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. flight marks debut of Starlink internet, a game-changing inflight feature for passengers.

speed onboard and recorded internet downlo speeds as high as 215 megabits per second, surpassing typical home internet speeds. WiFi is free for all passengers, a significant upgre from 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 vantage 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 end of 2024, followed by all Boeing 777s and Airbus A350s in 2025. 777 is "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 Br Mohammed Al-Meer on a video call from 38,000 feet, showcasing seamless connection. "That's super cool. I'm on Starlink right now at my house," Musk remarked during call.

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