The Finnish flag carrier is the latest European airline to consider Elon Musk’s firm for its internet connectivity.
National airline Finnair has been negotiating with SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Leo, as it seeks an internet provider for its in-flight Wi-Fi service, Bloomberg reported over the weekend.
The news agency said that Finnair is expected to make a decision about the matter later this year.
The airline’s chief executive, Turkka Kuusisto, told Bloomberg that it was still too early to say when an announcement will be made about the firm’s eventual decision.
Amazon’s Leo and Starlink provide high-speed internet to customers using Low Earth Orbit (Leo) satellite technology, but they work slightly differently from one another.
Starlink is a subsidiary of SpaceX, owned by billionaire tycoon Elon Musk, while Amazon Leo is part of Amazon.com, founded by another of the world’s richest businessmen, Jeff Bezos.
A number of other airlines use Starlink as their Wi-Fi connectivity service, including Germany’s Lufthansa and UAE-based Emirates airlines. Meanwhile, US airline Delta picked Amazon’s services.
Currently, Finnair’s internet connectivity is provided by the Nordic Sky portal.
Kuusisto also noted that the outlook for jet fuel supplies is good for the airline’s summer season, adding that there were still risks of disruption if the conflict in Iran becomes further protracted.
