Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines will offer Starlink-based in-flight Wi-Fi for free starting on the 15th. They plan to first apply it to mid- and large-size aircraft that have completed communications equipment retrofits, then expand to more models in phases.
Korean Air Lines said on the 11th it will launch Starlink-based in-flight Wi-Fi on four aircraft, including three Airbus A350-900s and one Boeing 777-300ER. These planes will be deployed first on medium- and long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe and Southeast Asia, and also on some short-haul routes.
The service is free regardless of seat class. After switching electronic devices such as mobile phones to airplane mode and connecting to the in-flight network, passengers can enter their name and seat number on the Korean Air Lines in-flight Wi-Fi portal and then watch an ad.
Using Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite constellation, passengers can use online video service (OTT) streaming, listen to music, browse the web, play online games and use messengers in flight. File transfers and cloud-based collaboration tools are also available.
However, voice and video calls over the internet and social media (SNS) live broadcasts are restricted in consideration of the cabin environment and aviation security. Access to sites that are insecure or illegal may also be limited.
Korean Air Lines plans to expand the Starlink service to most of its aircraft currently in operation by the end of 2027. On aircraft that have not yet been retrofitted, the existing paid in-flight Wi-Fi service will continue for the time being.
Asiana Airlines will also offer free Starlink-based in-flight Wi-Fi starting on the 15th.
Asiana Airlines will first roll out the service on 10 aircraft that have completed communications equipment installation, including nine A350-900s and one A330-300. These aircraft will mainly operate on medium- and long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe and Southeast Asia. The airline plans to gradually expand the service to its fleet, starting with the remaining A350-900s and A330-300s.
Passengers can switch their mobile phones or tablets to airplane mode, connect to "Asiana Airlines Wi-Fi," and watch an ad to access the internet. In addition to OTT video streaming, music listening, web browsing, messengers and online games, they can also use large file transfers and cloud-based collaboration tools. Features that could disturb other passengers, such as voice and video calls, are restricted.