Free wifi for all British Airways passengers from Elon Musk's Starlink - including from Scottish airports
Internet access aboard airline’s entire fleet starting next year
All British Airways (BA) passengers will be offered free wifi access in a project starting next year to give it an edge on competitors, the airline announced on Thursday.
The technology will be provided by Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which has already been fitted to ScotRail trains on the Far North Line between Inverness and Wick/Thurso.
BA flies between Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Heathrow and London City airports, along with several summer European routes from Scotland.
The move follows Air France becoming the first major European airline to offer free wifi, with five aircraft equipped, 30 per cent of the fleet to follow by the end of the year and the rest by the end of 2026. BA has not said when its fleet will be fully equipped.
BA said: “All customers will be able to enjoy complimentary gate to gate, super-fast wifi, allowing them to stream video, work and remain connected on multiple devices.”
The airline said the development was part of a £7 billion BA “transformation plan” announced last year, which included “vast improvements across the customer experience”, such as in punctuality, food and drink, check in and boarding. A lounge at Glasgow Airport is among several to have been renovated.
Chairman and chief executive Sean Doyle said Starlink would be a “major milestone in the airline’s transformation journey”.
He said: “We’re continuing to focus on transforming our customer experience. Launching Starlink on both our long-haul and short-haul aircraft is game-changing for us and our customers, elevating their experience on board our flights by offering them seamless connectivity from gate-to-gate.
“Especially on short haul, this will really differentiate us from our competitors.
“Our customers will be able to enjoy lightning-fast, low-lag internet from the moment they board to the moment they land - even over oceans and remote regions. It’s wifi that feels like home, even at 38,000 feet.”
BA also plans a new app next year and a new first class cabin on long-haul flights, which will include the airline’s widest and longest seat and bed.
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