United Airlines Deploys Starlink With First Regional Jet Installation, and More

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United Begins Fleet-Wide Starlink Rollout

United Airlines has successfully installed Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system on its first regional aircraft, marking a significant advancement in the carrier's in-flight connectivity strategy.

The airline announced today that it plans to equip its entire two-cabin regional fleet of over 300 aircraft by the end of the year (eventually all 1,000 aircraft), with installations ramping up to more than 40 planes per month starting in May.

Key Points

• Installation takes approximately 8 hours, 10 times faster than traditional Wi-Fi systems

• Aircraft downtime reduced to just 4 days versus 10+ days for competing systems

• Offers speeds up to 250 Mbps, 50 times faster than current regional Wi-Fi capabilities

• Service will be free for all MileagePlus members (membership is also free)

• Starlink equipment weighs only 85 pounds compared to 300 pounds for other systems

• First installation completed on a SkyWest-operated Embraer E175

• United plans to eventually outfit its entire fleet of over 1,000 aircraft

• Weather-proof inter-satellite laser link technology reportedly ensures reliable connectivity in various ground-based weather conditions

What It Means

This aggressive deployment positions United as the largest U.S. carrier to adopt Starlink technology, creating a competitive advantage in the premium travel market.

The dramatically faster installation process minimizes revenue-impacting aircraft downtime while delivering superior connectivity.

By offering free high-speed Wi-Fi to loyalty program members, United strengthens customer relationships while enabling modern in-flight experiences like streaming, gaming, and real-time document collaboration.

Other Key Aviation Industry Updates for Today 👇

2. Spirit and Frontier Sue DOT Over Disputed Reagan National Flight Permissions

Spirit and Frontier Airlines have sued the Department of Transportation over five new flight slots at Reagan National Airport granted in December 2024.

The airlines claim DOT misapplied criteria for "limited incumbent carriers," unfairly favoring Alaska Airlines despite its codeshare with American Airlines.

Spirit wanted to operate flights to San Jose, while Frontier proposed San Juan routes.

The lawsuits argue both airlines qualify as limited incumbents under law, while Alaska does not.

3. Aerospace Sector Pursues Tariff Shield Amid US-Canada Trade Tensions

President Trump has temporarily exempted goods covered by the USMCA from 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico until April 2, 2025.

While this provides relief for some industries, about 62% of Canadian imports remain subject to tariffs.

Canada has already imposed retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion of U.S. goods and plans a second wave targeting $125 billion more.

The aerospace sector is likely seeking exemptions similar to those granted to automakers earlier this week.

4. Frontier Airlines Secures Spot in JFK's Modern Terminal 6 Development

Frontier Airlines has selected JFK's new Terminal 6 for its operations starting in 2026, becoming the 13th international airline to join the facility.

The terminal, part of JFK's $19 billion transformation, will offer passengers a digital-first experience with less than 5-minute walks to gates, biometric self-service options, and 100,000 square feet of amenities.

Frontier currently operates six daily flights from Terminal 7 and plans to expand with new routes to Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Los Angeles this spring, adding up to four additional daily flights.

5. Garuda and JAL Unite in Revenue-Sharing Partnership

Garuda Indonesia and Japan Airlines are officially launching their joint business partnership on April 1, 2025, following an agreement signed in October 2024.

The collaboration will offer passengers integrated flight services with more diverse schedules, competitive pricing, and seamless connections between Indonesia and Japan.

Benefits include special fares and enhanced frequent flyer programs.

6. Business Aviation Shifts from China to Emerging Asian Markets

Private jet numbers in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau have declined by one-third since 2017, while the rest of Asia-Pacific has seen a 20% increase.

This shift reflects China's weakening economy, anti-corruption initiatives, and pandemic effects.

Southeast Asian nations, particularly Singapore (which now hosts 83 business jets), are experiencing robust growth. India has seen a nearly 25% increase in private aircraft since 2019.

Industry experts attribute this regional shift to Chinese policies and rising wealth in countries like India and Vietnam.

7. Austrian Aircraft Maker Diamond Negotiates Volocopter Acquisition

Diamond Aircraft is in negotiations to acquire insolvent eVTOL developer Volocopter, according to recent media reports.

The Austrian aircraft manufacturer, owned by China's Wanfeng Auto Holding Group since 2017, would preserve approximately 160 of Volocopter's 500 jobs in Bruchsal, Germany.

Volocopter filed for insolvency in December 2024 despite backing from major investors like Mercedes-Benz and Neom.

The company had completed numerous test flights with its VoloCity multicopter and was nearing production and EASA certification for a planned 2025 market debut.

8. Garmin's Helicopter Autopilot System Coming to Airbus Coming to H130 Fleet

Garmin has announced upcoming Supplemental Type Certificate approval for its GFC 600H Helicopter Flight Control System for Airbus H130 helicopters, expected in Q2 2025.

The system will be available as both a retrofit option and factory-installed on new aircraft.

Key features include attitude hold, hover assist mode, ground position maintenance, and electronic stability protection.

The console-mounted system integrates with G500H TXi and GTN Xi navigation systems, offering safety enhancements like overspeed protection, return-to-level mode for degraded visual environments, and low-altitude protection.

9. Bell Plans to Bring Full Aircraft Lineup to Dallas for Verticon 2025

Bell is exhibiting its complete commercial helicopter lineup at Verticon 2025 in Dallas from March 10-13, celebrating its 90th anniversary.

The showcase features aircraft recently delivered to Peoria Police, Global Medical Response, Quiktrip, and Kern County, plus an oil and gas configured Bell 525.

Bell delivered 172 aircraft in 2024 and secured major fleet deals, including 10 Bell 525s to Equinor.

The company is also highlighting its BasiX-Pro glass cockpit retrofit kit and new GPMS Foresight MX health monitoring system for several Bell models.

10. Indian eVTOL Developer ePlane Secures Certification Path for Air Taxi Testing

Indian startup The ePlane Company is preparing to begin flight testing its two-seat eVTOL aircraft by mid-2025 after raising $14 million in November 2024.

The Chennai-based firm recently received DGCA type certification acceptance and signed a $1 billion agreement with ICATT for 788 air ambulances.

ePlane has also partnered with Empire Aviation Group to deploy air taxis across India, UAE, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The company aims to complete certification by 2026, offering services that could reduce 60-minute road journeys to just 14 minutes.