Korean Air to Launch Starlink on September 15, Initially Covering 4 Widebody Aircraft

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Korean Air has announced that it will officially begin offering free Starlink-based in-flight Wi-Fi service starting September 15, initially covering 4 widebody aircraft that have completed communication system modifications, including 3 Airbus A350-900s and 1 Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft will be prioritized for medium- and long-haul routes to the Americas, Europe, and Southeast Asia, while also operating some short-haul flights.

The service uses SpaceX's Starlink low Earth orbit satellite network. Korean Air has confirmed that Starlink Wi-Fi will be available free of charge to passengers in all cabin classes, without distinction between economy class, business class, or other cabin tiers. Travelers can use the in-flight network for video streaming, web browsing, online gaming, and cloud application access; voice and video calls remain restricted.

This official launch marks a new milestone in Korean Air's previously announced Starlink fleet modification plan as it enters the commercial operation phase. In December 2025, Korean Air, along with Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul, announced the introduction of Starlink. At that time, Korean Air planned to prioritize installing equipment on long-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900, and expected to begin service as early as the third quarter of 2026.

According to the latest deployment schedule, Korean Air plans to gradually expand Starlink to most aircraft in its active fleet by the end of 2027. Aircraft that have not yet completed Starlink modifications will continue to offer existing paid Wi-Fi service during the transition period, so the fleet's network services will simultaneously operate under two models for a period of time: free Starlink service and the original paid connectivity.

Asiana Airlines will also launch free Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi on September 15, initially covering 9 Airbus A350-900s and 1 A330-300, with the relevant communication equipment for these 10 aircraft scheduled to be installed by September. Asiana Airlines will then continue to expand coverage starting with the remaining A350-900 and A330-300 fleet.

The 4 aircraft that Korean Air is putting into service this time mean that its Starlink project has moved from the previous fleet modification and deployment planning stage into the actual commercial service stage. The company's next milestone is to continue completing installations across its active fleet and expand to most operational aircraft by the end of 2027.