaiian Airlines has started to roll out Starlink internet service on some of its flights, thus becoming the first major carrier to offer Elon Musk’s popular satellite-based internet service.
Passengers on flight HA70, from Honolulu (HNL) to Long Beach (LGB), California, on February 8, 2024, were the first to be able to enjoy the new inflight high-speed internet service, which Hawaiian Airlines is offering free of charge. The flight was operated by an Airbus A321neo, with registration N228HA.
Hawaiian Airlines expects to roll out Starlink service progressively, starting with the 18 A321 aircraft in its fleet, which will then be followed by its A330s, and finally, its Boeing 787-9s.
The Hawaiian carrier declared an intention to equip its fleet with Starlink back in April 2022, and other airlines, such as airBaltic, have since announced similar plans. In an exclusive recent interview, airBaltic’s CEO Martin Gauss confirmed that the airline’s Starlink project is well on track and expected to go live within a very short period of time.
Other airlines to have signed up with Starlink include Qatar Airways and ZipAir (a new low-cost subsidiary of Japan Airlines), plus US private charter operator JSX, which has been offering inflight internet access via Starlink since 2023.