HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaiian Airlines on Monday announced its partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide free wireless internet on flights between the islands and the U.S. mainland, Asia and Oceania.
“With Starlink, the inflight experience is greatly simplified so that once passengers step onboard the plane the internet works seamlessly throughout their flight,” said SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales Jonathan Hofeller. “Soon, passengers will enjoy all the benefits of having the world’s best inflight internet connectivity from the comfort of their seats.”
Hawaiian Airlines said it’s the first major airline to announce this deal with Elon Musk’s space company. It’s still in the early stages of implementation, with installation expected to begin next year.
“When we launch with Starlink we will have the best connectivity experience available in the air. We waited until technology caught up with our high standards for guest experience, but it will be worth the wait.”
Peter Ingram, Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO
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Passengers will be able to stream content, play games live with friends and connect on social media. They won’t have to register or go through payment portals. Connecting to the internet will be immediate.