Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Korean Air will begin offering free high-speed internet powered by SpaceX’s Starlink next week, becoming the first full-service carrier in East Asia to introduce the satellite service.
The rollout will start Tuesday aboard four upgraded aircraft, three Airbus A350-900s and one Boeing 777-300ER, according to the airline.
The Starlink-equipped planes will primarily operate long-haul flights serving the Americas, Europe and Southeast Asia, while some shorter routes will also use the aircraft.
Passengers in all cabin classes will be able to access the service without charge, allowing them to browse the web, stream entertainment, play online games and use cloud-based work applications.
Korean Air said voice and video calls as well as live social media broadcasts will remain prohibited, citing security considerations and passenger comfort, while access to illegal or insecure websites will be restricted.
The satellite system operates through a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit, which can provide lower latency and faster connectivity than older satellite-based inflight internet systems.
Korean Air plans to equip most of its fleet with Starlink by the end of 2027, while aircraft that have yet to receive the upgrade will continue offering the carrier’s existing paid Wi-Fi service.
The connectivity upgrade comes as Korean Air moves toward completing its integration with Asiana Airlines in December, part of a major consolidation in South Korea’s aviation industry.