In a first, Amazon’s Project Kuiper signs deal with an airline for in-flight internet services

Amazon’s Project Kuiper has signed an agreement with JetBlue airline to boost its in-flight internet service, making it the first time the tech giant has signed up with an airline company.

Project Kuiper, a low Earth orbit satellite broadband internet network, will be applied to about a quarter of JetBlue’s aeroplanes, the company said in an announcement on Thursday. The rollout of the new and improved Wi-Fi services will begin in 2027.

The development comes at a time when US-based airlines are trying to win over customers by providing stellar in-flight services like Wi-Fi availability.

“We do have a lot of our competitors trying to jump on the bandwagon,” JetBlue President Marty St. George told reporters. Amazon has identified technology that will “absolutely keep us ahead” as the new service is expected to be more reliable with faster performance and fewer delays, he noted.

What’s Project Kuiper?

Amazon is developing a network of internet-beaming satellites in low-Earth orbit, known as Project Kuiper. The service is set to compete directly with Elon Musk’s Starlink, which currently leads the market with around 8,000 satellites already in orbit.

Kuiper plans to deploy over 3,200 satellites in the Earth’s low orbit, a $10 billion effort unveiled in 2019, to beam broadband internet globally for consumers, businesses and governments.

Since April this year, Amazon has launched up to 102 satellites, as it tries to meet the  Federal Communications Commission’s deadline, which requires the company to have about 1,600, or half of its full constellation, in orbit by the end of July 2026.

Chris Weber, Kuiper’s vice president of sales and marketing, said, “Even though we still have a lot more work to do, we’re super excited to have JetBlue as the first airline customer for Kuiper.”

With inputs from agencies