Latest news with #GrantMilstead
Skift
25-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
United Had Its First Flight With Starlink Wi-Fi. Here's What Comes Next
United is now the largest U.S. carrier to use the satellite technology. Getting it on over 1,000 aircraft will take time, but it's moving quickly. United Airlines debuted its first-ever Starlink flight on May 15 on a route between Chicago O'Hare and Detroit, making it the largest U.S. carrier to use the satellite technology. In-flight Wi-Fi has always been spotty and glitchy, but United is bullish that Starlink will change that. The carrier has touted Starlink as an 'in-flight Wi-Fi revolution' in advertisements and executives have repeatedly said they expect the technology to significantly change the customer experience. Plus, the Starlink Wi-Fi will be free for United MileagePlus members. Currently, MileagePlus members have to pay $8 to access in-flight Wi-Fi, while non-members pay $10. United has been determined to install Starlink throughout its fleet on a relatively quick timeline. Currently, United is installing the satellite technology on around 300 regional jets, and expects to finish installation by the end of the year. Starlink will also be installed on the new planes United receives, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliners where the carrier plans to debut new cabins. Skift spoke with Grant Milstead, United's vice president of digital technology, to learn more about the carrier's plans for Starlink. Milstead said United received 'great feedback' on the first Starlink flight. 'The connectivity for customers was everything we expected and more,' Milstead said. 'I think we got great feedback from customers, a lot of screenshots of their speed tests, kind of unlike anything they had experienced before.' United's Timeline for Starlink The timeline for Starlink on United's mainline fleet is unclear. Milstead said the company was expecting to install the technology on a mainline jet later this year and would probably announce a timeline then. Installing Starlink on an aircraft requires approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Plus, while other, smaller carriers like Hawaiian Airlines and JSX use Starlink, United has over 1,000 aircraft. Another major carrier that uses Starlink is Qatar Airways. The airline, which announced a deal with Starlink in 2023, already has equipped over 50% of its Boeing 777s with the technology and now plans to install it on Airbus A350s. Milstead said the approvals process involves developing a plan for each aircraft type for certification and installation. So far, United has received approval from regulators to install Starlink on its Embraer 175s. 'It's a big undertaking but it's something we've been able to be really successful on in the regional fleet,' Milstead said. 'Obviously nine months from announcement to our first install, I think you can expect us to be pretty rapid once we start announcing some of our mainline milestones as well.' A Perk for Premium Customers More airlines have been eager to switch to Starlink for their in-flight Wi-Fi because the technology allows customers to stream movies and TV shows, connect multiple devices, and shop online. Air France announced last year that it would start installing Starlink throughout its fleet, and Latvia-based airBaltic became the first European airline to use the satellite technology. Airlines see Starlink as part of a broader strategy to attract more business and premium travelers. United CEO Scott Kirby previously described Starlink as ' one of the most obvious high-profile investments for customers that's really just the visible tip of the iceberg,' during a January 22 earnings call. 'Premium travel continues to be a choice of customers that are choosing United — especially our route network and our international demand,' Milstead said. 'So I think this is one of those factors on why customers choose United. Our strategy has been investing in customers and investing in the experience and we think customers choose based on that.' What am I looking at? The performance of airline sector stocks within the ST200. The index includes companies publicly traded across global markets including network carriers, low-cost carriers, and other related companies. The Skift Travel 200 (ST200) combines the financial performance of nearly 200 travel companies worth more than a trillion dollars into a single number. See more airlines sector financial performance. Read the full methodology behind the Skift Travel 200.
The Hill
03-04-2025
- Business
- The Hill
United receives FAA certification on Starlink-equipped aircraft
United Airlines announced Monday that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved its first Starlink-equipped aircraft type allowing passengers to have access to high-speed Wi-Fi. The first commercial flight will be on the United Express Embraer 175 scheduled for May. The Chicago-based airline plans to install Starlink into over 300 planes by the end of the year after inking a deal in September. 'We know customers are going to love this experience, and we think it will give them yet another reason to choose United,' Grant Milstead, United's vice president of Digital Technology, said in a press release. 'We're working closely with Starlink and the FAA to finish installs on our regional fleet this year and bring the best inflight experience in the sky to more and more people,' he added. Starlink is a satellite internet service led by Elon Musk's SpaceX. The satellites, initially launched in 2019, allow broadband internet use for customers. The partnership's roll out comes after Campaign Legal Center, a watchdog group, asked the Transportation Department's inspector general to investigate whether the FAA's business with Starlink violates conflict of interest laws.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
United receives FAA certification on Starlink-equipped aircraft
(NewsNation) — United Airlines announced Monday that the Federal Aviation Administration approved its first Starlink-equipped aircraft type allowing passengers to have access to high-speed Wi-Fi. The first commercial flight will be on the United Express Embraer 175 scheduled for May. The Chicago-based airline plans to install Starlink into over 300 planes by the end of the year after inking a deal in September 2024. Nintendo announces Switch 2 release date, new features in latest Direct showcase 'We know customers are going to love this experience, and we think it will give them yet another reason to choose United,' Grant Milstead, United's vice president of Digital Technology, said in a United press release. 'We're working closely with Starlink and the FAA to finish installs on our regional fleet this year and bring the best inflight experience in the sky to more and more people.' Starlink is a satellite internet service led by Elon Musk's SpaceX. The satellites, initially launched in 2019, allow broadband internet use for customers. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
United Receives FAA Certification on Starlink Aircraft and Schedules First Commercial Flight for May 2025
Airline expects first customer flight to operate on a United Express Embraer 175 aircraft – less than eight months after signing SpaceX deal for Starlink United's roll-out of this new connectivity continues with plans to install approximately 40 regional jets each month and entire two-cabin regional fleet by end of year CHICAGO, March 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- United today announced the FAA has approved its first Starlink-equipped aircraft type and that the first commercial flight is planned for May, less than eight months after the deal was first announced. The FAA issued a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the Embraer 175 and the airline expects the first commercial flight to be onboard a United Express Embraer 175. United's roll-out of this new technology continues to accelerate with approximately 40 regional jet installs planned monthly and the expectation that the entire two-cabin regional fleet – more than 300 planes – will be completed by end of year. In addition to securing the STC, United will also run a beta test of the new technology on select flights between now and the first customer flight in May to ensure all aspects deliver an incredible onboard experience for passengers. "We know customers are going to love this experience, and we think it will give them yet another reason to choose United," said Grant Milstead, United's Vice President of Digital Technology. "We're working closely with Starlink and the FAA to finish installs on our regional fleet this year and bring the best inflight experience in the sky to more and more people." United will work with Starlink to secure an FAA STC to install Starlink on every United aircraft type getting the new equipment (e.g. Embraer 175) – more than 16 total regional and mainline aircraft models. According to the FAA, the process to secure each STC can include design, installation, testing and submitting the package for FAA approval. Earlier this month United unveiled the Starlink install process, underscoring the technical operations benefits associated with the equipment, including size and weight as well as the ease of install and maintenance. The Starlink system, when compared to non-Starlink equipment, allows for a faster and simpler install, is lighter requiring less fuel to operate and is more reliable and weather-proofed. Starlink access will be free for all MileagePlus® customers and include game-changing inflight entertainment experiences like streaming services, shopping, gaming and more, thanks to Wi-Fi speeds up to 250 megabits per second (Mbps), which is 50 times faster than current regional aircraft speeds. Membership to MileagePlus is also free and people can sign-up now at See here for visual assets and visit for additional information. About United At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team, please visit and more information about the company is at United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL". About Starlink Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. As the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit, Starlink delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more. Starlink is engineered and operated by SpaceX. As the world's leading provider of launch services, SpaceX is leveraging its deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations to deploy the world's most advanced broadband internet system. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans, commitments, strategies and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, known or unknown, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect United's business and market, particularly those identified in the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections in United's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law or regulation, United undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE United Airlines
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
United Airlines successfully installed Starlink on its first aircraft, and the promised speeds are up to 50 times faster
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. United Airlines has installed Starlink on its first regional aircraft The install time is just four days per aircraft versus 10+ days for other Wi-Fi systems The airline expects to install Starlink on over 40 aircraft a month starting in May Back in January, right ahead of the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, United Airlines announced that it was speeding up its rollout and installation of Starlink across its fleet. It was good news as Grant Milstead, VP of Digital Technology for the airline, told us that it was 'kind of enabling the living room in the sky experience.' How? Well, once Starlink is installed on United Airline's aircraft, the result is free, fast Wi-Fi while on the ground and in the air as long as you are a member of MileagePlus, which is free to join. United Airlines sped up its planned rollout by confirming that the first commercial flight was expected on an Embraer E175 in the spring and that its entire regional fleet would be covered by the end of the year. Its first mainline aircraft would also have Starlink installed by the end of the year. Now United Airlines has successfully installed Starlink on its first regional aircraft, learned some new lessons, and confirmed some theories about what this process would look like. And for anyone who flies United Airlines, it's great news as you're one step closer to getting this stronger, more stable connection in the sky. The most significant learning is that installing the Starlink antenna, the wiring, and the wireless access points inside the cabin of the aircraft is a lot less time-consuming than a typical antenna for traditional airline Wi-Fi. United says that it takes about eight hours to install the Starlink equipment, which is about 10 times faster than the current in-flight Wi-Fi equipment (though that eight-hour window doesn't include de-installation or the testing equipment). And here's the best part for me as someone who tends to fly United Airlines, and for any others who do – you can expect Wi-Fi speeds up to 250Mbps on these regional aircraft, which is 50 times faster than current internet speeds. That means, when connected, you won't have to worry about missing a text – even one with images – being able to browse the web, stream a show, or be productive and accomplish some work while cruising in the sky. I, for one, can't wait to put that to the test. Additionally, the Starlink antenna and corresponding equipment weigh 85 pounds and are electronically steered, which means no moving parts inside. That makes it easier to move, and less likely to need maintenance. It's also a lot lighter (other antennas weigh upwards of 300 pounds) and United Airlines says it 'means the aircraft requires less fuel to operate than with other inflight providers.' The faster installation process also means the aircraft will be out of service for a shorter time. Currently, non-Starlink Wi-Fi installations for United take over 10 days, meaning the plane will not be flying for that period. United Airlines expects the Starlink installation and testing to take just four days, and that includes removing the old equipment. Remember, it's outside on the aircraft's hull and inside under panels, where access points are located. Here are the steps for the installation process as it stands for United Airlines regional aircraft: Uninstall the existing Wi-Fi system. Install the Starlink system, which consists of the main antenna, an internal reinforcement structure, wireless access points for the cabin, and a power supply. The install team tests the whole system before and after closing the aircraft's interior. It's clear that United Airlines is still operating on this sped-up schedule and is eager to get Starlink-powered internet to more passengers, starting with regional aircraft. It's not a small set of flyers either – while United Airlines' entire fleet is over 1,000 aircraft, the regional fleet is over 300 airplanes. With one of those airplanes already done, United Airlines expects to install Starlink on over 40 aircraft a month starting in May before wrapping at the end of 2025. The goal is to cover all regional aircraft and then at least one mainline airplane. United Airlines and Apple AirTags are ready to help reunite you with your lost bags Delta Air Lines just announced its vision for the future of flying – here are my 3 favorite features coming to its planes and app No, iOS 18.3 doesn't install Starlink on your iPhone – here's what the latest update does, and why you should download it
