Lufthansa Airlines CEO Jens Ritter. Photo: Lufthansa As announced last week, Lufthansa has today, August 19, launched its new high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi service, with the first aircraft in the Lufthansa Group fleet taking off with the technology.
An Airbus A320neo registered D-AINM became the first Lufthansa Group aircraft equipped with the new connectivity service. The aircraft operated its inaugural Starlink-enabled flight from Frankfurt to Rome as LH234, departing at 12:15 p.m.
Photo: Lufthansa GroupAt an altitude of 10,000 metres, Lufthansa Airlines CEO Jens Ritter activated the new system, marking the beginning of the airline's rollout of high-speed satellite internet.
The new service is designed to provide passengers with significantly faster and more reliable internet connectivity during flights, including on routes over oceans and remote areas.
“We are investing more than ever in our guests: in new aircraft, new services, greater choice on board and, of course, state-of-the-art and innovative technology,” Ritter said.
He added that Starlink will provide connectivity “from take-off to landing” on both short and long-haul routes, describing the service as another milestone in Lufthansa's modernization.
Lufthansa plans to equip up to 10 additional A320-family aircraft operated by Lufthansa and Lufthansa City Airlines with Starlink before the end of 2026.
Photo: Lufthansa GroupMost of the installation work will take place at Lufthansa Technik in Berlin, with the airline combining the equipment upgrades with scheduled technical maintenance.
The rollout will then expand to other Lufthansa Group airlines.
The group plans to equip approximately 850 aircraft with Starlink by 2029, covering its entire fleet across its various airlines. Once completed, Lufthansa Group is expected to become the largest airline group in Europe offering the high-speed connectivity service.
The initiative forms part of a broader investment program covering new aircraft, onboard products and services and improvements throughout the passenger journey.
The new Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi portal will allow passengers to browse the internet and access information about their destination and Lufthansa Group services. Travelers can also access a selection of eJournals through the platform.
Additional flight-related information and services are planned for the future.
Importantly for frequent flyers, the service will be free for all Miles & More customers and Travel ID users, regardless of their travel class.
Mastercard is sponsoring Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi and previously supported Lufthansa's FlyNet service as a partner.
The first Starlink-equipped A320neo will now enter regular scheduled service, while Lufthansa prepares for a much broader rollout that will eventually bring high-speed satellite connectivity to hundreds of aircraft across the group.