FRANKFURT, Germany – A New Era Begins: On 19 August, an aircraft operated by the Lufthansa Group took off for the first time equipped with what is currently the fastest in-flight internet connection available to airline passengers. A Lufthansa Airbus A320neo was the first aircraft to feature the new service. Passengers experienced online bandwidth above the clouds that, in many cases, was faster than their internet connection at home or in the office.

Leading provider Starlink is partnering with the Lufthansa Group to equip all 850 aircraft operated by the Group’s airlines. The system is based on low-Earth-orbit satellite technology and enables passengers to stream video content, work using cloud-based applications and use other high-speed services during their flight. This will make the Lufthansa Group the largest airline group in Europe to equip its fleet with modern high-speed internet. With its ambitious project schedule, the Lufthansa Group is driving the rollout of the new technology forward at an exceptionally rapid pace.

The project forms part of the Lufthansa Group’s extensive investments in new aircraft as well as product and service innovations throughout the entire travel journey. The Group-wide rollout of the new high-speed internet service is intended to provide all passengers with a consistently high-quality online experience on board.

“I am delighted to announce the launch of the new Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi on board our Group airlines’ aircraft. This makes high-speed internet an integral part of the travel experience—across all travel classes and on all Lufthansa Group airlines. That is what premium means to us. By 2029, all approximately 850 aircraft in the Group will be equipped with this technology. Our product promise does not end with the seat or the menu—today, connectivity is also an essential part of a first-class onboard offering,” said Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer of the Lufthansa Group.

In addition to Lufthansa, the Group’s other airlines—SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Edelweiss, Discover Airlines, Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa City Airlines and Eurowings—are currently preparing to roll out the new technology.

The new “Lufthansa Group WiFi” portal allows passengers to browse the internet and also includes rules of use that all passengers must accept. These rules were developed on the basis of passenger surveys and therefore reflect the preferences of the majority of Lufthansa Group customers. Among other things, passengers are asked always to wear headphones when playing audio or video content, refrain from making voice and video calls, and avoid broadcasting livestreams from on board. The Lufthansa Group Wi-Fi portal is sponsored by Mastercard, which was already a partner of the previous FlyNet portal.

The new internet service is available free of charge to all status customers and Travel ID users—across all travel classes.