
From September 28th, Switzerland’s national airline, SWISS, is gradually introducing Starlink-powered Wi-Fi on board its planes, with three aircraft the first to feature the new service.
The first flight, on September 28th, to feature the satellite-powered “fast and reliable internet bandwith” was the one connecting Zurich and Thessaloniki onboard the Airbus A320neo.
“SWISS will equip three more aircraft from the Airbus A320 family with the new internet connectivity,” the airline said.
“The installation will then continue gradually across the fleet. By the end of 2029, the entire SWISS fleet is expected to be equipped with the new technology.”
Starlink is a satellite internet system that uses a massive network in low Earth orbit (LEO) to deliver high-speed broadband.
With time, “connectivity will become even faster, more reliable and available across the entire SWISS fleet,” the company said.
The internet service will be available free of charge for Miles & More members and Travel ID users, across all travel classes.
Passengers will be able to send messages, share photos and use a wide range of online services in mid-air.
What about Edelweiss?
SWISS’ sister airline announced earlier this year that it will “equip its entire fleet” – Airbus A320, Airbus A320neo, and Airbus A350 – with Starlink’s internet.
The timing of the rollout is, however…up in the air.
“The exact timetable for the gradual equipping of the Edelweiss fleet is currently still being planned,” the airline said.