{
  "id": 16730359,
  "title": "EasyJet Inks Starlink Deal, Piling Pressure on Sceptic Ryanair in Budget Carrier Wi-Fi Race",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/27/easyjet-inks-starlink-deal-piling-pressure-on-sceptic-ryanair-in",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-27T09:56:44.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Leader",
    "slug": "the-leader",
    "url": "https://theleader.info/2026/10/27/easyjet-inks-starlink-deal-piling-pressure-on-sceptic-ryanair-in-budget-carrier-wi-fi-race/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Elon Musk's satellite internet network, Starlink, has inked a major deal with British budget carrier EasyJet to equip its entire fleet with high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi, starting early 2027. This move intensifies the digital race among Europe's low-cost airlines. The agreement involves deploying Starlink's low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service across EasyJet's 300-strong Airbus fleet, a significant commitment for the SpaceX subsidiary. EasyJet joins Hungarian competitor Wizz Air in committing to Starlink, leaving Dublin-based Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, as the only major budget carrier without onboard Wi-Fi. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has historically dismissed onboard Wi-Fi due to concerns over weight, drag, high equipment costs, and slow connection speeds. However, Starlink's technology addresses these issues by delivering lower latency, higher bandwidth, less aerodynamic drag, and faster connection speeds. As both EasyJet and Wizz Air move toward full-fleet connectivity, Ryanair faces increasing pressure to catch up.",
  "summary": "Elon Musk’s satellite internet network, Starlink, has secured another major aviation client as British budget carrier EasyJet announced plans to equip its fleet with high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi, intensifying the digital race across Europe’s low-cost airline sector. The Luton-based airline confirmed the rollout will begin across its network in early 2027, with target completion across its […] The…",
  "key_points": [
    "EasyJet partners with Starlink for fleet-wide in-flight Wi-Fi.",
    "Starlink's LEO satellite service to be deployed on 300 Airbus aircraft.",
    "Ryanair remains the only major budget carrier without onboard Wi-Fi."
  ],
  "editors_take": "EasyJet’s commitment to satellite connectivity forces Ryanair to reconsider its long-standing opposition to onboard Wi-Fi as competitors leverage improved technology to bridge the digital gap in the budget sector.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}