Musk warns Delta CEO over choosing Amazon's Leo over Starlink
What's the story
Elon Musk has expressed his displeasure at Delta Air Lines for opting Amazon's Leo over SpaceX's Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi. The decision was made by Delta CEO Ed Bastian, who earlier defended the choice by saying that Leo provided better bandwidth at a lower cost than Starlink. However, Musk isn't buying it and even warned Bastian he "will lose his job over this."
Online response
Musk's response to Delta's decision
Musk took to X to highlight Delta's decision, sharing posts from American Airlines and United Airlines that were aimed at travelers considering switching their airline loyalty programs.
The move comes as a part of the ongoing competition among airlines for high-spending and loyal customers.
Both American and United have already signed up with SpaceX for Starlink services.
Future plans
Agreements signed with JetBlue and Delta
Despite Musk's warning, Delta and JetBlue Airways Corp. have already signed agreements to offer Amazon's service. JetBlue is set to start next year while Delta plans to do so by 2028.
However, it's worth noting that Amazon has only launched about 400 of its planned network of over 7,000 satellites into orbit and Leo's aviation product hasn't been tested at Starlink's current scale yet.
Satellite advantage
SpaceX's current status
As of now, SpaceX has more than 11,000 Starlink satellites in orbit and 12 million active users.
The company has also partnered with several airlines including United Airlines Holdings Inc., American Airlines Group Inc., and Southwest Airlines Co., which are all moving ahead with the rollout of the service.
This gives SpaceX a clear edge over Amazon in terms of satellite deployment for its internet service.
Launch hurdles
Challenges faced by Amazon with Project Kuiper satellites
Amazon has faced some challenges with its Leo satellites.
The company's recent launch was in July and it has signed up for several launches with United Launch Alliance, a joint venture of Boeing Co. and Lockheed MartinCorp.
However, one of ULA's rockets has been grounded for months due to a booster issue.
Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin is also trying to recover after an explosion destroyed the launchpad for its New Glenn rocket in May.