Free Starlink Internet is coming to all of United's airplanes

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/09/free-starlink-internet-is-coming-to-all-of-uniteds-airplanes/

by thunderbong • 2 years ago

28 31 2 years ago

arstechnica.com

nahtnam• 2 years ago

Looks like I'm flying exclusively United when I can in 2025

taylorhou• 2 years ago

Will take years to upgrade the entire fleet. Until then…T_T

randunel• 2 years ago

I avoid UA because they intentionally sit families on different rows, with plenty of room to be sat together, to get them to pay $$ per member. I frequently travel with 2 children, and it's annoying when airlines do that.

dazc3• 2 years ago

Because charging for specific seating allows them to sell un-specific seats to cheapsters, who still manage to complain about it.

Bluecobra• 2 years ago

Isn’t this only an issue with basic economy seats? I only buy standard economy seats and have no problem picking my own seat (albeit in the back of the plane).

stephenr• 2 years ago

Man flying in the US really is the Wild West isn't it?

For reference on Singapore Airlines, the cheapest seats don't have free seat selection ($10 SGD I think to choose, but not 100% sure I've never flown with them without a child), but if you fly with a child you do get free seat selection, and I've never once encountered any airline that would not place travelling groups together.

thayne3• 2 years ago

It looks like maybe that is no longer the case for children under 12: https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/accessibility-and-as...

SirMaster• 2 years ago

Just because the internet is free?

So it makes sense to pay a lot more for the always United tickets rather than the $10 fee for internet on the flight from some other company that had cheaper tickets?

helsinkiandrew• 2 years ago

Free can mean anything from "unlimited bandwidth for free for everyone" to "free limited/capped service with an add on premium bandwidth service for a fee".

Given that Starlink is still a relatively low bandwidth service and there would be hundreds of people wanting to stream Netflix etc. I'm guessing the latter might be more likely and perhaps better for those that want/need decent internet.

inemesitaffia2• 2 years ago

It's not the latter. The latter is what you used to have

impish9208• 2 years ago

Dupe: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41530769

ChrisArchitect• 2 years ago

Earlier:

United Airlines Taps Elon Musk's Starlink for In-Flight Wi-Fi

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41532121

pixxel• 2 years ago

Free.

inemesitaffia2• 2 years ago

At the point of use

daft_pink• 2 years ago

They aren’t going to monetize that? I can’t believe it.

Free Starlink Internet is coming to all of United's airplanes

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