In the background of the global aviation industry deploying Starlink wireless networks on aircraft, Delta Air Lines has become the only one among the four major US airlines that has not adopted Starlink. The CEO of Delta Air Lines and Elon Musk have engaged in a public dispute that has come to light as media and sources have revealed the details.
According to information disclosed by the aviation website viewfromthewing on September 30, Delta Air Lines has decided to opt for Amazon’s low-orbit satellite network called Leo for deployment on its aircraft, rejecting Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink network.
Aviation industry commentator Gary Leff revealed that Delta Air Lines’ decision seems to be related to a personal feud between its CEO Ed Bastian and Musk.
Aviation observer JonNYC on social media disclosed details on September 30, stating that Bastian had previously said at two employee events, “We just do not want to work with Elon Musk, believe me.”
In an earlier event, he also mentioned that Delta Air Lines had tested Starlink but did not want to collaborate with Musk, stating, “If you know his reputation, all the comments about him are true.”
Delta Air Lines has not confirmed or denied the leak.
Following the news, Musk responded on the X social platform on September 29, stating that Bastian “will lose his job” over this. The day before, Musk had also suggested that Delta Air Lines might lose a substantial number of customers due to this decision.
Currently, United Airlines has installed Starlink on over 600 aircraft. Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines are also progressing with the deployment of the Starlink network.
Additionally, overseas airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, and Emirates have also adopted Musk’s service.
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines has chosen Amazon’s Leo network (formerly known as Project Kuiper). However, the network is not yet in the testing phase and is expected to begin testing in 2027, with potential installation on Delta aircraft as early as 2028, with plans to modify approximately half of its fleet.
Analysts suggest that Delta Air Lines’ choice of the Leo network may also be related to Amazon’s commercial terms. Amazon has promised to bundle in-flight wireless networks with Amazon Studios content and cloud services, allowing Delta to manage network access through its own Sync portal.
Musk previously revealed that Delta had discussed Starlink with SpaceX but was rejected when asking for services through its exclusive portal.
Currently, Starlink has become an important choice for many airlines to enhance in-flight internet speed. The implications of Delta’s decision in terms of cost and business advantages will depend on the formal testing and implementation of Amazon’s Leo network.