BRUSSELS, January 15, 2026, 17:27 CET
- Ryanair’s CEO says Starlink antennas would add drag and lift fuel costs on short-haul flights.
- Starlink is also back in focus as governments weigh satellite internet options during shutdowns.
- SpaceX keeps launching Starlink satellites at a faster clip, tightening its grip on the market.
Ryanair ruled out fitting its jets with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet, saying the antenna would add a fuel penalty from extra weight and aerodynamic drag. “You need to put antenna on fuselage it comes with a 2% fuel penalty because of the weight and drag,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary told Reuters, arguing the economics do not work on the airline’s typical one-hour flights. (Reuters)
The call matters because in-flight internet has become a competitive weapon, not an add-on. Airlines are under pressure to offer faster connections for streaming and work, while holding down costs that hit margins flight by flight.
Starlink sits in the middle of that push. It is moving from a niche service for remote users into aviation and other “always connected” markets, while also turning up in political flashpoints where satellite links can bypass local controls.
The technology question is straightforward, even if the trade-offs are not. Low Earth orbit satellites — networks flying a few hundred kilometres above the ground — can cut the lag that makes older satellite Wi-Fi feel slow, especially for calls and video.
Starlink’s reach is also drawing attention beyond commercial cabins. France said it was exploring sending Eutelsat satellite terminals to Iran after authorities imposed severe internet restrictions during unrest, and noted Eutelsat’s OneWeb is the only low-Earth-orbit constellation besides Starlink. Independent satellite communications adviser Carlos Placido said scale matters when states try to block signals: “The sheer scale of the Starlink constellation makes jamming more challenging, though certainly not impossible.” (Reuters)
But there are downsides, and they are not abstract. Airlines worry about hardware on the airframe and fuel burn, while governments can jam signals, seize terminals, or tighten enforcement, turning a connectivity service into a political liability overnight.
SpaceX has kept tightening the supply side, too, by pushing launch tempo. A Falcon 9 mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral just 45 hours after the previous launch from the same pad, and Spaceflight Now said SpaceX deployed 29 Starlink satellites; executive Kiko Dontchev wrote that “Physics is the only constraint.” (Spaceflight Now)
For Starlink, airline wins and high-profile crisis use point to the same prize: being treated as infrastructure. That brings recurring revenue, but it also invites tougher scrutiny from regulators and sharper attacks from rivals.
Ryanair’s refusal is a reminder that Starlink is still a choice, not a default. The next few months will show whether airlines can make “free Wi-Fi” pay, and whether governments decide to fight satellite links harder or quietly live with them.
