Latest news with #NikhilRavishankar
West Australian
20 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
Air New Zealand switches on Starlink in domestic trial
Air New Zealand has launched its trial of Starlink high-speed in-flight wi-fi, switching on the service onboard an Airbus A320 (ZK-OXE) operating domestic services, with an ATR turboprop to join the trial later this month. In-flight wi-fi is being offered free of charge during the trial, with the airline keen to assess how the service performs in real-world conditions and customer feedback before it makes any decision on a domestic fleet rollout. 'We look forward to hearing from our customers as they test out onboard wi-fi. Their feedback will help guide our decision-making as we consider connectivity options for our domestic fleet,' says Air New Zealand chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar. The airline will be the first to test Starlink on a turboprop aircraft when the ATR joins the trial. Air New Zealand currently has in-flight connectivity services provided by Viasat on its international fleet, which the airline has previously said could come under review if the domestic Starlink trial proves successful. SpaceX's Starlink has taken the in-flight connectivity world by storm since Hawaiian Airlines became the first major commercial airline to offer the service in early 2024. Unlike earlier in-flight connectivity solutions using geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite constellations, Starlink's constellation is closer to Earth, in low Earth orbit (LEO), delivering high-speed and low-latency service, supporting in-flight live video streaming, live TV, social media, gaming and shopping. Airlines already offering or committing to Starlink service include Air Baltic, Air France, Hawaiian Airlines, KLM, Qatar Airways, Scandinavian Airlines, United Airlines and Zip Air. United Airlines recently started offering Starlink service onboard its regional jets as part of a fleet rollout but switched off the service this month to address an interference issue with pilot communications.
Otago Daily Times
10-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Air NZ trialling Starlink internet on domestic flights
Air NZ's Airbus 320 domestic aircraft. Air New Zealand has started trialling wireless internet on a domestic plane using Starlink satellites. The airline said from today, passengers flying on ZK OXE, one of its A320 domestic aircraft, would be able to access high-speed, low-latency internet, with an ATR-72 turboprop joining the trial later this month - a world first. It said Wi-Fi would be provided free of charge during the trial, with passengers able to browse, access social media, stream or play games. Starlink - owned by billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX - uses low Earth orbit satellites to provide internet coverage across the world. "Being the first airline in the world to trial Wi-Fi on a turboprop aircraft is a proud moment for us, Air New Zealand chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar said. "Our goal is to explore the potential of this technology and understand how it can enhance customer journeys." Air New Zealand said it was in the testing phase of Starlink's onboard connectivity and sought to understand how it performed in real-world conditions, while gathering customer feedback. "[Customer] feedback will help guide our decision-making as we consider connectivity options for our domestic fleet," Ravishankar said.
Otago Daily Times
09-06-2025
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Air NZ trialling Wi-Fi on domestic planes
Air NZ's Airbus 320 domestic aircraft. Air New Zealand has started trialling wireless internet on a domestic plane using Starlink satellites. The airline said from today, passengers flying on ZK OXE, one of its A320 domestic aircraft, would be able to access high-speed, low-latency internet, with an ATR-72 turboprop joining the trial later this month - a world first. It said Wi-Fi would be provided free of charge during the trial, with passengers able to browse, access social media, stream or play games. Starlink - owned by billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX - uses low Earth orbit satellites to provide internet coverage across the world. "Being the first airline in the world to trial Wi-Fi on a turboprop aircraft is a proud moment for us, Air New Zealand chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar said. "Our goal is to explore the potential of this technology and understand how it can enhance customer journeys." Air New Zealand said it was in the testing phase of Starlink's onboard connectivity and sought to understand how it performed in real-world conditions, while gathering customer feedback. "[Customer] feedback will help guide our decision-making as we consider connectivity options for our domestic fleet," Ravishankar said.
RNZ News
09-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Air New Zealand trialling wireless internet on domestic aircraft using Starlink satellites
Air NZ's Airbus 320 domestic aircraft. Photo: 123RF Air New Zealand has started trialling wireless internet on a domestic aircraft using Starlink satellites. The airline said from Tuesday passengers flying on one of its A320 domestic aircraft would be able to access high-speed, low-latency internet, with an ATR-72 turboprop joining the trial later in the month. It said Wi-Fi would be provided free of charge during the trial, with passengers able to browse, access social media, stream or play games. Starlink - owned by controversial billionaire Elon Musk's company SpaceX - uses low Earth orbit satellites to provide internet coverage across the world. Air New Zealand chief digital officer Nikhil Ravishankar said the upcoming ATR aircraft trial would be a world first. "Being the first airline in the world to trial Wi-Fi on a turboprop aircraft is a proud moment for us," Ravishankar said. "Our goal is to explore the potential of this technology and understand how it can enhance customer journeys." Air New Zealand said it was in the testing phase of Starlink's onboard connectivity and sought to understand how it performed in real-world conditions, while gathering customer feedback. "[Customer] feedback will help guide our decision-making as we consider connectivity options for our domestic fleet," Ravishankar said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
09-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Onboard Starlink Wi-Fi Trial Taking Connectivity To The Skies
Air New Zealand is putting onboard internet to the test, trialling high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity on two domestic aircraft. From today, passengers flying on ZK OXE, one of the airline's Airbus A320 domestic jets will have access to high-speed, low-latency internet connectivity throughout their journey. An ATR will join the trial later in the month. Wi-Fi will be accessible for free as part of the trial. In an innovative move to test more seamless and connected travel experiences, Air New Zealand is trialling this technology with Starlink – a satellite-based internet service designed to deliver reliable, fast internet connections including in the more remote areas of New Zealand. Starlink's low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites enable passengers to access the internet quickly and smoothly, whether for business, entertainment, or keeping in touch with loved ones. Passengers can use the internet onboard like they are in their lounge at home, scrolling through social media, working on live documents, streaming video content, or even gaming. Air New Zealand Chief Digital Officer Nikhil Ravishankar says the airline is always looking for new and innovative technology to improve its onboard experience. 'We're committed to providing an exceptional experience for all our passengers, and this innovative technology could pave the way for more seamless, high-speed connectivity in the skies for Air New Zealand. 'We look forward to hearing from our customers as they test out onboard Wi-Fi. Their feedback will help guide our decision-making as we consider connectivity options for our domestic fleet.' In a global first, the airline will also expand the trial to its regional aircraft later this month, installing Starlink on one of its ATR turboprop aircraft. This expansion will also give regional travellers a chance to experience the same connectivity. 'Being the first airline in the world to trial Wi-Fi on a turboprop aircraft is a proud moment for us. Our goal is to explore the potential of this technology and understand how it can enhance customer journeys.' Air New Zealand is currently in the test phase of Starlink's onboard connectivity, seeking to understand how it performs in real-world conditions and to assess customer feedback. As Air New Zealand continues to invest in digital innovation, this initiative represents a major step forward in offering more connected, convenient, and customer-centric journeys.
