The International Airlines Group (IAG) has formalized a deal with SpaceX’s Starlink to provide high-speed internet access to its range of subsidiary airlines.

IAG owns major European airline brands including British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, LEVEL and Vueling, as well as their own air cargo handling company. The airline conglomerate plans to roll out the service across all its brands over the next few years, hoping to outfit all its aircraft operating both European and international flights.

The group plans to start rolling out the new service from 2026, and will be free of charge to all customers regardless of booking class. IAG’s subsidiary brands will install the new Starlink transceivers on all aircraft minus those that are very close to retirement. They are also working to get units installed on aircraft that are due for delivery in the near future.

In a statement, Luis Gallego, CEO of IAG said: “Staying connected in the skies is increasingly important to our airlines’ customers. The introduction of high-speed wi-fi from Starlink will transform onboard connectivity, improving both the connection speed and reliability for customers.

“Customers from all IAG airlines will be able to benefit from the service from next year.  This demonstrates how IAG is working together as a group, to drive innovation and secure major deals to benefit all our stakeholders.”

Advertised download speeds will range from 150-450 Mbps while uploads will vary between 20-70 Mbps. Each carrier will have its own specific rollout schedule, with further details expected to be released by the respective brands in the future.

Starlink has become the popular choice for in-flight internet access due to them having a much larger network operating in low orbit. This means customers can download content at speeds similar to that offered by landline home internet connections, but with a bit of extra latency. So far, airBaltic, Jazz Aviation, Air France, Hawaiian Airlines, JSX, Qatar Airways, United Airlines and WestJet have already started adding Starlink to their respective fleets, with others like Virgin Atlantic, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, ZIPAIR and SAS set to join the pack.

Being first out the gate has given Starlink a major advantage, but Amazon’s competing Project Kuiper constellation is slowly gaining momentum. They have already signed with a few government agencies, as well as JetBlue who plan to roll out free Wi-Fi starting in 2027.

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