Latvia's airBaltic has announced it will equip its Airbus A220-300 fleet with SpaceX’s Starlink internet connectivity system.
The tie-up means passengers will get free in-flight high-speed internet access during all airBaltic flights, the carrier said.
Developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX, Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in over 40 countries and counting around the world and began serving commercial aircraft last year with in-flight high-speed internet of up to 350 Mbps to aircraft.
Passengers will be able to "engage in activities previously not functional in flight", such as online gaming, virtual private networks, and other high data rate activities, airBaltic said.
Martin Gauss, chief executive officer, said the deal "marks a historic moment for our airline and the industry as a whole" and would make airBaltic the first airline in Europe to launch high-speed, unlimited, and free-of-charge satellite internet