(Jan 27): Gulf Air signed an agreement with SpaceX’s Starlink to deploy onboard Wi-Fi on Bahrain’s national carrier, giving Elon Musk’s company another win in the competition for connectivity among Middle East carriers.
Starlink will start operating on Gulf Air’s Airbus SE A320s starting in the middle of the year and will then be rolled out across the entire fleet, the airline said on Tuesday. The state-owned carrier will provide the service for free to passengers.
Bloomberg reported in August that Gulf Air, as well as Saudi Arabia’s flag carrier, was in talks with Starlink to equip its fleet.
SpaceX has gained a solid foothold in the global aviation market by delivering the fastest Internet connection speeds across the industry using roughly 8,000 satellites. The company’s signed deals with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, and some of Middle East’s biggest airlines in the past year.
Qatar Airways was the first airline in the Persian Gulf to offer Starlink, beginning on flights in 2024. SpaceX also announced a deal with Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, and sister carrier Flydubai in November.
The Bahrain carrier operates a fleet of about 40 jets, comprised of Boeing Co 787 Dreamliners and the smaller Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. Gulf Air purchased 18 Dreamliners in July.
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