Swiss brings Starlink fast internet on board its aircraft

Context

In brief

• Swiss activates Starlink Internet on a first Airbus A320neo
• The service is free in all travel classes
• The first flight is LX1852 from Zurich to Thessaloniki
• The entire fleet is expected to have Starlink by the end of 2029

Key facts

• Technology → Starlink
• First aircraft → Airbus A320neo HB-JDM, named Iseltwald
• First flight → LX1852, Zurich-Thessaloniki
• Access → Travel ID or Miles & More number
• Cost → free in all classes
• Goal → entire fleet equipped by the end of 2029
• Prohibited → voice and video calls, voice messages and livestreams
• Rules → headphones and respect for privacy

The Airbus A320neo registered as HB-JDM and named Iseltwald is the first Swiss aircraft to offer a fast Internet connection via Starlink. Its first scheduled flight with the new technology is LX1852, which departed Zurich for Thessaloniki. For those traveling from Switzerland, the change therefore concerns the onboard experience on flights operated with the equipped aircraft.

Connection at no extra charge

The high-speed Internet connection is available at no additional cost and in all travel classes. To use it, passengers must register with Travel ID or with a Miles & More card number. The satellite network should allow users to send messages and photos and use numerous online services. Checking and replying to emails are also among the uses indicated in the source.

However, the service should not be understood as complete freedom to communicate during the flight. Voice and video calls remain prohibited, as do livestreams. Swiss has not yet defined how it will enforce this ban. The issue therefore remains open just as the airline introduces a faster connection.

At the beginning of September, Swiss had announced its intention to equip its short- and long-haul fleet with the system. After Iseltwald, three more aircraft from the Airbus A320 family are planned. The rollout to the other aircraft will take place gradually, with the goal of equipping the entire fleet with Starlink by the end of 2029.

When the announcement was released, it had not yet been disclosed which aircraft would be the first to be equipped. The source now identifies Iseltwald and flight LX1852 as the system’s first scheduled use. Availability remains tied to the gradual installation of the technology on the other Swiss aircraft.

Operational details

The novelty mainly changes the way passengers can use the time spent on board. On a flight equipped with Starlink, passengers can send a photo of their lunch, messages and replies to emails after takeoff, without incurring an additional cost and regardless of travel class. This possibility, however, comes with precise restrictions on conduct in the cabin.

Online yes, conversations no

The boundary set by Swiss is clear: the connection is intended for messages, photographs and numerous online services, but it does not authorize voice calls, video calls or livestreams. Watching videos and listening to music also requires consideration for other passengers. Anyone watching TikTok or listening to music must use headphones and continue paying attention to the crew's announcements.

The rule creates a particular situation. The same network that allows passengers to stay online cannot, according to the reported guidelines, be used to start a voice conversation or a livestream. The source also points out that Swiss still has to clarify how it will enforce the ban. For passengers, this means that the network's technical availability does not automatically amount to permission to use every function of the applications.

There is also a second restriction, related to content sharing. Photos and videos may be shared, but they must respect the privacy of other passengers and the crew. The rule therefore concerns not only headphone volume or the type of communication, but also what is recorded and published.

The rollout planned by the airline will be gradual. After the first A320, three more aircraft from the Airbus A320 family will follow, while the entire fleet is expected to be equipped by the end of 2029. Until then, the experience will not be identical on every Swiss flight: the source describes a phased introduction, not availability already extended to all aircraft. Those comparing the benefit with their own travel expenses can consider this information alongside costo della vita in Svizzera, without confusing the free service with the absence of other travel expenses.

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Key points

Using the service described by Swiss requires only a few steps, but each corresponds to a condition specified by the company. The first concerns access: the passenger must register with the Travel ID or with a Miles & More card number. The source does not indicate any other authentication methods.

The procedure on board

1. Verify that you are on a Swiss aircraft equipped with Starlink. The first aircraft indicated is the Airbus A320neo HB-JDM, called Iseltwald; installation on the other aircraft will take place gradually.

2. When the service is available after takeoff, access it by registering with the Travel ID or with the Miles & More card number. The service is provided at no additional cost in all travel classes.

3. Use the connection for permitted activities: sending messages and photos, reading and replying to emails, and using numerous online services.

4. Avoid voice calls, video calls, voice messages and livestreams. The fast connection does not change these prohibitions during the flight.

5. If watching videos or listening to music, use headphones and continue to pay attention to the crew’s announcements.

6. Before sharing photographs or videos, respect the privacy of the other passengers and the crew.

One operational point remains that Swiss has not yet clarified: how the ban on calls, voice messages and livestreams will be enforced. For this reason, the procedure for using the network is defined, while the control of prohibited functions is not yet.

The time horizon indicated by the company is the end of 2029, when the goal is to have Starlink across the entire fleet. Until then, the point to keep in mind is the gradual rollout, together with the need to register and the rules of conduct on board. To learn more about the economic tools available on the site, consult the comparatore CHF/EUR and calcolatore stipendio/imposte.

Source: tio.ch