Aer Lingus installs Elon Musk's Starlink wi-fi on its planes

Eva Osborne

Aer Lingus is going into business with Elon Musk after announcing that it is installing the billionaire businessman's Starlink wi-fi service on its planes.

Passengers on Sunday morning's flight from Dublin to New York JFK were the first to avail of the service.

The roll-out across its long-haul fleet is set to be completed in 2027, and the service is also set to be added to short-haul flights, excluding Aer Lingus regional aircraft.

Aer Lingus chief executive, Lynne Embleton, said the technology is a "gamechanger".

“Introducing Starlink on our first aircraft is a big moment for us in Aer Lingus. It means our customers can browse, download and stream at speeds as fast as, or quicker than, they’d get at home.

“This level of connectivity is a real gamechanger. It gives our customers more freedom in how they spend their time on board and it helps our crews and teams work more efficiently.

“As we mark our 90th year, Starlink is just one of a number of customer improvements we’re bringing to Aer Lingus.”

Following an online spat with Musk earlier this year, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said he would install Starlink if the businessman paid for the extra €250 million fuel bill.

The airline chief engaged in a back-and-forth with the tech billionaire over whether Musk’s Starlink internet system could be used to provide wifi on Ryanair flights.

After O’Leary said this was not feasible, Musk called O’Leary an “idiot” and “chimp” and mused on X whether he should buy the airline.

Additional reporting PA.