East Asia’s first full-service Starlink carrier begins rollout Sept. 15
Korean Air said Friday it will begin offering free high-speed internet via SpaceX's Starlink satellite system, becoming the first full-service carrier in East Asia to adopt the low-orbit network.
Starlink Wi-Fi, set to launch Tuesday, will initially roll out on four retrofitted aircraft — three Airbus A350-900s and one Boeing 777-300ER — deployed mainly on long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe and Southeast Asia, as well as on key short-haul flights.
Korean Air plans to extend the service across most of its fleet by the end of 2027, while aircraft not yet retrofitted with Starlink equipment will continue operating under its existing paid Wi-Fi system in the interim.
"As East Asia's first full-service carrier to adopt Starlink, we expect to transform the onboard experience," a company official said. "Cabins once cut off from the outside world will now match ground-level connectivity."
Every cabin class will have access to the Wi-Fi free of charge. Connecting involves switching devices to airplane mode, joining the onboard network and entering the boarding pass name and seat number.
The carrier also noted that the upgrade brings a marked jump in connection speed.
Passengers will be able to stream video and music, browse the web, play online games and use cloud-based collaboration tools at speeds close to that available on the ground. Korean Air said it will still restrict voice and video calls as well as live social media streaming, citing security and cabin comfort, and will block access to insecure or illegal websites.
The satellite rollout arrives as Korean Air nears completion of its Asiana Airlines merger in December, part of a broader campaign to enhance the travel experience under the combined carrier alongside other initiatives to boost passenger satisfaction.
minmin@heraldcorp.com
