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In 2024, Air France made a bold decision by partnering with Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, to equip its planes with high-speed Wi-Fi. This initiative, although innovative, has sparked unexpected political reactions. What are the stakes and prospects for the French airline in the face of this technological alliance?
The 3 key facts not to miss
In September 2024, Air France announced its intention to collaborate with Starlink to equip its fleet of 250 planes with high-speed Wi-Fi. This service, based on Starlink’s low Earth orbit satellites, promises uninterrupted global coverage, even in the most remote areas. Deployment began in the summer of 2025, with an official inauguration in October of the same year. The goal is to offer an in-flight connection experience comparable to fiber optics.
Despite the technical advantages, this choice has been criticized by some French political figures who see in this partnership a dependence on American technologies, particularly those of SpaceX and Elon Musk. These critics highlight a preference for national technology, represented by Eutelsat, although it currently cannot compete technically.
The debate has also highlighted a certain misunderstanding of the technical differences between geostationary satellite solutions and those in low Earth orbit. While Starlink’s satellites operate at an altitude of 550 kilometers, offering low latency and high throughput, Eutelsat mainly uses geostationary satellites located at 36,000 kilometers, which limits their effectiveness for use like in-flight Wi-Fi.
Faced with Starlink’s dominance, Europe is considering creating its own satellite constellation, IRIS2, planned for 2030. However, this project is still in development and struggling to progress, leaving the field open for Starlink to increase its technological lead. Meanwhile, initiatives such as the merger of Eutelsat with OneWeb demonstrate efforts to strengthen European capabilities, although these constellations remain insufficient to compete with those of Starlink.
Air France’s choice could be reviewed in the future if a viable European alternative emerges. For now, the company favors the solution offering the best coverage and quality of service, emphasizing that this partnership is not fixed and could evolve based on technological advances.
SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk, has become a major player in the field of space and satellite technologies. Since its creation in 2002, the company has pushed the boundaries of innovation, notably with the development of the reusable Falcon 9 rocket and the Mars colonization project. The Starlink program, launched in 2015, aims to provide high-speed Internet access worldwide through a constellation of thousands of low Earth orbit satellites. This initiative has not only transformed the telecommunications landscape but also raised regulatory and political challenges globally.