Air New Zealand trials Elon Musk’s Starlink Wi-Fi on select flights

Air New Zealand is taking its Starlink Wi-Fi trial to the skies. Photo / RNZ

Air New Zealand is trialling its Starlink Wi-Fi connectivity on select domestic aircraft, which it says will offer internet to passengers “like they are in their lounge at home”.

The airline said that from today passengers flying on ZK OXE, one of the airline’s Airbus A320 domestic jets, will have access to high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity throughout their journey.

An ATR aircraft will join the trial later in the month.

The aircraft trialling Starklink’s Wi-Fi aren’t currently Wi-Fi enabled.

Air NZ said the trial is to assess customer feedback and performance and will be accessible for free during the trial.

Air NZ currently offers free inflight Wi-Fi on some planes, but would not expand on how it differs with Starlink.

Starlink’s low Earth orbit satellites will enable passengers to access the internet quickly and smoothly, Air NZ said, “like they are in their lounge at home, scrolling through social media, working on live documents, streaming video content, or even gaming”.

Nikhil Ravishankar, Air NZ’s chief digital officer, said the airline is always looking for new and innovative technology to improve its onboard experience.

“We’re committed to providing an exceptional experience for all our passengers, and this innovative technology could pave the way for more seamless, high-speed connectivity in the skies for Air New Zealand.

“We look forward to hearing from our customers as they test out on-board Wi-Fi. Their feedback will help guide our decision-making as we consider connectivity options for our domestic fleet.”

Air NZ is currently in the test phase of Starlink’s on-board connectivity, seeking to understand how it performs in real-world conditions and to assess customer feedback.

The airline is also expanding the trial to its regional aircraft later this month, installing Starlink on one of its ATR turboprop aircraft.

“Being the first airline in the world to trial Wi-Fi on a turboprop aircraft is a proud moment for us. Our goal is to explore the potential of this technology and understand how it can enhance customer journeys,” Ravishankar said.

Starlink’s satellite-based internet service, which first rolled out its service in New Zealand in 2021, offers reliable and fast internet connections in the more remote areas of the country.

The company was founded by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in 2019.

The Herald reported last year that Starlink had 37,000 customers in New Zealand.