Finnair in talks with SpaceX, Amazon for inflight Wi-Fi
What's the story
Finnair, the flag carrier of Finland, is in talks with SpaceX's Starlink and Amazon's Leo to provide inflight Wi-Fi services on its planes. The move comes as part of a growing trend among European airlines to explore Elon Musk's internet service for their jets. Turkka Kuusisto, the CEO of Finnair, said they hope to have a plan for this service by the end of this year.
Service evaluation
Kuusisto confirms discussions with potential service providers
Kuusisto confirmed the ongoing discussions with all potential service providers at the IATA annual general meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He said, "It gives us a great opportunity to evaluate what's the connectivity platform for the future." This shows that Finnair is taking a careful approach in deciding which service provider will best suit its inflight Wi-Fi needs.
Service adoption
Starlink's growing popularity and Delta's choice
Starlink has become a favored choice for airlines looking to improve their in-flight connectivity. The service promises high-speed internet access across the entire cabin. Emirates, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and United Airlines Holdings Inc. are some of the companies that have opted for this product in the past year. Delta Air Lines Inc., on the other hand, has chosen Amazon's offering instead.
Operational status
Kuusisto on demand and fuel reserve visibility
Kuusisto said that the demand from Europe to Asia is "pretty strong" as more travelers are choosing to fly with Finnair amid the ongoing Middle East war. However, he noted that the demand to the US has remained flat. He also assured that they still have "good visibility" on jet fuel reserves for the summer season, despite a longer Iran war increasing disruption risks.