Elon Musk Joins Video Call at 38,000 Feet to Showcase Qatar Airways' New Starlink WiFi

Flight QR1, operated by a Boeing 777, departed from Doha en route to London Heathrow at around 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday. The flight marks the debut of Starlink internet, a game-changing inflight feature for passengers.

The speed onboard and recorded internet download speeds as high as 215 megabits per second, surpassing typical home internet speeds. The WiFi is free for all passengers, a significant upgrade from the airline’s regular $10 inflight internet, which offers speeds of around 5 Mbps.

Starlink’s higher speeds allow for smooth video calls, streaming, and online gaming, a big advantage for business travelers. It eliminates common issues with inflight WiFi, such as slow speeds and frequent connectivity problems.

Expansion Plans

Qatar Airways plans to roll out Starlink to 12 Boeing 777-300s by the end of 2024, followed by all Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s in 2025. The 777 is the "largest and longest-range passenger aircraft equipped with Starlink to date," SpaceX representatives said in an emailed statement today.

A Successful Test Flight

In an earlier test flight, Elon Musk joined Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer on a video call from 38,000 feet, showcasing the seamless connection. "That's super cool. I'm on Starlink right now at my house," Musk remarked during the call.

Qatar Airways is the second airline, after Hawaiian Airlines, to adopt Starlink. With more satellites and ongoing software improvements, Musk promised even better performance in the future.
"By providing Starlink reliable, seamless internet on board, we are connecting people to things they love the most even at 35,000 feet, making every journey with us a memorable one," Al-Meer stated in a press release.