Japan’s ZIPAIR is bringing high-speed internet to all its passengers.
To do this, the low-cost, long-haul airline is getting the service from SpaceX’s Starlink Aviation.
ZIPAIR will be the first Asian airline to offer the Starlink service which allows passengers to enjoy smooth streaming and faster downloads throughout the flight.
No time line has been given for the start of the service but the airline and SpaceX are working through the engineering review and regulatory certification process required to install the system on ZIPAIR’s fleet.
Shingo Nishida, ZIPAIR President:
“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.”
More about ZIPAIR
SpaceX now has deals with four airlines, just months after launching their Starlink Aviation service. The other airlines are: airBaltic, Hawaiian Airlines and JSX.
A few weeks ago, airBaltic announced it was equipping its entire fleet of A220s with high-speed internet from Starlink – and everyone will get it for free!
How it works
Starlink is a satellite-based internet service that uses a network of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide global coverage.
Developed by SpaceX, Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in over 40 countries and counting around the world and began serving commercial aircraft last year with in-flight high-speed internet.
With satellites positioned in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 550 km, over 65 times closer than conventional geostationary satellites, Starlink achieves significantly lower latency and higher transmission speeds for its end users.
Starlink can deliver up to 350 Mbps to aircraft, and with latency as low as 20 ms, passengers can engage in activities previously not functional in flight, including online gaming, virtual private networks, and other high data rate activities.
More about Starlink
Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX Vice President of Starlink Sales :
“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.
“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.”
About ZIPAIR
ZIPAIR is a Japanese low cost carrier operating medium-to-long-distance international routes. It is 100% owned by Japan Airlines and made its first commercial flight on 03 June 2020. Aircraft have 290 seats in 2 classes -18 Business and 272 Economy.
Routes: ZIPAIR operates flights from Tokyo Narita to Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Honolulu, Los Angeles, and San Jose (California).
Fleet: An all Boeing fleet of:
- 4 Boeing 787-8
Alliance: None
N.B. Image credit: ZIPAIR
