Air New Zealand (Air NZ) has announced today (13 Dec) it will be installing Starlink, a high speed internet service, into it's domestic planes from late 2024.

Starlink is a satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk's company, SpaceX.

Air NZ plans to trail the Starlink system in a domestic jet and an ATR in late 2024, before rolling out the service across the rest of its domestic fleet in 2025.

Air NZ Chief Digital Officer Nikhil Ravishankar said the airline was always looking at how new and innovative technology could deliver improved customer experiences.

"With the world’s largest satellite constellation, exploring in-motion connectivity on our aircraft with Starlink was a no brainer," he said. 

“Whether travelling for work or leisure, we know maintaining seamless internet connectivity is something that will transform the travel experience for customers."

"Our free and accessible WiFi onboard international flights has proved incredibly popular among customers, so we can't wait to bring connectivity to domestic flights," Ravishankar said.