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United Airlines’ rollout of Starlink Wi-Fi has encountered a snag. The airline has temporarily disabled the service on some regional jets due to reported radio interference. Here’s what travelers need to know.
Starlink Glitch: Interference Reported
According to an exclusive report, some Embraer E175 regional jets equipped with Starlink have experienced radio interference. Pilots reported static on radio lines after transmissions, potentially disrupting communication with air traffic control.
Precautionary Measures
Out of an abundance of caution, United has shut down Starlink connectivity across its impacted fleet. The airline is collaborating with Starlink engineers to identify and implement a fix.
United’s Statement
A United spokesperson confirmed the issue, stating, “Starlink is now installed on about two dozen United regional aircraft. 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.”
Past Experiences
United noted that similar interference issues occurred during the initial rollout of Viasat connectivity on its mainline fleet. The airline emphasized that the radio interference doesn’t compromise flight safety.
The Fix is in Progress
United and Starlink have identified a solution for the radio interference. About a third of the affected planes have already received the fix and are once again flying with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi, while the remaining planes will be reconnected after the fix is applied.
Minimal Disruption
United aims to implement the fix during regularly scheduled maintenance visits, avoiding flight cancellations due to the outage.
Timeline and Expansion Plans
United anticipates Starlink will be reenabled on all affected aircraft within the next few weeks. The airline will still reconfigure 40 more E175 jets this month, and it’ll then begin doing the same across its CRJ-550 regional jets in the coming weeks.
Despite the temporary setback, United remains committed to equipping its entire dual-class United Express regional jet fleet (CRJ-550 and E175 planes) with Starlink by year-end.
Free Wi-Fi on the Horizon
United plans to offer free Starlink Wi-Fi to all passengers with a MileagePlus account, marking a significant upgrade to its inflight connectivity offerings.
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