airBaltic, the Latvian airline, has made history by becoming the first European airline to offer free high-speed internet onboard, powered by SpaceX’s Starlink. This achievement follows the airline’s successful certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), ushering in a new era of uninterrupted in-flight connectivity for passengers across its network.
To celebrate this pioneering development, airBaltic hosted a special event at RIX Riga Airport, bringing together influential stakeholders, media representatives, and industry influencers to experience the power of Starlink’s internet service up close. The airline’s first commercial flight with complimentary high-speed Starlink internet will take place tomorrow, on flight BT221 from Riga to Munich, Germany, marking the official launch of this revolutionary service for passengers.
Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic: “This is a historic milestone for airBaltic and a game-
changer for European air travel. By becoming the first European airline to integrate SpaceX’s Starlink, we
are redefining what connectivity in the skies means. This is not just an improvement, it is a revolution in air travel, and we are proud to be at the forefront, delivering the future of connectivity to our passengers
already today.”
Chad Gibbs, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Business Operations: “Customers and crew of airBaltic
flights will now have access to high-speed, low-latency internet the moment they step onboard their plane. This year, we intend to have the entire airBaltic fleet connected with Starlink, and we couldn’t be more excited to provide reliable internet service on tens of thousands of flights and counting all around the world.”
airBaltic has begun the installation of Starlink across its Airbus A220-300 fleet, with plans to complete the full integration by the end of 2025.
With Starlink, airBaltic will offer passengers seamless, free high-speed internet from takeoff to landing, enabling uninterrupted video streaming, remote work, and effortless connectivity—without the need for logins or additional configurations.
Used by millions worldwide across over 120 countries and regions, Starlink is rapidly expanding, serving individuals, businesses, and organizations across all seven continents. Since launching in commercial aviation last year, Starlink utilizes satellites in low-Earth orbit—positioned 65 times closer than traditional geostationary satellites—to deliver ultra-fast speeds and low latency.
This cutting-edge technology allows Starlink to provide speeds of up to 500 Mbps, offering passengers a true at-home internet experience. Activities like online gaming, using virtual private networks (VPNs), and engaging in other high-bandwidth tasks that were once unavailable on flights are now within reach.
The post airBaltic Reaches a Groundbreaking Milestone with Free Starlink High-Speed Internet on Board, Transforming In-Flight Connectivity in Europe, Starting with Riga to Munich appeared first on Travel And Tour World.
