Tokyo-based ZIPAIR announced Monday that it will introduce innovative high-speed internet on its flights courtesy of a collaboration with SpaceX. The airline is the first in Asia to partner with the aerospace company's new internet service.
ZIPAIR will utilize SpaceX's low-latency broadband internet system, known as Starlink. The airline said the technology will revolutionize the flying experience, providing passengers with seamless connectivity.
The future is fast
Starlink is a satellite-based internet service, using a network of low-Earth orbit satellites to provide global coverage and enable an inflight internet connection as good as or better than what passengers are used to on the ground. The cutting-edge technology will allow travelers to enjoy consistent speed, faster downloads, and ultra-reliable, low-latency communication during their entire flight.
ZIPAIR President Shingo Nishida said the new inflight internet system sets a new standard.
"We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in air travel and are excited to be a part of that future. We believe that our work with SpaceX is very important to increase the speed of in-flight internet communications and achieve a new standard in the industry. " - Shingo Nishida, ZIPAIR President
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Connect seamlessly
SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales Jonathan Hofeller provided details on the experience for passengers.
"Once integrated, all ZIPAIR passengers will be able to seamlessly connect to Starlink's high-speed, low-latency network anytime onboard – enabling real-time video conferencing, streaming, and gaming for all passengers," Hofeller said. "As the first Asian airline to implement Starlink, ZIPAIR is setting a new standard for in-flight connectivity, and we're excited to work with the company to provide this modern in-flight connectivity experience."
The airline and SpaceX are working through the engineering review and regulatory certification process for ZIPAIR's fleet before Starlink is installed on its aircraft.
The Starlink difference
Several airlines have fleets already equipped with WiFi service, but the technology uses ground-to-air connections with limited range. Most flights with WiFi service only have connection when the aircraft is over land and not the ocean. They also have relatively slow speeds, typically of only 10Mbps. Streaming availability on personal devices is also not supported with the current WiFi technology due to the large amount of data required.
Other satellite internet services are used on select aircraft but are not much faster, reaching speeds of around 30 to 100Mbps. Connectivity speed can also vary depending on the number of passengers using the WiFi. Starlink, however, will provide aircraft with up to 350 Mbps allowing most, if not all, passengers to use the service without it being overwhelmed.
ZIPAIR comes after airBaltic, the first European airline to announce a partnership with Starlink. With streaming services being extremely popular today, the carrier's CEO, Martin Gauss, said it would not be a problem with Starlink.
"There is a download speed of up to 350 megabits per second, to give you an idea," Gauss said. "So if everybody onboard wants to watch Netflix at the same time, even if you have around one megabit per second, you can still watch Netflix."