Lufthansa launches first Starlink-equipped flight from Frankfurt to Rome

Lufthansa launched its first Starlink-equipped flight on Wednesday, with an Airbus A320neo departing Frankfurt for Rome offering high-speed, satellite-based internet to passengers. The service, provided by Elon Musk’s Starlink, allows activities such as streaming videos, working on laptops, or playing games mid-flight, with download speeds reaching 194 Mbps on an iPhone 17 and 130 Mbps on a four-year-old laptop during testing .

The airline plans to expand the service across its entire fleet of 850 aircraft, including those operated by subsidiaries Swiss Air, Austrian Airlines, ITA Airways, and Eurowings, by 2029 . Early tests by *Welt* confirmed the connection was faster than typical home internet, though concerns arose about potential overcrowding akin to train conditions .

Passengers must still enable airplane mode on devices while using the Wi-Fi, and the system does not yet function from gate to gate, cutting off near the aircraft. The first A320neo lacks in-seat power outlets, meaning devices may drain quickly during use; upgrades for the 38 short-haul jets in service are expected by 2029 .

Starlink’s growth extends beyond aviation, with its Belgian subscriber base doubling from 7,000 in early 2026 to nearly 12,000 by late July, according to *La Dernière Heure*. Analyst Landry Fevre of Idem Est Research attributed the rise to price reductions and demand in rural or underserved areas, where traditional networks are weak or absent .

Meanwhile, Lufthansa’s labor disputes continue. The Vereinigung Cockpit union filed a lawsuit in late June against the airline’s decision to terminate an agreement allowing pilots paid leave for union work. The move followed strikes in the first quarter and April, which the airline said cost €200 million. Personal board member Michael Niggemann stated the company’s pension contributions were already among the highest in Europe .