United Airlines’ ambitious Starlink Wi-Fi deployment has encountered some challenges.
Many of the regional jets that were recently equipped with Starlink satellites have had their service suspended due to radio interference, according to an exclusive report from Flying Frugal.
Currently, United has outfitted nearly two dozen Embraer E175 regional jets with Starlink, but all flights utilizing these jets have gone without internet connectivity over the last few days.
The shutdown is attributed to reports of radio interference between the VHF antennas used by pilots for air traffic communication and the Starlink antennas.
Pilots have reported experiencing static on the radio after transmitting from aircraft equipped with the new Starlink antennas.
In light of these concerns, United has temporarily disabled Starlink services across its fleet and is collaborating with Starlink to resolve the issue.
A spokesperson for United confirmed Flying Frugal’s report, stating that “Starlink is currently installed on around two dozen United regional aircraft. Both United and Starlink teams are addressing a few reports of static interference that are common with any new airline Wi-Fi provider. We anticipate restoring service soon.”
This type of radio interference is not unusual during the implementation of new connectivity systems on aircraft, as noted by United. The airline emphasized that this issue does not compromise flight safety.
Previously, when United launched Viasat connectivity on some mainline aircraft, they faced similar interference that required a rapid resolution.
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The positive news is that United and Starlink have pinpointed a solution for the interference and are actively working on implementing it across the affected aircraft.
Approximately a third of the affected planes have already received the fix and are now back in operation with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi, while the remaining aircraft will follow suit once the solution is applied.
United plans to implement these fixes during regularly scheduled maintenance visits to minimize disruptions and avoid canceling flights.
The airline aims to restore Starlink connectivity on the affected jets in the coming weeks, although this timeline may change. This outage is expected to impact hundreds of summertime travelers eager to experience Starlink on United.
Currently, Starlink is only installed on the Embraer E175 regional jet, but this interference issue hasn’t hindered United’s plans for further deployment.
United will be retrofitting an additional 40 E175 jets this month and plans to extend the same process to its CRJ-550 regional jets in the coming weeks.
The airline aims to have its entire fleet of dual-class United Express regional jets (CRJ-550 and E175) fully equipped by year-end.
Last fall, United announced plans to retrofit its entire fleet with high-speed Starlink connectivity, which will be offered for free to passengers with a MileagePlus account.
Related: Inside United Airlines’ plan to bring free Starlink Wi-Fi to every flight
In mid-May, United launched its first revenue flights utilizing Starlink, approximately nine months after announcing the introduction of this advanced satellite internet solution across its fleet.
Hopefully, this interference challenge proves to be a minor setback for the Starlink integration, as United’s current Wi-Fi offerings are in need of significant improvement.
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