Wizz Air has announced the introduction of Starlink connectivity across its fleet from 2027, making it the first European ultra-low-cost carrier to offer this satellite technology to passengers during flight.
The move represents a significant step forward in the passenger experience among low-cost airlines, as high-quality onboard internet has until recently been associated mainly with premium carriers, long-haul flights or paid ancillary services. With this announcement, Wizz Air aims to show that constant connectivity no longer has to be a privilege attached to more expensive tickets, but can become part of the standard experience in the ultra-low-cost segment as well.
According to the airline, Starlink installations will begin in 2027, with new-generation aircraft in Wizz Air’s fleet expected to be equipped with the system. Passengers are promised fast, stable and low-latency internet during flight, including the ability to communicate, work, browse content, send messages and use services that have often been limited, slow or entirely unavailable in the air.
Ian Malin, Chief Commercial Officer of Wizz Air, said that ultra-low-cost travel has always been about making travel accessible to more people. In that context, Wizz Air says that from 2027 it wants to offer passengers reliable internet connectivity as well, without forcing them to choose between affordable fares and the ability to stay connected with work, family or the content that matters to them.
Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet business, says that keeping passengers and crew connected at cruising altitude is precisely one of the core purposes of this technology. Jason Fritch, Vice President of Starlink Enterprise Sales at SpaceX, said the company is looking forward to working with Wizz Air and delivering fast, reliable internet from departure to arrival.
Starlink has become one of the fastest-growing onboard connectivity systems in aviation in recent years. Its advantage is based on a network of satellites in low Earth orbit, enabling lower latency compared with traditional satellite solutions relying on geostationary satellites. As a result, Starlink is increasingly being selected by major airlines. Known current or announced Starlink customers include Qatar Airways, airBaltic, Air France, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and others, with American Airlines planning to install Starlink on more than 500 narrow-body aircraft from 2027.
Beyond speed and latency, the commercial model is also an important part of the story. With several airlines, Starlink is being positioned as a free, or at least significantly more accessible, service for passengers, unlike older onboard internet models that often relied on expensive packages, limited data plans and questionable real-world usability. In that sense, Wi-Fi in the air is gradually moving away from being treated as a luxury add-on and is becoming part of the basic passenger experience.
That is why Wizz Air’s announcement carries broader significance than a simple technological upgrade. If an ultra-low-cost carrier is introducing a system that enables passengers to use fast and functional internet in flight, passenger expectations towards other airlines will inevitably change as well. Travellers are becoming less willing to accept the explanation that flying must mean digital isolation, especially when modern satellite systems show that such a limitation is no longer a technical necessity.
In this context, the decisions of certain regional carriers are also worth observing, including Croatia Airlines, which is introducing Panasonic’s Ku-band satellite Wi-Fi solution on its new A220 fleet. Although this is a major step forward for the Croatian national carrier compared with the previous situation, it is difficult to ignore how quickly the market is moving towards systems such as Starlink. Compared with new-generation LEO connectivity, conventional Ku/GEO solutions increasingly look like transitional technology: they generally offer a weaker user experience, often a different paid-access model, higher latency, while older configurations with more prominent radomes also bring less favourable effects in terms of weight and aerodynamic drag. As a growing number of major global airlines choose Starlink as the standard for future connectivity, decisions to install older satellite solutions already appear technologically cautious, but not necessarily ambitious in the long term.
