Air Canada has begun installing Starlink high-speed satellite internet on select Dash 8-400 turboprop aircraft on shorter domestic routes. While the airline’s official statement did not mention Starlink by name, it is not difficult to connect the dots when De Havilland Canada separately announced that its Q400 aircraft are now available with SpaceX’s Starlink in-flight connectivity kit.
For Air Canada, the initial rollout will focus on Q400s flying from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport to Montreal and Ottawa — two routes where competition is fierce with rival Porter Airlines. Porter already offers free Wi-Fi powered by Viasat, making Air Canada’s decision to add Starlink a strategic play to leap ahead of the competition.
Like Westjet, the service itself will also not feature the Starlink name and instead be billed as “Wi-Fi sponsored by Bell.” The service will be offered free to members of Air Canada’s Aeroplan loyalty program starting in October. The airline has yet to confirm whether the entire Q400 fleet will eventually receive the upgrade, saying only that “the installation of Wi-Fi on the balance of the Dash 8-400 fleet is being determined.”
The milestone marks the first time a De Havilland aircraft has been fitted with a satellite-powered internet system capable of delivering gate-to-gate high-speed connectivity. De Havilland confirmed that the Starlink solution can be installed either as a factory option through its OEM Refurbishment Program or as a retrofit on in-service Dash 8-400s, allowing airlines to integrate the technology with minimal downtime.
“This advancement brings reliable, high-speed Wi-Fi to one of the world’s most versatile aircraft, setting a new standard for in-flight connectivity in regional aviation,” said Ryan DeBrusk, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at De Havilland. The company expects other Q400 operators to follow Air Canada’s lead.
While Air Canada has selected Starlink for its turboprops, the airline has gone on a different route for its Embraer E175 and Bombardier CR9 regional jets, launching in-flight Wi-Fi with Eutelsat earlier this year. The move positioned Air Canada as the first commercial airline to deploy the company’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite-powered internet service
