Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

United expects to have its entire widebody fleet outfitted by next summer as the airline expands Starlink’s high-speed, reliable internet across its fleet. As the world’s largest airline across both the Atlantic and Pacific, United will leverage Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites to deliver reliable internet around the world, including when flying over oceans, polar regions and other remote locations previously unreachable by traditional cell or Wi-Fi signals.

More than 400 United planes have Starlink today, and the airline expects to outfit close to 1,000 aircraft before the end of this year. International travelers can expect to see Starlink-enabled 777-200 aircraft on routes between United’s hub airports in Newark/New York, Washington D.C, Houston and San Francisco and popular international destinations like London, Frankfurt, Zurich, Paris, Amsterdam, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and more.

Expanding Starlink across United’s fleet

Since launching Starlink Wi-Fi last spring, the airline has flown more than 18.6 million passengers on Starlink-equipped aircraft across more than 311,000 flights, powering 9.9 million devices – and Wi-Fi customer satisfaction scores on those airplanes nearly doubled during that time.

United has more than 167,000 seatback screens across nearly 900 planes and plans to roughly double that number as it takes delivery of hundreds of new airplanes and retrofits existing aircraft.

The rollout of Starlink will further enhance that investment, helping power a more connected and personalized onboard experience across both personal devices and seatback entertainment systems. Together, Starlink connectivity and United’s next generation seatback technology deliver faster, more seamless access to content and digital experiences customers use every day, with performance that feels closer to being connected at home than traditional inflight Wi-Fi.

MileagePlus members on Starlink-enabled planes can experience:

Gaming at 35,000 feet: Jump back into live games, stream gameplay and stay connected to gaming platforms in real time.
Seamless shopping and planning: Browse online, schedule grocery deliveries, book restaurant reservations and finalize travel plans – all from your seat.
Real-time work collaboration: Upload and download files, edit shared documents and update work as a team without interruption.
Multi-device connectivity: Connect across multiple devices simultaneously, including phone, tablet, laptop and seatback screens without major slowdowns.

Starlink Wi-Fi is free for United MileagePlus members, and customers will receive a notification before their flight if it’s equipped with Starlink.

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

Depending on their flight and class of travel, customers can also directly pre-select or pre-order their inflight meal in advance of their departure. In introducing its new digital menus, SWISS is responding to a common request among customers to help them plan their journey well and also make more conscious decisions on their inflight meals.

“Many of our guests tell us that they’d like to know in advance what they can expect on their flight – just as they may check out a restaurant’s menu online before dining there,” explains SWISS Chief Customer Officer Heike Birlenbach. “With our digital menus, we’re giving them greater transparency here, along with even more reason to look forward to their coming SWISS travel experience.”

SWISS’ digital menus are available online at least six weeks ahead of the flight concerned. They can also be viewed without entering a booking code. If they do enter their booking code, SWISS travelers will also have access – depending on their flight and class of travel – to a range of additional services, such as pre-select or pre order options enabling them to choose or order their inflight meal in advance of their departure.

Travelers in SWISS Premium Economy, SWISS Business and SWISS First are further offered an expanded or a guaranteed selection of inflight meals up to 24 hours before the departure of their flight. On most short-haul services, SWISS Economy travelers can also pre-order their meal up to 36 hours ahead of their flight’s departure.

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

Star Alliance and Asiana Airlines will work closely together to ensure a seamless and coordinated experience for customers in the lead-up to the airline’s departure from the Alliance. Customers enrolled in any Star Alliance member airlines’ frequent flyer program may continue to earn miles on Asiana Airlines-operated flights departing on or before October 15, 2026. Customers may also continue to redeem miles for Star Alliance award tickets and upgrades on Asiana Airlines for travel completed on or before December 16, 2026, subject to the redemption policies and timelines of their respective frequent flyer programme. Customers are encouraged to consult their respective frequent flyer programme for details.

Additionally, Star Alliance Gold and Silver status customers may continue to enjoy alliance status benefits, including priority services, when travelling on Asiana Airlines until December 16, 2026. Star Alliance Gold customers may also continue to enjoy lounge access, including at eligible Asiana Airlines lounges when travelling on the Star Alliance network.

Following Asiana Airlines’ departure from Star Alliance, 14 Star Alliance member airlines will continue to operate to and from Incheon International Airport, including Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, EVA Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, SWISS, Singapore Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, and United. Today, these member airlines operate more than 1,900 direct flights each month from Incheon International Airport to 29 destinations worldwide.

Effective December 17, 2026, Star Alliance will comprise 25 member airlines, continuing to make multi-airline global journeys effortless for customers.

About Star Alliance

Established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance, Star Alliance was founded on a customer value proposition of global reach, worldwide recognition, and seamless service. Today, guided by a vision for a world effortlessly connected, Star Alliance enriches customer journeys and reinforces loyalty by creating tailored solutions that empower member airlines beyond their individual capabilities.

The member airlines are: Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air India, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, ITA Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Air Portugal, THAI, Turkish Airlines, United.

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

Delta’s decision to equip its Boeing 737-800 and 737-900ER fleet with Finlets reflects the airline’s continued focus on reducing fuel consumption, lowering emissions and improving operational efficiency through practical, data-driven solutions.

Finlets are aerodynamic devices installed on the aft fuselage of an aircraft that reshape airflow, reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency. All aircraft generate vortices in flight, particularly at the wing tips and aft fuselage. VCT’s Finlets reduce flow separation and improve the pressure distribution along the aft fuselage, resulting in lower fuel consumption and reduced carbon emissions.

The finlet implementation builds on Delta’s ongoing fleet modification approach and was cemented with safety and strategy in mind, driven by a rigorous evaluation process. The assessment encompassed flight test validation, analysis of operational trends and engineering review of aerodynamic performance using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis on Delta’s 737NG aircraft.

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

Mohammed Hareb AlMheiri, Chief Procurement & Technology Officer at flydubai, said: “We are pleased to have received the “Airline with the Best Connectivity in the Middle East” award for the third time. Since 2009, we have remained committed to opening up underserved markets, enhancing connectivity, and creating more free flows of trade and tourism across our network from our home in Dubai. Our customer-centric and agile approach have enabled us to successfully expand our network to more than 100 destinations that previously did not have direct air links to Dubai. As we continue to grow our operations, we remain focused on providing our customers with greater travel options, while supporting Dubai’s position as a world-class aviation hub.”

The carrier recently announced the start of its three-times-weekly flights to Benghazi in Libya from 17 June, as well as its upcoming daily services to Bangkok in Thailand from 01 July and Pokhara from 23 September 2026.

Between June and September 2026, flydubai is operating its seasonal summer network which includes Al Alamein and Antalya alongside popular holiday destinations Batumi, Dubrovnik, Mykonos, Olbia, Santorini and Trabzon. Today, FZ operates flights to over 100 destinations and has a modern and efficient fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft.

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

“At KLM, we believe that every journey can be meaningful. KLM’s cabin crew is ready to offer travelers a warm welcome and personal attention, so they feel at home when traveling with KLM. The APEX Award for Best Cabin Service in Europe, an award entirely based on passenger reviews, is a wonderful recognition for our cabin crew. It shows that our customers appreciate our service,” said Bas Gerressen, Executive Vice President KLM Inflight Services.

The APEX Best Awards are based on more than one million passenger reviews. Passengers rate their flight experience across 5 categories: seat comfort, cabin service, food and beverages, entertainment, and Wi-Fi.

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

Qatar Airways will fly to Philadelphia with Airbus A350-900 aircraft equipped with the airline’s award-winning Qsuite Business Class and Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky. More than 140 Qatar Airways aircraft are equipped with Starlink, making it the world’s first and largest Starlink-equipped widebody fleet.

Departing daily from 1 August 2026:

Doha (DOH) to Philadelphia (PHL) – Flight QR727: Departure 08:00; Arrival 15:05
Philadelphia (PHL) to Doha (DOH) – Flight QR728: Departure 21:30; Arrival 17:00

This summer, QR will operate flights to the following North American destinations this summer: Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Montreal (YUL), New York (JFK), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA), Toronto (YYZ), and Washington D.C. (IAD).

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

From 12 July, Emirates’ direct service, operating as EK789, will depart Dubai at 03:30hrs, arriving in Accra at 07:40hrs; the return flight, EK790, will depart Accra at 10:25hrs, arriving in Dubai at 22:40hrs. Flown with a Boeing 777-300ER, these flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The new service is optimally timed to connect travellers from Accra to key commercial and tourist hubs including Beijing, Seoul, Sydney, Perth, Mumbai, Singapore, New York JFK and Jeddah. The newly added service will also offer travellers a more convenient option to connect to Accra via Dubai, mainly from points such as Delhi, Boston, Los Angeles and gateways across Germany and the UK.

With the introduction of flights EK789 / EK790 from 12 July, Emirates will serve Ghana with 11 weekly flights operated by its widebody Boeing 777-300ER, offering customers 8 private suites in First Class, 42 lie flat seats in Business Class and 304 seats in Economy Class.

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

The aircraft brings expanded capacity on the route alongside an elevated premium offering. Featuring four distinct cabins, the A380 introduces The Residence to the Japanese market for the first time, allowing travellers flying to and from Tokyo to experience the pinnacle of luxury commercial aviation.

The increased capacity enhances connectivity for a greater number of Japanese visitors to explore Abu Dhabi or travel onwards across Etihad’s broad global network. Those connecting onwards can enjoy a seamless airport experience or take advantage of a free hotel stay with Etihad’s Abu Dhabi Stopover programme.

Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “Tokyo has long held a special place in the hearts of our guests, and today, we are proud to meet that affection with a truly extraordinary aircraft. The introduction of the A380 reinforces our commitment to the Japanese market, responding to robust demand for premium travel connecting Abu Dhabi and Tokyo.

“With this route, we are returning our 8th A380 to the fleet, further expanding our operation and premium offering. Whether flying in Economy, Business, First, or The Residence, we promise an elevated, unforgettable journey for our guests.”

Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok

Over the coming years, the three-digit million-dollar investment will create around 1,200 highly skilled jobs. First operations are scheduled to commence in 2028. The facility in Clark will be Lufthansa Technik’s second location in the Philippines and will complement operations at the long-standing site at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, where the company has been present for more than 25 years and recently secured a long-term lease extension. Together, both locations will form a powerful hub for widebody aircraft MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) and strengthen Lufthansa Technik’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

The expansion of Lufthansa Technik Philippines underscores the long-term commitment of Lufthansa Technik to the Philippines as a strategic hub. With both facilities, the company is well positioned to meet growing demand from its airline customers across Asia, Australia, Europe and the Middle East.

Lufthansa Technik Philippines specializes in the MRO of Airbus A330, A340, A350 and A380, as well as Boeing 777 aircraft. With the additional Clark facility, the company’s portfolio will also include the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.