Qatar Airways brings fast free WiFi to Australia

Qatar Airways is joining the worldwide push towards complimentary Internet access, with flights to Australia set to enjoy Qatar’s new ‘broadband in the sky’ system that’s not only free but faster  than many passengers enjoy at home.

The Oneworld member airline is now upgrading its long-range Boeing 777 jets to work with the Starlink micro-satellite network, which early tests show can deliver a whopping 150Mpbs to smartphones and laptops.

And it’ll be free to every passenger – from the first row of Qatar’s business class suites to the very last seats in the economy cabin.

Qatar Airways currently charges a relatively modest US$10 for all passengers to stay connected for their entire flight, although members of its Privilege Club loyalty program receive one hour free of charge.

A dozen of Qatar Airways’ 777s will be upgraded to the Starlink tech by the end of 2024, with the entire 777 fleet kitted out within the next 12 months.

At the time of writing Qatar Airways flies its Boeing 777s to Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.

There’s also the possibility that more 777s could take wing down under next year, with Qatar Airways planning to leverage a 25% investment in Virgin Australia by launching additional daily flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

As previously reported, Qatar Airways’ Starlink system is not only fast enough to allow high-speed video streaming and downloading, it also permits live videochat services  such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Google Meet – and the airline has made a point not to ban live video chats or meetings.

“We would hope passengers would continue to conduct themselves appropriately,” explains Qatar Airways exec Xia Ca, and be “respectful of those around them when making calls, playing games or streaming music.’