JetBlue Snubs Starlink for Amazon’s Project Kuiper in Major Satellite WiFi Win
- JetBlue has become the first airline to partner with Amazon's Project Kuiper satellite internet service, setting up a direct challenge to Elon Musk's dominant Starlink network... But passengers will have to be patient. The service isn't expected to launch until some point in 2027.
JetBlue has just signed up to become the launch airline for Amazon’s Project Kuiper satellite Wi-Fi service – a rival service to Starlink, with both companies using their own ‘constellations’ of low-earth orbiting satellites to provide lightning-fast internet to nearly every corner of the globe.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is, however, playing catch-up with fellow multi-billionaire Elon Musk, whose Starlink company has already won major contracts with a growing list of more than eight international airlines, including United, Alaska Airlines, and Qatar Airways.
Project Kuiper is at a very early stage in its deployment compared to Starlink. In order to provide effective satellite Wi-Fi service, Amazon will need to launch 3,200 spacecraft into orbit, but satellite launches only started in April after several lengthy delays.
So far, only 100 Project Kuiper satellites have been launched into space, and the next rocket launch isn’t scheduled until September 25.
Nonetheless, JetBlue is confident that Amazon can create its constellation of satellites and win regulatory approval to switch on Wi-Fi services in time for a proposed launch in 2027.
For now, JetBlue says it only intends to install Project Kuiper equipment on older Airbus A321s with its older (and slower) Fly-Fi Wi-Fi technology.
What is Project Kuiper?
Traditional satellite internet services are provided by geostationary satellites that orbit approximately 22,369 miles (36,000 km) above the Earth.
In contrast, Project Kuiper satellites will orbit at just 367 to 391 miles above the Earth. Thousands of these satellites connect to one another by high-speed optical links that create a mesh network of high-speed, low-latency internet.
Amazon says it has developed a ‘best in class’ antenna for commercial aircraft that can support download speeds up to 1 Gbps on a single device, allowing an entire planeload of passengers to stream, game, and do other data-intensive tasks while flying at 38,000 feet.
Amazon has also secured a deal to make its Project Kuiper equipment a line-fit item, and the company is said to be in talks with European airline conglomerate IAG to bring Project Kuiper to major airline brands like British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus.
IAG is said to be pitting Starlink against Project Kuiper, no doubt angling to get the very best deal before it commits to a vendor.
The emergence of Project Kuiper will, no doubt, drive competition in the in-flight Wi-Fi market, and, with any luck, will drive more airlines to install this cutting-edge tech on their planes.
Traditionally, JetBlue has always offered free in-flight Wi-Fi for all passengers, and this will continue will the rollout of Project Kuiper internet. The move to offering free Wi-Fi for all has also been replicated by every airline that has signed up to Starlink, which is perhaps a mandatory component for the contract.
Whether Project Kuiper also drives airlines to offer free in-flight Wi-Fi to all remains to be seen.
