Norwegian Air Shuttle said it has no immediate plans to install Starlink inflight Wi-Fi, with Chief Executive Geir Karlsen stating on Friday that the budget carrier will continue to offer a paid internet service provided by another vendor.
Karlsen noted that Starlink is gaining traction among full-service carriers, with major airlines such as Lufthansa and Qatar Airways becoming important customers. However, he said the offering is less attractive to low-cost carriers because those airlines depend on ancillary income streams to offset low base fares.
On the specific commercial terms, Karlsen was quoted as saying that, to his knowledge, installing Starlink would prevent an airline from charging passengers directly for internet use. He also said that Starlink has not yet been certified for installation on Boeing 737 aircraft, though he added that certification is expected at a later date.
The debate over Starlink and its suitability for low-cost carriers has drawn public attention from other airlines. Ryanair's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, recently criticised Elon Musk, whose company operates Starlink, saying the system would cost his airline as much as $250 million a year. Meanwhile, another budget carrier, EasyJet, has confirmed it is exploring a potential Starlink deal but said in January that "the economics" of such an arrangement were not yet working for its business.
Context for carriers and connectivity providers
The remarks underline a divide between full-service airlines that appear willing to integrate Starlink and low-cost carriers that are cautious because of their reliance on ancillary fees. Norwegian's stance reflects a decision to preserve a paid connectivity product it already offers, rather than move to a system that, according to the CEO's comments, could constrain how the airline monetises onboard internet access.
No additional timeline or new technical details were provided regarding when Starlink will obtain Boeing 737 certification, only that it is not yet certified and will be certified in the future.