Frontier Airlines is so true to its no-frills reputation that it offers zero in-flight Wi-Fi, television or streaming services. Even power outlets are missing on its planes.
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That’s about to change. Starting next year, the Denver-based airline will provide what it claims will be commercial aviation’s fastest satellite connectivity through a partnership with Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX.
“Starlink transforms the onboard experience, giving customers the flexibility to work, stream, browse and stay connected throughout their journey,” said Frontier Airlines CEO Jimmy Dempsey, in a press release.
Starlink operates through a constellation of about 10,800 low-Earth-orbit satellites.
Southwest and Hawaiian Airlines already use Starlink, but Frontier’s rollout will introduce a more integrated approach.
Under an agreement reached through private equity firm Indigo Partners, more than 1,000 jets across Frontier, Wizz Air, Volaris, JetSMART and Cebu Pacific will be equipped with a new service run directly by Starlink.
SpaceX terminal engineering teams will manage the network directly rather than integrating through traditional third-party connectivity vendors now used by airlines.
The new approach will cut out network handoffs, resulting in smoother and faster connections.
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Another perk is that planes will remain continuously connected from “gate to gate,” the company said.
Legacy air-to-ground cellular systems have to shut off below 10,000 feet to avoid interfering with ground towers. And even modern satellite feeds can suffer from signal blockages as an aircraft taxis on the ground and moves around large structures.
The new Starlink system will use an electronically steered antenna to provide Frontier jets with a continuous, unbroken pipeline of data on the tarmac and throughout the flight.
Although passengers will benefit from uninterrupted web browsing, the real advantage accrues to the airlines, which should see faster turnaround times.
Pilots, flight attendants and crews can transmit jet diagnostic information, passenger manifests and baggage tracking data without interruption and without having to reconnect to another network.
The airline has not said what the new service will cost passengers.
In another announcement, Frontier Airlines said it will launch a new daily nonstop flight between Denver and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., starting on Nov. 20.
The new flight will bring the number of destinations it serves out of Denver to 55, Frontier said. The airline will offer introductory $99 fares as part of the launch.
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