Qatar Airways Accelerates Starlink Expansion with Airbus A350 Fleet Upgrade

Qatar Airways has entered the final phase of equipping its entire Boeing 777 fleet with Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet, with over 80% of the widebody aircraft now operational and fewer than 20 jets remaining for completion.

The milestone precedes the airline’s next industry-first initiative: launching Starlink installations on its Airbus A350 fleet in April 2025, marking the first global deployment of the technology on this aircraft type.

Since October 2024, Qatar Airways has retrofitted more than 50 Boeing 777s with Starlink, completing over 6,000 flights across its 170+ destination network. The airline has slashed installation times from three days to 9.5 hours per aircraft by optimizing processes at its Doha Technic MRO facility, ensuring zero operational disruptions during overnight retrofits.

Passengers on upgraded flights report download speeds of 80-200 Mbps, enabling seamless streaming, gaming, and remote work at 35,000 feet.

Airbus A350 Rollout Begins

The upcoming A350 installations will extend Starlink’s gate-to-gate connectivity to one of the world’s most advanced twin-engine fleets, comprising 58 A350-900s and -1000s.

The upgrade aligns with Qatar Airways’ strategy to dominate premium long-haul travel, particularly on key routes to Europe, Asia, and North America.

“This expansion reaffirms our commitment to redefining connectivity standards in aviation,” said Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer.

Qatar Airways’ technical team has achieved unprecedented efficiency, reducing the Boeing 777 retrofit timeline by 70% and positioning the airline to complete the program by mid-2025—a year ahead of schedule.

The A350 installations will follow a similar accelerated model, leveraging lessons from the 777 rollout to minimize downtime.

As the first Middle Eastern carrier and largest global operator to adopt Starlink, Qatar Airways has set benchmarks for in-flight connectivity.

The service, offered free to all passengers, eliminates login requirements and supports high-bandwidth applications without throttling. With Skytrax’s 2024 “World’s Best Airline” title, the Doha-based carrier continues to prioritize innovation, including plans for a dedicated Thales IFE maintenance hub to enhance onboard entertainment systems.

The dual-fleet upgrade solidifies Qatar Airways’ position at the forefront of aviation technology, offering passengers an unmatched digital experience while reinforcing its competitive edge in the premium travel sector.