United Airlines says its Starlink in-flight internet service is back on track following a technical issue that temporarily disrupted connectivity on some of its regional jets. According to the airline, a static interference problem that impacted Embraer E175 aircraft has now been “pretty much resolved.”
The issue surfaced last month when some pilots reported static on the radio lines after completing radio transmissions. During the company’s earnings call on Thursday, Chief Operating Officer Toby Enqvist explained the root cause was a simple one: the Starlink antenna was mounted too close to another antenna used by pilots for air traffic control communications.
“The two antennas were too close together. So they worked around that,” Enqvist said, hinting that the fix involved repositioning the satellite equipment to avoid signal overlap. He added that United does not anticipate similar issues on its larger aircraft due to the greater available space for optimal antenna placement.
United is among the first major airlines to adopt Starlink for in-flight connectivity, and confirmed that 60 jets are now equipped with Starlink. Early feedback from testing has been positive, with average download speeds reaching more than 200Mbps, a significant leap over traditional in-flight internet services.
The airline has committed to equipping its entire fleet with Starlink, though it has yet to share a detailed timeline for completion. As installation progresses, availability will vary depending on aircraft type and route.
In Canada, WestJet has partnered with SpaceX to provide Starlink in-flight WiFi to its passengers. However, there is no indication the service is powered by Starlink, with it instead being branded through Telus. We recently got to experience Starlink on a WestJet flight out of Calgary, and our speed tests showed impressive download speeds between 150 and 200 Mbps.
