Delta Air Lines adoptera le service Internet par satellite d'Amazon pour le Wi-Fi à bord

Amazon Léon satellite service will connect to some of Delta’s fleet by 2028; Elon Musk’s Starlink has become the mainstream satellite network provider for airlines

Author: Allison Sid

A Delta Airlines passenger plane parked on the runway. Delta plans to leverage Amazon’s Léon service to provide faster internet speeds for its aircraft than current offerings.

E-commerce tech giant Amazon has reached an agreement with Delta Airlines to provide onboard internet access services, marking Amazon’s most iconic deal in the in-flight Wi-Fi supply competition.

Delta stated that starting from 2028, it plans to equip 500 aircraft with Amazon’s emerging Léon satellite internet service. With Léon, onboard network speeds will reach 3 to 5 times the current levels.

This choice by Delta intensifies competition in the satellite internet industry. JetBlue Airlines announced last year that it would use Amazon’s service on part of its fleet. Meanwhile, Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has become the mainstream service provider for airlines, with clients including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Alaska Airlines Group.

Delta has also previously explored Starlink services, but CEO Ed Bastian stated he firmly believes Léon’s performance is at least on par with Starlink, if not better. He also mentioned that collaborating with Amazon could further deepen Delta’s use of Amazon Web Services. The two parties plan to jointly develop more personalized content, including services related to seatback screens.

The specific terms of the cooperation agreement have not been disclosed publicly.

In 2023, Delta announced at the International Consumer Electronics Show that it would offer free in-flight internet service, attracting widespread attention. At that time, only JetBlue provided free in-flight Wi-Fi for passengers.

Since then, free in-flight Wi-Fi has rapidly become a standard service among airlines. Today, major carriers are turning to satellite technology in an effort to offer faster speeds comparable to ground networks.

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Bastian said in an interview: “To stay ahead in the industry, we must keep pace with technological developments. We are always planning for the future.”

Delta has not explicitly disclosed which aircraft will be equipped with Léon service, but Bastian mentioned that after the delivery of Boeing 737 MAX-10 aircraft already ordered by Delta, they are expected to be among the first to feature this service. Currently, most of Delta’s aircraft provide what they call “streaming-level network connectivity” via Viasat and Hughes Network Systems, and this service will also be available on trans-Pacific routes starting this fall.

At present, Amazon’s satellite business has far fewer satellites in orbit compared to Starlink. As of now, Amazon has about 200 satellites in orbit, with plans to deploy thousands more in the coming years.

According to data from astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who tracks space activities, SpaceX’s Starlink currently has approximately 10,100 satellites in orbit.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated in an interview: “We are fully confident in our ability to support Delta and other customers. This is a critical long-term investment for us.”