United Airlines— United Airlines has temporarily disabled Starlink Wi-Fi on nearly two dozen regional jets after pilots reported static interference between Starlink antennas and the radio systems used to communicate with air traffic control.
The issue affects United’s Embraer E175 aircraft, which had recently been equipped with SpaceX’s satellite-based internet. The airline began offering Starlink access in May with a free, ad-supported model, aiming to bring high-speed in-flight connectivity to its entire two-cabin regional fleet by the end of 2025.
United confirmed that the radio interference is a “fairly common” issue during early Wi-Fi rollouts and emphasized that it does not pose a safety risk. A fix has already been applied to about one-third of the impacted aircraft, and repairs will continue during routine maintenance.
Despite the setback, United remains committed to Starlink and plans to complete installation across its regional fleet by year’s end. In the meantime, the airline is also expanding in-flight entertainment by adding curated Spotify playlists to over 680 aircraft displays.
The move comes as competition among U.S. carriers intensifies to offer premium digital services, with rivals like American Airlines and Southwest also investing heavily in onboard connectivity upgrades.