Air France's Embraer E190 Fleet First In Line For Starlink
PARIS—Air France will start its fleet-wide rollout of SpaceX’s Starlink inflight broadband by installing the system on its Embraer E190s.
“The first aircraft equipped with Starlink technology are expected in the coming months,” Air France CEO Anne Rigail told journalists at the carrier’s new year press conference Jan. 14.
“The service will be deployed progressively throughout the whole fleet,” a spokesperson added. “The first aircraft equipped [with Starlink] should be aircraft in the regional fleet, Embraer 190s. The regional fleet was not equipped with Wi-Fi previously; this evolution will allow us to have a 100%-connected fleet.”
Air France announced last September that it had chosen the Starlink product, delivered through satellites in low Earth orbit, to “revolutionize” its onboard Wi-Fi. The selection is part of a broader drive at the airline to improve its passenger experience and move upmarket to capitalize on growing premium travel demand.
Rigail said the service should allow passengers to access Wi-Fi onboard “like they do at home.”
When Air France announced Starlink, the airline said the service would be available free of charge to Flying Blue loyalty program members across all classes, while non-Flying Blue members would have the possibility of creating an account to access the connectivity.
Other carriers opting for Starlink for their Wi-Fi provision include United Airlines, Qatar Airways and airBaltic.
