United Airlines deactivates Starlink on all airplanes due to interference with aircraft's radio systems
Published on Jul 02, 2025 at 9:58 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jul 02, 2025 at 9:16 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
United Airlines was forced to deactivate Starlink Wi-Fi on its regional planes due to interference with the aircraft’s radio systems.
Back in January, United Airlines announced it would be introducing Starlink Wi-Fi to its planes.
The airline said the service would be free for its MileagePlus customers.
The first batch of United Airlines regional planes were fitted with Starlink in March, but just weeks later, the airline had to temporarily deactivate it.
DISCOVER SBX CARS – The global premium auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
What was the problem with Starlink on United Airlines?
Starlink is a groundbreaking bit of technology.
Prior to its introduction, internet networks relied on cables and wires running across the land, or under water.
Instead, Starlink Wi-Fi relies on satellites, which means it can work in remote locations, and it offers impressive speeds.
Back in March, United Airlines proudly announced plans to fit upwards of 40 of its regional aircraft with Starlink every month between now and the end of the year.
“Our ability to roll-out this innovative service with unprecedented speed and scale is a direct result of the advanced equipment, technology and team of experts at United,” United’s VP of Digital Technology, Grant Milstead said.
“Starlink has been a terrific partner – our combined spirit of innovation and collaboration will enable us to hit our goal of more than 300 regional aircraft installations before the end of this year.”
However, the rollout hasn’t gone off without a hitch.
The airline was forced to disable the service on its regional planes to address problems with static interference.
According to The Points Guy, the airline received reports of radio interference between the antennas that pilots use to communicate with air traffic control and the Wi-Fi antennas.
The interference isn’t a safety issue, but United decided to disable it while looked into it.
In a statement the airline said it was ‘working’ to sort the problem and that it expected the Wi-Fi system to be back up and running ‘soon’.
“Starlink is now installed on about two dozen United regional aircraft,” the airline said in a statement.
“United and Starlink teams are working together to address a small number of reports of static interference during the operation of the Wi-Fi system, which is fairly common with any new airline Wi-Fi provider.
“We expect the service to be back up and running on these aircraft soon.”
Starlink rivals
With Starlink being a complete game-changer for the industry it wasn’t long before a rival was launched.
Last May, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) launched the first of its many SkyNet satellites into the sky.
Meanwhile Japan is pioneering ultra-fast internet speeds of of 1.02 petabits.
To give that a bit of context, it’s fast enough to download the entire Netflix catalog in one second.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
