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T3
Technology
Rik Henderson

British Airways bringing free Wi-Fi to all passengers on future flights

Woman using phone on flight.
Quick Summary

Customers who fly British Airways in future will benefit from free Wi-Fi on its flights.

That will start to rollout from next year and be available to all cabins, including Economy.

British Airways passengers are soon to get a massive boost, no matter which class they fly. Thanks to a partnership with Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service, the airline plans to upgrade all its cabins with free Wi-Fi.

This will allow flyers to keep connected with "reliable and faster" wireless internet, from the "moment they board to the moment they land".

Many if not all airlines offer Wi-Fi connectivity, but most charge for the pleasure, and even those that don't usually only offer a free service on domestic flights – and generally only in the US.

BA plans could therefore totally change the way we relax and work on international trips. By offering the service for free to Premium and Economy passengers, as well as Business, it allows them to keep on top of daily tasks, or even just keep in touch with loved ones.

There's no word yet on any restrictions that may be imposed – such as data limits, bandwidth or specific use. However, it has been confirmed that passengers will be allowed to stream video. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out, considering how many people could potentially be connected at the same time.

But the option of watching your own Netflix content without having to download it first is exciting.

When is free Wi-Fi coming to British Airways plans?

British Airways claims that it will rollout Starlink connectivity on its aircraft from next year. We don't know yet how many planes will initially get it, nor which routes. But this is just part of the airline's £7bn ($9.21bn) "transformation programme", it says.

The airline is also adding new First suites, including its widest and longest seat and bed and a 32-inch 4K TV, additional new aircraft, and is relaunching its app at some point in 2026.

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